Dear Abner: I was delighted to receive a New Year’s card from you and your wife, and both my wife and I gladly reciprocate your good wishes for a happy and healthy year and a G’mar Tov. I have been inquiring from mutual friends about your welfare in Durban, although I have little doubt that you will succeed gloriously. I must tell you that I very much enjoyed your company when we did meet in the States, and I look forward to further meetings. As a matter of fact, I would like to make a suggestion, or a request, and hope that you will keep it confidential except insofar as you can possibly be of assistance to me.A mutual friend of ours, who shall meanwhile remain nameless, planted an idea in my mind which gradually developed into something that is either a stroke of genius or utterly scatterbrained. I hope you will feel free to give me your honest judgment.The idea is this. I am anxious to do something else in the summer, other than stay in Camp Morasha. I am anxious to visit Israel, especially this summer where a nephew of mine is celebrating his Bar Mitzvah on July 4th and also would be happy to make another visit to South Africa.The idea would be to accept some of the "feelers" that have been put out to me as to whether I would like to visit South Africa again. Frankly, I do not want to come as a professional fundraiser, being taken around to the homes of various prospective contributors and twisting their arms. Nor would I want to go through the same hectic pace I did last time for six weeks.Rather, I wonder if it would be possible to give a series of lectures, perhaps tied in with the campaign of some institution like the Yeshiva College or Board of Education, which, of course, can use my visit as part of its annual campaign. This should be a one-week or ten-day affair. The remainder of the time would be spent in ministering on Saturdays (including, of course, Friday nights) to a synagogue in an area where the weather is favorable during July and August. I beli…

Have just heard your elevation to presidency YU, thrills, mazel tov, Hashem yatzliach et darkecha.