My Dear Friend: I hope that by now you have completely settled in your new position and that the מכללה has already begun to benefit from your talents and devotion. I have been asked to recommend a young lady as a student for the [redacted]. I know her and her family for many years. [Redacted] of [redacted] is a student at Queens College, and has studied in elementary day school and Yeshiva High School. She is a personable, intelligent young lady with genuine conviction and a love of Torah. I know that her association with the school will prove of enormous benefit to her, and I have every reason to believe that the administration will be satisfied with her as a student. All my best wishes to your wife and to all our mutual friends at [redacted]. Cordially, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Reuven: There is an old Yiddish saying about not sending a cat to fetch the milk. But since מכללה does its instruction in Hebrew rather than in English, I shall violate this choice piece of folk wisdom and, despite the fact that my own daughter is applicant for your next year’s school, I shall write a recommendation for somebody else. [redacted] is a young lady who is now a freshman at Stern College. She is hereself a בעלת תשובה in the sense that her family is nowheres near as observant as she is. She did attend Yeshiva High School of Queens and spent a year in מכון גולד. She is still dissatisfied with her present level of Jewish learning and is quite apprehensive about passing the exam that you will set for her. I am therefore writing to intervene on her own behalf. I would certainly be the last one to want the school to lower its standards. However, I have observed that this young lady has by sheer force of will and determination transcended the limitations imposed upon her by her environment, and I therefore am fully confident that even if normal standards she is not presently capable as a student, nevertheless, her native abilities are such that she is eminently worthy of consideration of qualifying acceptance.Do make every effort to extend to her every possible courtesy, and please accept my thanks in advance.Cordially,Rabbi Norman LammNL:cwP.S. I would appreciate it if you would let me know as soon as the school has decided upon Chaye's application as well.