Dear Mr. ______, I am writing this Letter to you in your capacity as President of _____. As you well know, throughout my three weeks stay in India I have emphasised time and again the need for all of us to expand our educational facilities in order to ensure our survival as Jews. To that end the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America is willing to extend its assistance to the various synagogues through the offices of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of India We shall be working together in a cooperative venture. We wish to encourage you In every way to provide these facilities for both youths and adults.However, it is necessary for the Indian Jews themselves to take the initiative. As I have mentioned in my talks, every synagogue must accept upon itself the obligation to assist in the education of its young. May I therefore respectfully request you to give your complete cooperation to our newly appointed Executive Director and Secretary Mr. A.D. Jhirad. He will be contacting you in an attempt to use the facilities of the synagogue for classes and lectures. If every synagogue will make at least some effort to assist in the programme, we in America as well as in Israel will be glad to do more than our share.For the sake of our people and our Torah I know that you will spare no effort in putting these plans into effect. Please accept my very best personal regards and wishes for success.Sincerely yours.(Rabbi Norman Lamm)

Dear Rabbi, As desired by you, two copies of Gittim prepared by our Hazanim are enclosed. Your advice on the validity etc., of the same is earnestly solicited. The paper with the palm-prints of goat’s blood from the village Wakroli will be sent to you as soon as received. With regard to the information regarding Jewish population of the congregations you visited and addressed, I have to state as follows:The total strength of our people in India can be roughly estimated In the neighbourhood of 22 to 23,000, of which the majority viz., 18,000 or thereabout, reside in the city of Bombay – Thana town included.The U.0.J.C.I. has, as its constituents, five out of the seven synagogues in Bombay and Thana. Of the three Prayer Halls the Managing Committee of one has resolved to join the Orthodox Union. The Trustees of the Thana Synagogue representing five to six hundred people are contemplating withdrawal from the United Synagogue of India. However, taking only the affiliated congregations into consideration, I could safely say that not less than 16,000 out of the 18,000 identify themselves as Orthodox Jews.Poona has about 500 to 600 people with two Synagogues. One is already a member of the U.O.J.C.I., and the other, though not a member, Is not expected to join the United Synagogue of India, It Is strongly gathered.Ahmedabad....Ahmedabad has about 500 souls with one synagogue. The Managing Committee had resolved to join the U.O.J.C.I. and, I think, with your visit to that congregation the decision of the General Body too shall be forthcoming soon.Pen, Panvel and Alibag of the Konkan district, have one synagogue each with a total population of about 250 persons. Pen, which was so far neutral, has expressed willingness to join the U.O.J.C.I.The above figures are quoted off hand, but could be considered fairly correct. Detailed information, if required, will be forwarded.I am enclosing herewith names of a few publications which we want. I shall deem it a favour, however, if b…

My dear Abraham: It was indeed a pleasure to receive your letter in Israel. I want to assure you that my friendship for you will extend over the oceans for many many years to come, please G-d. There is yet very much to do in order to complete my mission to India. The following represents only the very beginning of our work here subsequent to my trip. (1) I have sent the copies of the Gittin to Haham Gaon in London. He will write to you directly. I most strongly recommend that his guidance be completely accepted. He is a wonderful individual who has very warm feelings especially for the Bene Israel. Frankly, I was not too happy with the copies of the Gittin you sent me. However, we shall leave that to Dr. Gaon and his Beth Din.(2) It will take a short while yet until we can begin to fill all the requirements for various books. I have just been informed of the unfortunate news of the passing of Dr. Weiss' mother, of blessed memory. It will, therefore, take some time until he is able to supervise the entire matter.(3) Similarly, while I would advise continuing the work for the formation of a lay Beth Din, or Religious Committee, this should be done behind the acenes and quietly until such time as we can advise you of the proper procedure to follow. I suspect you shall be hearing directly from Dr. Weiss about this.(4) The Tefillin. I suggest you immediately cancel all further orders of Tefillin from Cochin. I have arranged for the UOJCI to receive Tefillin of far better quality from Israel. The Jewish Agency will be prepared to make up the remainder of the cost, over and above the Union's payment. However, before this is done, you must make sure that customs in India will allow the Israeli product to come through. For this, as well as for all other matters concerning Israel, you should be in direct contact with Rabbi Zev Gotthold, Ministry of Religions, Jerusalem. He will coordinate all our work in Israel for us.(5) If you recall, the day I left India a young couple ca…

Dear Abraham: I am writing to you again an one special point. The Sunday that we went touring the villages on the Konkan, the younger Mr. Benjamin, son of the solicitor, whose car we used, broached to me the matter of investments by American Jewish businessmen in industry in Bombay that would make possible the employment of a larger number of Indian Jews.I have looked into the matter and there is a possibility that something may be done. I would ask that you have Mr. Benjamin write out his proposals in detail and submit them to Mr. Moses Feuerstein, at the U.O.J.C.A., 84 Fifth Avenue, New York 11, New York.Regards to everyone, and tell them not only am I keeping them in mind but I am working hard on Indian matters.Sincerely yours,Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Rabbi: This has reference to the letter dated February 21, 1961 I received from Rabbi Norman Lamm of New York in connection with the students to be sent to Israel – two for Rabbinate and one for Hazanut respectively. It was very kind of you to be prepared to accept them even before Pesach but I don't think it will be possible because of the Passport and other formalities. I shall get in touch with you immediately the young men are prepared to leave.Rabbi Lamm gave me to understand that the new term for the Rabbinate at Yeshiva Kol Torah commences from Rosh Hodesh Iyar – April 17, 1961. However he did not mention the date from which the term for Hazanut begins and the duration of the course. One more important piece of information I would like to have is, the medium of instruction at both these Yeshivoth. Whether this is in Hebrew or English or Hebrew and English as well?I shall be grateful if the above information is addressed to be by return of post.Tefillin – You shall hear in this matter almost immediately through a common friend of ours.With best regards and our grateful thanks for all that you are doing for us.Sincerely Yours,A.D. JhiradCopy to: Dr. Samson R Weiss, Executive Vice President U.O.J.C.A.

Dear Rabbi, Thank you very much for yours of April 30th, 1961 and the snapshot enclosed therewith. It may sound insincere if I am to mention once again that we are all more than grateful for the interest shown by the UOJCA and particularly to you for reporting favourably on our behalf, even though we are full of faults and lack the true spirit of cooperation. Yet one thing is certain, and that is we all have a great yearning to know more of our religion and to be as good and Torah-true Jews as our counterparts elsewhere, if not better.It was kind of you to suggest that we could select two students in the place of Shelim and Jonathan. Before we make the selection, we shall, however, try and persuade Shelim and Jonathan to accept the scholarships by informing them of the proposed enhanced salary to be paid on being ordained as Rabbi and on completion of the Hazanut Course respectively. I have been in touch with the young man who is offered the New York Yeshiva scholarship. I shall get him to apply for required forms forthwith. I suppose it will be better if I forward these to the University with a covering letter.With regards to our requirements of books, etc., I wonder if Dr. Weiss could be requested to forward immediately 20 copies each of Chumash and the Code of Jewish Law in English for the benefit of those congregations which need it most and are not in possession of the same. I may mention here for your information that the United Synagogue of India has received a number of copies on Kashruth Laws for free distribution. Our desire, on the contrary, is to secure from you detailed instructions on Kashruth Laws and have these translated in Marathi and published in one of the issues of *Mebasser*. Incidentally, I must remember to submit our request to Dr. Weiss for further funds for the continuation of the publication of *Mebasser*. As you are aware, Mr. Isaiah helped us in typing and taking extracts from different writings for our paper. This saved us the expendit…

Dear Rabbi, I acknowledge with thanks receipt of your letter of May 25, and I hasten to explain the circumstances that led us to the action resorted to. I have absolutely no doubt that the entire World Jewry (except of course those who issued such prohibition) must be appalled at such atrocity. You could imagine our feelings on learning the news and especially when our non-Jewish friends and acquaintances taunted and ridiculed us. There were fortunately no mass protect meetings but every person of Jewish faith, we met, pestered us with the questioned us ״what is the orthodox Union doing about this affair?״ The day the reports appeared in the Press, I got in touch with Mr. Kelman and through him requested the Consul to issue a statement immediately to the Press, denying the facts as far as the Government of Israel was concerned and that he would investigate the matter. Had this been done, there would have appeared very few or no letters in the Press, condemning the decision and the silence of the Government, over such a touching issue. He did issue one after eight days, which slightly worsened matters (copy enclosed).A meeting of the Executive was convened and a resolution adopted, which was released to the Local Press with the solo intention of toning down the agitation of the masses. Fortunately, Rabbi Gotthold sent me the following telegram, which though vague, somewhat relaxed the tension on being released to the Press."Resolution of the Union Orthodox Jew Congregations of May Seventeenth based on unfounded misleading information stop allegations about Israel Jewish religious authorities decision vicious and dangerous fabrication please correct you misinformation shalom Gotthold Ministry for Religious Affairs."The report appeared in the French trees in the first instance and was earned by the Press Trust of India in the Indian Express (not the Times of India). But the French papers appear to have picked up the news from the Israeli papers like the 'Haaretz' and …

Dear Sir(s), I am directed to forward herewith a copy of resolution adopted by the Executive of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of India at their meeting held on Wednesday the 17th May 1961 for information. Yours faithfully, A.D Jhirad, Jt. Hon. Secretary. True Copy of Resolution Adopted by the Executive of the Union of Orthodox Jewish congregations of India on 17th May 1961: "The Executive of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of India views with grave concern and horror the news item appearing in the Local Press regarding the origin of the Indian Jews, especially of Bombay region and expresses its great resentment at the decision of the Israel Jewish Religious Authorities to brand the Indian Jews as Impure Jews and refusing to grant them licences for marriage with other Jewish Communities in Israel.The Executive is convinced that it is the faithful observance of religious precepts and not any organised Indian Council of Rabbis which constitutes a pure Jew.The executive hopes that the Government of Israel will initiate steps to remove the stigma on Indian Jews forthwith both in the interest of truth and also maintenance of cordial relations between the Jews of India and Israel" .President of Israel.Prime Minister of Israel.Minister of Religions.Consul General of Israel in India.Chief Rabbi of England.Haham S. Gaon, London.Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.President, Rabbinical Council of America.Central Jewish Board, Bombay – with a request that a general meeting of the Community to register mass protest be convened immediately.Prof. Haim Ezekiel, Israel.All Local News Papers.Rabbi N. LammRabbi Charles Weinberg.All Synagogues.

Gentlemen: Various circumstances prevented me from replying to your communications, directed to Rabbi Lamm on May 7th and to Mr. Feuerstein on May 12th, as well as to myself on April 13th. I assure you, though, that Mr. Feuerstein and I have been in constant contact with Rabbi Lamm who has conducted so intensive a correspondence with our friends in India. First let me report to you on the materials mailed to the UOJCI as of today, in keeping with your letter to Rabbi Lamm. You will receive, directly from the Hebrew Publishing Company of New York, the following: 20 copies of the Chumash in Hebrew with English translation 10 copies of the Code of Jewish Law (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch) in the Hebrew original 10 copies of the same in English translation 1 set of the same, in 4 volumes, Hebrew with English translation (this set, I thought, might be advantageous for the instructor) We are furthermore shipping to you the following:20 copies each of our Handbooks on Yamim Noraim, Pesach, Purim and Chanukah.100 copies each of our Festival Series on Chanukah, the High Holy Days. Poaeeh, Moim. Sukkoth and Shavuoth, (The Handbooks are designed for leaders and instructors. The Festival Series is for distribution to the membership.)500 copies of Essentials of Judaism 100 copies of our Guidebook on Kashruth 100 copies of our booklet on prayer 100 copies on the Kaddish 100 copies of our booklet on Brit Milah 10 manuals on the organisation of synagogue youth 20 manuals on teenage activities 20 manuals on organising a synagogue youth council 20 Shabbat manuals for youth groups We are further sending you, courtesy of the Rabbinical Council of America:105 copies of Marriage and Home (this booklet also contains a fine section on kashruth in the home) 1 RCA Sermon Manual, 1959 edition 1 RCA Sermon Manual, 1960 edition 3 copies of Tradition, latest issue We are furthermore mailing you 10 copies of each volume of the “Pray and Learn” children’s book series published by our Women’s Branch.I re…

Dear Abraham: With regard to the question about the old cemetery which had been leveled and which the Bene Israel had proposed to use again, I must have the following information in order to answer the question properly. 1) Do you have a set depth for the digging of the graves, or does the depth vary in individual cases? 2) What is normally the height of the coffin? Please answer these questions as soon as possible, and I shall try to answer your question after I have had a chance to study your response.Sincerely,Rabbi Norman Lamm