Dear Rabbi Lamm, I am on the editorial board of The Mizrachi Woman, a monthly newspaper with which you may be familiar. For some time I have thought that it would be pertinent to have an article of some kind on the “Gusher” programme, with which I understand you are involved, and the editorial board members now seem to be receptive to this idea. If you would like to discuss the matter further, I would appreciate your contacting me soon. I am leaving for a year in Israel on Aug. 23, but if we get something set up, the editor of the paper could take over on the Mizrachi Woman’s end. Looking forward to hearing from you soon – Sincerely yours, Nellie Stanowsky

Dear Rabbi Jung, By now you must have received my postcard, although with Israel's on-again-off-again mail strikes (they alternate with the biweekly phone slow-downs) it is hard to tell when a piece of mail will arrive! However, while my first communication was a general "Hello," enough time has just about elapsed for me to have enough experience here to give you at least a preliminary idea of where we are headed in Gesher. Naturally, I can only offer rashei perakim at the present, and I hope to fill in all the rest when we meet, iyh.The job to which Gesher is dedicated is even greater than I realized at first — and I was under no illusions of excessive optimism. There is a great deal that must be done to bridge the two camps (and after every Ashkelon affair the gap grows ever wider), and the longer we wait the worse it becomes. On the other side of the ledger, however, a great deal can be done, and even if it is done on a small scale every little bit helps.As you can well imagine, I've not only been doing a lot of speaking, but also a great deal of meeting both with Danny Tropper of Lesher and with other people who ought and might be interested in its work. My impression, as a result of all this, is that we have to concentrate more in smaller areas and do the job well, rather than scatter our energies superficially in too wide a field. Our major successes have been in the age group of upper-high school students, ages 16-18. We ran a Yeshiva-University-style Youth Seminar at Gush Etzion, and the results were extremely satisfying. I hesitated to discuss it with anyone until we could check ourselves. Such a check came with a "reunion" we arranged for the youngsters over Shabbat in Jerusalem, held just about a week ago. We invited 29 of the original 30 participants (boys and girls from non-religious schools outside of Jerusalem, mostly Tel Aviv and Haifa) to participate. Two called to say they were ill! All the others returned with their enthusiasm intact. We have bee…

Dear Rabbi Lamm: As per our telephone conversation, allow me to give you a brief summary of Gesher progress in the United States. Finances: In the last twelve months we have solicited pledges and contributions totaling approximately $38,000. This excludes the $10,000 pledge of Mr. Stanley Stern which occurred well before this period. Nine individuals have pledged $1,000 or more, including well-known philanthropists like Mr. Ludwig Jesselson and Mr. Louis Striar. The balance of the $38,000 has come from smaller donations, membership dues, and profits from our various social functions.In addition, Gesher has received grants from various agencies of the Israeli Government, and a grant from the Rothschild Foundation of England. I am requesting a precise breakdown of the nature of these grants from our Israeli office.Organization:We began the building of a broad-based membership organization here in the United States, in September of 1970. Since that time we have attracted 340 dues-paying members and expect to pass the 500 mark by the end of February 1971.A Gesher branch in Los Angeles-Beverly Hills has already raised over \$1,500, and we have firm commitments from Mr. Herbert Joshua to organize a Gesher function in Minneapolis, from Mr. Murray Cohen in Cleveland, and from Rabbi Emmanuel Forman in Toronto.In New York City we have been organizing various types of functions for our membership. The latest of these is the Champagne & Silver affair of last Saturday night which, as you know, attracted hundreds of people and was an unqualified success.We have established liaison with the National Council of Synagogue Youth, with the ultimate ambition to create a junior Gesher for pre-college youth, with NCSY youngsters at the base.In addition, we have made close contact with the Zionist Youth Foundation of America, and are presently negotiating for an office and free secretarial service at the Jewish Agency.All of these activities are being supervised by a very active Gesh…

Dear Rabbi Lamm, I met with Dr. Burg on Erev Shabbat concerning your letter to Golda Meir. In between his various jokes and stories, I managed to learn that a committee composed of members of just about every party has been formed to oversee the Shapiro project. Burg, therefore, called the project "non-political." However, in subsequent meetings with the Ministry's spokesman Yaakov Agassi (Shapiro’s ex-otzar) and a few other insiders I was able to piece together the following. The "committee" is a collection of names but in actual practice it is a Mafdal directed affair. The Shapiro project, it seems, will after all be Gush Ezion, but not the kibbutz Kfar Ezion but the Mercaz Aizori (the hill on which the Yeshiva stands—where you slept the night you attended seminar). They plan to develop that hill—or Yad Shapiro as it is slated to be called—into a large educational center to the tune of IL10 million. The Rothschilds are throwing in the lion’s share (here's where Kav Amital got his money), the government will give another large chunk and private donations will complete it.Now \_\_\_ has been informed that if he agrees to move his Bet Sefer Sadeh and proposed Medrashiat Har Chevron to the Mercaz Aizori he can share in the kitty, however, \_\_\_ has stubbornly refused. He is interested in Kfar Ezion and that's it. Despite the many logical reasons other than financial presented to dissuade him (e.g. a kibbutz is a community and not the place where you want groups of visiting kids floating around all day), he has stubbornly refused.Agassi and Moskovitz of Misrad Hapnim have told me frankly that if we can convince \_\_\_ to make the move and join him in his Medrashiat Har Chevron there can be quite a bit of money for Gesher in the deal. However, I know well and he will not budge. No amount of money will lure him from furthering the development of his precious Kfar Ezion in the direction that he wants.And so this is the situation. Naturally, I will have a long talk with …

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I am enclosing a copy of a letter sent by Deputy Minister Shaki to Mr. Louis Striar. Mr. Striar, who made an annual commitment of $2000 to Gesher, had requested the Ministry's critique of Gesher progress. While such complimentary blurbs are a dime a dozen, this letter amounts to an an official endorsement from the Israeli Ministry of Education and Culture, something which I understand is quite unusual. I am taking the liberty of sending a copy of the letter to Stanley Stern, and trust that you will keep a copy on file for appropriate use. Getting on to other things, I plan to visit Israel in March and will use the opportunity to review Gesher's progress and to plot its future together with Danny. Danny, is especially eager for such a reappraisal, and will be very receptive to constructive criticism. Before I go, I would like to hear your views in greater detail. I'll be happy to meet with you at your convenience, perhaps over lunch one day, to discuss Gesher's future. ?lease let me know if and when you can squeeze me into that infamous schedule of yours. Best regards, ChaimDear Mr. Striar, Dr. Daniel Tropper of the Gesher Foundation has asked me to write to you a critique of Gesher and apprise you of my impressions of their activities. The Ministry of Education regards Gesher as one of the most important new movements on the Israeli educational and cultural scene. A number of their programs have, in fact, received official grants from the Ministry, and this at a time of "belt-tightening" when allocations are not easily granted. These programs include: 1. The Gesher lecture program in High Schools and Kibbutzim 2. The Gesher seminar program for religious and non-religious youngsters at Kfar Etzion (a revolutionary idea in Israel and one which, from the reactions of school principals, I know has met with unusual success). 3. Gesher publications May I add a personal note. When Dr. Tropper first arrived in Israel to begin Gesher, I was somewhat skeptic…

Dear Chaim: This is the correspondence dealing with Gesher, which I discussed with you when we met. I assume that by now you have not only received a telephone call from my secretary but also acted on it in notifying Danny to send the material about Gesher to the Prime Minister as soon as possible. I have sent copies of this material to Eliezer Shefer, who is a shaliach to Mizrachi youth in New York and who, together with Mr. Shiff of Hatzofe were the ones who told me about Mrs. Meir's proposal and recommended that I act on it. It was a pleasure spending time with you this past week and I very much appreciate the efficiency with which you responded to my request. Be well. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm

שלום וכל טוב! שמחתי מאוד להפגש עם מע"כ בועידת המזרחי, ומאוד מצטער אני שלא עלתה בידי לשמוע הרצאתו המאלפת במוצש"ק שהדיה הגיעו אלי למחרתו. כנראה שביסודות אין לנו שום חילוקי דעות כלל, ואילו על השאר נוכל לסמוך על רבי יוחנן (ב"מ פ"ד ע"א), "וממילא רווחא שמעתתא". אני מתכבד לשלוח לכב' ר"מ העתק של מכתב ששלחתי לראש ממשלת ישראל. הענין יתברר לכב" מתוך המכתב, ובטוחני שהוא יודע עוד פרטים שלא העליתי אותם על הכתב. שאלתי ובקשתי, ששר הפנים יתמוך בבקשתנו ושיפעיל השפעתו המרובה לטובת "גשר", תנועה אשר גם מו"ר הגרי"ד סולובייצ'יק שליט"א סמך ידיו עליה. אין לי צורך להרחיב את הדיבור על טיב הנוער הקשור ב"גשר" והברכה אשר תוכל לצמוח ממנה אם תקבל את התמיכה הנכונה. אני תפילה שמע"כ ייעתר לבקשתי ויעשה כמיטב יכולתו לטובת המוסד הזה. בכבוד ובידידות, נחום לאם

Dear Danny: Many thanks for the copy of Shaki's speech in the Knesset and the report on it in Hatzofe. Yes, I do type out my sermons, strange and superfluous that that might seem. I am not sure I know why I do it.... By now you have received a cable from Chaim about supplying the material for Golda Meir, to follow up my letter to her and Burg. It is a long shot, but I pray that it will prove fruitful. Warmest regards to your wife and child and keep in touch. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Enclosed are a few copies of our new magazine, Keshet B’Anan. Designed to maintain closer contact with our seminarians and participants in the chugim, and to broaden our base among high school youth, this magazine is the first to include both dati and lo-dati youth on its editorial board and to be geared to all Israeli youth. We printed 1500 of the first issue and are distributing them to all Israeli high schools. In reference to your letter to the Prime Minister: I’ve scheduled an appointment with Dr. Burg for next week, will discuss the matter with him, and will keep you informed. It is indeed a long shot, but, then again, one of these long shots are bound to come through. At your suggestion, I’ve taken an interest in the "hippie kibbutz" Kedma, and we are helping to get them started. My experiences there have been, to say the very least, different! I see a great future for them, if they can overcome the initial hurdles which the Agency is placing in their way. I've arranged for shiurim, for a rotating sy^yem among the Americans at Kerem B’Yavne to spend Shabbat there and conduct services, etc. As a matter of fact, the Mandels offered me the position of rabbi, but it’s not quite the sort of "shtele" I'm interested in... Our next youth seminar will be held Choi Hamoed Pesach, and registration is extremely high. Our limit of fifty youngsters will probably compel us to reject at least a similar number. Projected deficit: $1000. Best regards to Mindy and the children. Sincerely, Danny

רב הראשי נורמן לאם בית הכנסת היהודי 131 רחוב 86 מערב ניו יורק, נ.י. 10024 כ"ד שבט תשכ"א 19.2.71 לכבוד ראש הממשלה גברת גולדה מאיר הקריה ירושלים גברתי ראש הממשלה: נודע לי לאחרונה שלפני זמן מה, בישיבת הוועדה להנצחת זכרו של מר משה חיים שפירא ז"ל, הציעה ראש הממשלה שיוקם מוסד מיוחד בגוש עציון לשם קירוב הלבבות בין הדתיים והחילוניים. אין כבוד ראש הממשלה צריכה לסיוע או לעצה מיהודי פשוט, בפרט אחד שמתגורר (עוד) בחוץ לארץ. אולם, בתור יהודי שנפשו קשורה בנפש המדינה ואשר עשה שם כמה חדשים שנה זו, יורשה-נא לי להציע תכנית שהיא כבר קיימת ופעילה, ודוקא מתרכזת בגוש עציון. שם התנועה – "גשר", תנועת צעירים וצעירות שמטרתה לעודד ולעזור לקירוב הלבבות בין שני המחנות ללא פוליטיקה וללא מפלגתיות. מגמת ה"גישור" – הכבוד ההדדי ואחווה יהודית. "גשר" נוסד על-ידי צעירים דתיים בארה"ב, נוער עצמאי הנאמן למסורה והמסור למדינה, שקיבל על עצמו שתי משימות: עלייה לארץ והבאת שלום בין המחנות. דרך עבודתה היא לא לבוא מן החוץ עם כל התשובות והפתרונים באמתחותיהם, אלא לעורר ולעודד את פעולת הקירוב בין אזרחי ישראל – ועל-ידיהם. בחול המועד סוכות ש"ז, סידר "גשר" סמינריון בכפר עציון לקבוצה מעורבת של נוער דתי וחילוני. זכינו להצלחה מרשימה, בלתי-צפויה, והתחלנו לתכנן סדרה של מפגשים כאלה בגוש עציון באופן קבוע. אנו משוכנעים שבהשקעה מועטת נזכה להשגים חשובים במידה שהצדיקו את כל תקוותיה של ראש הממשלה. נוכחנו לדעת שדעת הקהל היא סימפטיה לפעולותינו, וששיטת עבודתנו יש לה הדים טובים בקרב כל ההוגים. ביקשתי ממשרד "גשר" בארץ לספק לכבודה את החומר הדרוש בכדי להכיר ולהעריך את התנועה ואת פעולותיה. בקשתי היא איפוא שכבוד מעלתה תסמוך ידיה על מפעל זה ותמליץ על "גשר" כמוסד המוכשר למלא את התפקידים אותם הזכירה בישיבת הוועדה הנ"ל בכנסת. נחום לאם