Dear Jerry: Thank you for your letter and expeditious reply. I deeply appreciate your efficiency in making the proper preparations as I had requested. Enclosed you will find a biographical summary giving you the pertinent data. I hope you will be discriminating in choosing only the appropriate information. I do not know if it is wise to announce the title of my talk, but if you and your committee desire one you may use the following: ”Fashioning a Future for Orthodoxy."It is quite all right to take care of all monetary matters when I get to Detroit.I have been requested by Mr. Baruch Litvin and some of the local rabbis to spend some time with them on Monday morning. I have therefore revised my schedule as follows:Sunday, May 15 – American Flight 337Leaving LaGuardia at 3:15 P.M.Arriving Detroit 4:10 P.M. (your time)Monday, May 16 – American Flight 338Leaving Detroit at 3:10 P.M.Arriving LaGuardia at 5:55 P.M. (D.S.T.)I want to close with my very best regards to your mother and wife. I look forward to seeing you all the weekend of May 15.Sincerely,Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Norman, I am returning the proofs of my communication and I wish to thank you for including the proof of your reply. I feel it incumbent upon me however, for the sake of truth, logic and halachic veracity, to inform you that the reply you give in no way answers my objections to your article. At the outset it would be advisable to bear in mind that the intent of your article was to prove that the Conservative amendment is invalid because of its ‘asmachta’ nature. In order to accomplish that noble purpose it must be shown that no halachic authority would or could consider this amendment other than an ‘asmachta’. If there can be found one authority who would not consider this an ‘asmachta’ you have failed in your purpose. Therefore, the fact that “you believe” that Mekhirah 11:17 should be interpreted in a certain manner is no proof that it must so be interpreted. Unless and until you can prove that no other explanation is possible you have failed in your appointed task, for I can with the full sanction of halacha state, as I did, that the Rambam maintains that an agreement to pay an indemnity sum is binding if it is made under a wedding canopy. You may disagree but you have not disproven my contention. You have not shown that the Conservative amendment, except according to your understanding of Mekhirah 11:17, is an ‘asmachta’. For the same reason your reply to my third point is also not an acceptable answer. Whether or not you personally concede that a ‘kinyan’ and a retroactive clause are sufficient to neutralize the ‘asmachta’-nature of a contract is immaterial and inconsequential. If there is any halachic basis for such concessions then you cannot with impunity invalidate the Conservative Ketubah. In truth, however, I addressed myself mainly to your very lucid statement that even with these concessions it would remain an ‘asmachta’, and you must admit that the reverse is the only logical conclusion.

Dear Rabbi Lamm: On behalf of the Synagogue Council of America we wish to thank you for the extraordinary contribution you made to the success of our first Annual Synagogue Statesman Award Dinner Sunday night at the Walforf-Astoria. The distinguished audience that was present was deeply impressed by your moving invocation and remarks. We thought you might be interested in the enclosed report on the dinner which appeared in the December 5, New York Times. We will shortly send you several of the photographs taken of you during the dinner.Again, with warmest thanks and deepest appreciation, we are,Cordially yours,Rabbi Marc H. TanenbaumExecutive DirectorRabbi Max D. DavidsonPresidentP.S. ...

My Dear Rabbi Rabinowitz: Your manuscript on the problem of American Orthodox relations to the State of Israel finally arrived yesterday and I read it with great care. Needless to say it is extremely well done and clearly points to a major problem in the whole ideological structure of American Orthodoxy. This problem has bothered me considerably, especially after my visit to Israel when I returned from India six months ago. I myself feel caught up In the ambivalence that seems to characterize the whole posture of traditional Judaism in the United States. It is something that cannot be lightly dismissed. I think it requires very deep thought and profound analysis, and I suspect that the underlying motives are of a highly consequential nature. As a matter of fact, I am beginning to doubt whether there will be any "great debate" on this theme in our ranks. I fear that the problem is too deeply psychological in a collective sense to become the basis for a doctrinal dialogue which involves at least two clearly defined points of view.Space does not permit me to elaborate on my preliminary thinking on this subject. I wish we had spent more time together when you were here on your last visit. However, I would like to offer this suggestion: the dilemma, to my mind, is caused in no small way by the modesty of the original Zionist aspirations. Zionism dreamt of a State and now we have it – how after this fullfillment, are we still to entertain Zionism as a worthy goal?I believe that if all of Zionism had been geared to the messianic visions of a Kalischer or Reines, visions which transcended the political and social and were informed by a mystic and eschatological impulse, then Zionism would still be a dynamic reality for committed Jews today. This, of course, is in addition to the sense of frustration and disappointment which American Orthodoxy suffers when contemplating the secularism am of the Non-Orthodox elements in Israel and the refusal of so much of the right wing to …

Dear Moe: I know how busy you are, especially with all the recent unfortunate developments in your family. Nevertheless, I am sending you enclosed the most recent copy of the CCAR Journal, and suggest that you read carefully the very first article on Reform Judaism in Israel. Especially notice the underlined parts. I think it is important for someone in your position to be aware of the kind of secret activity currently being conducted by the reformed group. Fondest regards.Cordially yours,RABBI NORMAN LAMMNLsf

Dear Moe: The tendency expressed in the enclosed release is known to me for some time now. There is nothing you or I can or should do about it. My own feeling is that this would consolidate the conservative movement and create an irrevocable break with Orthodoxy. If anyone from the Press should ever ask you what you think of it, especially in light of the lay involvement by The United Synagogue, I strongly urge you to say that it is a completely internal affair and that while you have your opinions you do not feel it appropriate to make any public statement, except for the fact that you do not understand how ”Halakhah” can be decided by non-experts, such as lay leaders of the United Synagogue. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm

My dear Rabbi Lamm, It was good to hear from you, and I am pleased to tell you that all is well with us. I knew from the South African Jewish Press that you had accepted an invitation to visit the country on behalf of the S.A. Board of Jewish Education, and I was delighted at the information. But let me say that if you regret that I am not in my old post, I regret much more that you are not there in that post! I think that after your visit you will agree with me that it was “no mean Rabbinate.” With regard to any information which I may be able to give you, I do so on the distinct understanding and condition that what I write is strictly confidential between two colleagues, and under no circumstances may it be divulged. I know that I can rely upon you in that regard. There are only two matters which I think you ought to know, the one belonging to the Educational sphere, the other to the Communal-Religious. The Director of the Board of Education is a dedicated individual. His enthusiasm, sincerity and probity are beyond question. However, from our point of view his views may be considered somewhat heterodox. If I could classify him I would put him into the Zechariah Frankel class. Not quite Conservative. This is reflected in the atmosphere of the Schools, the outstandingly fine Jewish Day Schools. Torah and Mitzvoth, though not played in their context to be relegated to Keren Kayemeth emotion play little part. As a result of his views, not less than his academic qualifications, I predict with continually remarkable suggestion by an underling of his that it may create distress shortly after my departure if this individual is conferred a formal Semicha, though not as it would add to the prestige of his office. To my great distress, shortly after my departure the employee was granted the title “Rabbi” upon the employer. I must say that I am down in my estimation as a result. He has never revealed the source of his “Semicha” but merely began to assume the title and the…

Dear Rabbi Soloveitchik: I just this morning was leafing through the most recent issue of CCAR Journal, and happened to notice an article by Jakob J. Petuchowski entitled, "Some Reflections on the Reform Attitude Towards Divorce." I am enclosing a photocopy of the last page of his article which I think may be of interest in the light of our conversation earlier this week about the possibility of coming to some understanding with Prof. Lieberman about the divorce problem.Respectfully yoursRabbi NORMAN LAMM

ידידי ר' פנחס: התרעשתי בשבוע שעבר עם גיחת פי' סנדוז, וסיפרה לי על לידת הבת לה ולבעלה. בצדק איפוא להביע אליך ואל אשתך מברוק ברכה ואיחולי מזל־טוב לרוב ולימים טובים ולשנים טובות ומתוקנות בברכה ורחמים (ולבן יורש!) ולנחת מרוב נחת בבריאות ובשמחות כראוי לכם. אני חייב גם להודות לך שבעזרתך לקשקש להדפיס את המאמר על בה"כ – תקודה סנדרוביץ באירופה שם לבו עליו. אני מקווה שהמערכת המקצועית בלונדון מעל דפי פ"א תצליח לעורר את הלבבות למצב המצער הזה. לידידינו, פנחס, יש כבר חזקה בראיה ואינה דורשת ראיה, ונאומים כשרים לא יחסר. ובכן יושבים נא, להדליק נר לכל הקדמות, ובקשת רחמים במקום אביגדור מרדכי אל תתמהמהו. בקרוב אל הגיליון האחרון של פ"א.

Dear Moe: In response to your request concerning the Japanese professor, I can speak only of what I have heard and read. Apparently, he was quite heroic during the war in helping the Jews, and his conversion to Judaism is genuine and authentic. I read his book recounting his experiences, and it is in many ways unusual and also naive. It appears he does not really know the difference between Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox, but his heart is in the right place. I do not know how much strength he can add to the Orthodox community, but I would seriously begrudge the benefits that would accrue to the other camps were they to have the foresight to employ him in their institution.It might, come to think of it, be a splendid idea to have him initiate a Far-Eastern Department at Yeshiva University. This might include not only Japanese and Chinese language and literature but also the study of ancient Jewish community in Asia Including the Bene Israel of India.You looked very tired when I saw you at the wedding of Max Stern’s son. I hope that you and Shirley are feeling well, and will have a pleasant summer. Mindy and I would love to see the two of you in Camp Morasha this summer again.Cordially yours,Rabbi Norman LammNL/le