Dear Rabbi Lamm: We are herewith enclosing our check for $75.00 covering your expenses for your two trips to Springfield. May I assure you that it was a pleasure having you with us, and that you made a deep impression upon the members of the congregation. As I mentioned to you we hope that we will come to a decision within ten days relative to your candidacy. With kindest regards, I am, Sincerely, Aaron Kurn, President

Dear Rabbi Lamm: It gives me great pleasure to inform you of your unanimous acceptance by the congregation to serve Kodimoh as its spiritual leader. We understand that you will assume your new position some time during the week of January 4, 1954. In behalf of Kodimoh, please accept our sincere congratulations. We are proud of our synagogue and congregation and feel certain that you will lead us to further accomplishments and sincere religious appreciation. We are certain that through your association with us, Kodimoh will maintain its position in the community and continue to be referred too, as a congregation of prestige. We look forward to your being with us and can assure you of our utmost cooperation and support.With kind personal regards, I amYours sincerely, Congregation KodimohAaron Kurn, President

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Just a brief note to extend you welcome to our community, and to congratulate you on becoming Rabbi of Kodimoh Congregation. You will find a fine congregation and a fine community. I am looking forward to meeting you in person. With every good wish and Brocho, Sincerely yours, Rabbi Herman E. Snyder

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I wish to congratulate you upon becoming Rabbi of Kodimah Synagogue. I hope that you will have a successful career and will find your work as satisfying as I did. It is a fine Congregation with a co-operative membership. The black sheep I will let you find out for yourself. The good ones I commend to your attention. You will find them particularly among the younger members, especially those who are active in the Day School. Rabbi Lookstein spoke to me about you in very glowing terms. I am sure you will be able to make Kodimah continue to be a fortress for traditional Judaism in the finest sense of the term. With sincerest congratulations and best wishes, I am Cordially yours, Rabbi Isaac Klein

Dear Member: The Late Friday Nite Services this week will serve as a "Welcome Home" reception for Rabbi and Mrs. Lamm. Services will begin at 8.15. Rabbi Lamm's sermon will be: "The Psychological History of the Demand for Change in Law." This is the last installment of "The Place of Jewish Law in Jewish Life." Cantor Herman Abramson and the Choir will chant the services. Following the services a special Oneg Shebat will be held in the vestry honoring the home coming of Rabbi and Mrs. Lamm. On Saturday morning, "Parsha Shkolim" Rabbi Lamm’s sermon will be: "Jewish Attitudes towards Wealth." A "Home Coming" Kiddush will be held in the vestry following the services. Let us give the Rabbi and new Rebetzin a warm welcome on their "Homecoming". Attend a services this weekend.Sincerely, Aaron KurnPresidentP. S. Jr. Cong, will meet at 9:45 Saturday morning. Following services they will join us in the Kiddush, Send your child to services, or better still, bring your chi 14 tn. services every Saturday,

My dear Lamm: I am enclosing a copy of my letter to your President. You may be sure that I shall try my best to spend the evening with you. Thanks for your note of explanation of the "politics." It is important that I know it because it will undoubtedly colour what I hope to say. My best to your wife and regards from all. Very cordially yours, Joseph H. Lookstein

Dear Friend: May we call to your attention a new feature in Kodimoh's spiritual program, which will no doubt be of interest to you? In the past, it has been our custom, on the four times a year when the Yizkor is recited, to read the names of the deceased in the course of the Memorial Prayers. Unfortunately, we have found that as time passes, more and more names are submitted for mentioning. This has reached the point where it has proven burdensome for the congregation to remain standing for the lengthy recital of the names. We feel that to continue in the same manner detracts from the dignity of the service and is well-nigh impractical. We know that in a number of years from now it will be completely out of the question. It has therefore been decided to adopt a system whereby we will be able to memorialize our beloved departed and still maintain the dignity and decorum of the service. Each year, before Yom Kippur, we shall publish a printed booklet containing the Yizkor prayers including a list of all the names of the deceased whose memory we wish to reverence. The Cantor will recite a collective "El Mole" for all those whose names appear in the booklet, at all four occasions during the year when Yizkor is said.The names which appear on plaques will be automat-ically included without special charge. For those who want to memorialize relatives and friends for whom there are no plaques, the following system will be adopted. For a voluntary contribution per name, we will include the name of the deceased plus the name of the donor. Since this is not a fund raising proposition we have decided to place a maximum limit on the donation. The charge, therefore, is entirely up to you. You are invited to give any contribution per name you wish, but the maximum limit is $15.00 per name.Ue respectfully request that you hurry and fill out the enclosed form. Please remember that the dead-line is September 20th. Absolutely no applications will be accepted after that date until the…

Dear Friend: This letter is intended for you in your capacity as a "Kohen." As such, you are not only heir to a glorious and magnificent tradition, but you are privileged to bear the responsibility of acting as a Kohen functionally as well. One of the most important and beautiful functions of the Kohen in modern times is the "Birchas Kohanim" – the blessing of Israel as pronounced by the descendants of Aaron. This blessing is pronounced, as you know, on all major holidays. And since we are soon approaching the Passover festival, I take the privilege of approaching you about a matter I have been considering for some time now, and in which you may be personally involved. For many years now, American Orthodox synagogues have been discouraging Kohanim who do not observe the Sabbath from performing this all-important Mitzvah. As a result, the Kohanim who do participate are growing older in age and fewer in numbers. And this beautiful, elegant and inspiring part of our holiday services is gradually facing extinction.I, for one, feel that something should be done to retain this sacred tradition. I do so while recognizing the fact that a good number of our Kohanim are, for one reason or another; not Sabbath observers, and without in the least encouraging or sanctioning this non-observance.Some months ago, I presented a paper (soon to be published) to the Halacha (Jewish Law) Commission of the Rabbinical Council of America, of which I am a member, outlining the legal aspects of the problem. The members of the Commission unan-imously agreed with me as to my conclusion. The following is therefore authoritively in accordance with Jewish Laws.All Kohanim should participate in the "Birchas Kohanim". Sven if he not be a Sabbath observer^ the Kohen may, and is required,to pronounce the blessing over his fellow-Jews.ACCORDINGLY, I RESPECTFULLY INVITE YOU TO COOPERATE IN THE REVITALIZATION OF THIS SACRED aND BEAUTIFUL TRADITION.I will be more than glad to answer any questions that m…

Dear Sir: My friend and I, both Kodimoh members, were visiting the other night. The subject of our Synagogue came up and we discussed a few problems and wondered what the answers were. We wondered what was going on. Since there has been no congregational meeting, and since we do not belong to the Board of Directors, we thought that we would write to you in the form of a ’Letter to the Editor’, and perhaps you would have the information, or better still would refer these questions to the proper individual or committee. We have heard considerable talk about the possibility of building a new edifice – perhaps to compete with the other temples in our community. Everyone would agree that it is high time that Kodimoh took steps to provide adequate facilities for its expanded program. According to the Rabbi’s announcement on Yom Kippur, something is about to be done. Some people apparently question the advisability of continuing in our present form. We do not believe that the seating problem is a real serious one – we would be willing to accept this as a theological question to be settled by the Rabbi. We think, rather, that some changes should be made in the present policy – in order to make the program more interesting. On these past high holidays, we admit, the services were outstanding; the decorum was excellent; the sermons were outstanding; and there were even some English prayers. Why can't we have some English prayers included during the weekly Sabbath services, and on the other holidays. During the recent holiday of Succos, one of us attended - there wasn't one English prayer. Most of us, you know, doA't understand much of the actual meaning of most of the prayers.Ihe same applies to the community singing. We have some on Saturday, sone on the high holidays - but none on other holidays. Why can't we have more? We are singing the same number of melodies to-day as we did twenty years ago. It would seem that the Cantor should get more seriously interested in the mus…

My dear Rabbi, As you can imagine, I am deeply saddened by the news. However, I want to hurry to tell you that in my eyes you did did no wrong and can do no wrong. Springfield is too small for you, as it was for another man dear to me before you. You have a very great career before you. All I ask of you is not to forget those who not only appreciate you here but more than appreciate you here. And if I do not presume too much thereby, may I say Yevarechecha Adonai v’yishmerecha… Always yours – W. J.