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 Rabbi Lamm: As usual, my husband and I were very much interested in your sermon last Saturday morning. We feel always so stimulated by your messages, except that we sense a certain aversion to Zionism every time you touch on the subject of Israel. Motivated by your call to the worshippers to speak up when they feel a wrong has been done, I am encouraged to take the liberty of commenting on your remarks in synagogue last Saturday morning. In the course of your sermon you criticized Ben-Gurion for choosing to spend his vacation to “meditate” in a Burmese Monastery. You implied that thereby he was betraying his own religion and setting a bad example for his fellow Jews. I am afraid the facts as presented were rather misleading because they were not given in the right perspective. This is especially unfortunate, as many of your congregants may not be acquainted with the events leading to Mr. Ben-Gurion’s action. You undoubtedly know that the coming sessions of the United Nations will deal with the Arab refugee problem and that these will be trying days for Israel, which will be subjected to a heavy barrage of attacks from all sides. You are also certainly aware that Israel has few, if any, friends. Mr. U Nu, who is a personal good friend of Mr. Ben-Gurion, is perhaps the only true friend Israel now has. He has invited Israel’s Prime Minister to be his guest, and as he has chosen to become a priest, his invitation was naturally extended to his Monastery. The present Acting Secretary-General, Mr. U Thant, is, as you know, a Burmese, and Mr. U Nu, though withdrawn to his Monastery, still has great influence on the representatives of his country and has earned the respect of many neutral countries. While the real reasons prompting Mr. Ben-Gurion’s acceptance of the invitation to Burma would not, of course, be stated publicly, it seems obvious that he is not going for the purpose of “meditating” or alienating his G’d, but rather in the interests of his people, trying …

Dear Mr. Mayor: My good friend and associate, Mr. Z. William Wolfson reported to me about your very deep interest in the cultural welfare of our more destitute brethren in your city, particularly those in the Sephardic community. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your readiness to be of assistance to us in establishing the religious teachers' seminary in Haifa under the auspices of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. We are currently working on the details of this project, and you will hear further from us in the near future. I was especially pleased to hear of your interest in establishing an institution to train spiritual leaders for the Sephardic community in your city. I shall endeavor to look into the possibility of finding competent individuals who might assist you in accomplishing this objective. I eagerly look forward to meeting you and getting to know you personally, either on my next trip to Israel or in New York if you should plan to visit the US. I trust that such an association will be a [handwriting] one for our people. In the name of our three thousand congregations and their worshippers, please permit me to thank you very sincerely for your offer to help us in our undertaking. With every good wish for a happy and fruitful New Year, I am Sincerely yours, Moses I. Feuerstein

My Dear Mr. Zohar: Please accept my sincerest thanks, in which Mrs. Lamm and the children join me, for your kind and thoughtful gift and your generous sentiments on the eve of this new year. May G-d grant that this year be for you and your family one of health, happiness, and success, and for the State of Israel and all our people throughout the world one of peace, greater dedication to Torah, and serenity. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm.

Dear Rabbi and Mrs. Lamm: With reference to our telephone conversation we are pleased to enclose 2 seats in Loge 14 for your use. We are sorry that you Rabbi Lamm will not be able to attend personally, but look forward to greeting your ladies at this gala musical event. With all good wishes, I am, Sincerely, Joshua J. Schapiro, Concert Chairman

Dear Colleague: We, of the Rabbinical Council of America, are very grieved and perturbed to note the fact that the West German government, whose scientists have been helping Egypt prepare mass destructive lethal weapons with which to destroy Israel (Rachmana Litzlon), has refused, after many requests and demands, to recall these scientists and to assure us that they will no longer assist the Egyptian government, as has been proven they have been doing until now.We, therefore, turn to you, dear colleague, with the request that you immediately send a telegram or a letter on your behalf, from the congregation, and from as many of your members as you can possibly get, addressed to the German Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Karl Heinrich Knopstein, 4645 Reservoir Rd., N.W., Washington, D.C. In this letter, you are to demand of the German government that they discontinue this inhuman action towards the Jewish people, whose death of 1/3 of their nation they were directly and completely responsible for during this past generation.I do not believe that we need to spare the Embassy or the Ambassador any harsh words in this matter. The letters that we write should be as critical and as sharp as decency will permit.It would also be advisable if you would send a copy of the letter that you are sending to the German Ambassador to the State Department of the United States as well, and we too would greatly appreciate a copy of your letters.I trust that you will take care of this matter immediately.Very cordially yours,Rabbi Sidney ApplbaumIsrael Commission

Dear Mr. Ambassador: I write to you not only on my own behalf, but also on behalf of our entire membership. Rarely has an event of public importance caused as much distress and outrage amongst our people as the failure of the West German government to do something immediate and decisive about West German scientists who are now helping Nasser and Egypt to "finish the job" that a previous German government had begun. It is completely beyond our comprehension that a generation of government leaders who had personally witnessed the unprecedented horrors visited upon the world by the Nazis should now stand impotent, eager helplessness in the face of a few legalisms, while allowing their own countrymen to continue to participate in the diabolical schemes to destroy the State of Israel, which is composed so largely of refugees from Greater Nazism.There was a time when a number of our people began to accept the fact that the new German government was, on the whole, a group of sincerely dedicated anti-Nazis who genuinely rued what had been done. The latest series of events, however, have pretty well disillusioned us and made us feel that to an unfortunately large extent the democratic character of the West German government is more of a public relations "image" than an authentic fact.None of the explanations that have been forthcoming for or on behalf of the West German government are in any way convincing. I beg to remind you that we have six million reasons to be suspicious of any contrived “explanations” that fall short of the drastic measures that are deemed incumbent upon your government.Sincerely,RABBI NORMAN LAMMNL\:ffCC: Mr. M. Stern — Rabbi S. Applbaum — RC

Dear Rabbi Lamm: You recently wrote me a letter in which you expressed your concern over the activities of German citizens in the armaments industry of the United Arab Republic. I would like to assure you that I not only appreciate your concern but that I, as well as my Government, share it. The Federal Government has declared in a statement on the 27th of March, 1963, that it condemns the participation of German citizens in the development and production of weapons in areas of tensions.Before I point out the efforts which the German Government has taken in this regard, I would like to clarify several facts which have been grossly distorted and exaggerated by newspapers and other reports:It is not true that German scientists in the UAR work on the development of nuclear, bacteriological, or chemical weapons. This has been confirmed by investigations made by the German Government as well as by the American Government. They take part, however, in the development and production of jet engines for airplanes and rockets.The number of German scientists working in the UAR has been very much exaggerated. There are hardly more than half a dozen of them; all the other Germans mentioned in this context are merely technicians and workmen.Not only German scientists and technicians but also nationals of other countries are involved in these projects.None of the German citizens in the UAR work there on behalf or with the acquiescence of the German Government, but they do so entirely on their own initiative. As I have already pointed out, the German Federal Government condemns their activities.It is true, however, that a number of German scientists and technicians are working in the UAR on the development and the production of modern weapons. I agree that — after the horrible events of the 1940s — it is particularly inappropriate for Germans to participate in the production of weapons which ultimately could be used to the disadvantage of the nation of Israel. This poses the questi…

To: Rabbi Jung. From: Sec. of Rabbi Lamm. This is the text of the telegram sent to German Ambassador Karl Hendrick Knappstein, German Consulate, 460 Park Ave., N.Y.C. (For your files). Most emphatically protest West Germany's surrender to Nasser blackmail. Your government is undoing all its previous efforts to restore your country to mankind's respect. Dr. Leo Jung, Norman Lamm, Rabbis of N.Y.C.

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to you for your kind permission to print your article "Our Dependence Upon Israel's Independence." Although it was mailed out only a week or so ago, it has already elicited a very favorable response. I was out of town for a few days this week. During my travels I had the opportunity to go through the article at leisure. I must express my sincere admiration to you. Again, please accept our thanks. I know that we can count upon you for your future cooperation.I remain with greetings of Torah and Zion,Sincerely yours,Elie TomEG/bsDirector