By the Grace of G-d 23rd of Kislev, 5724 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

Thank you very much for continuing to send me the copies of the Mayor’s speeches. I particularly want to express my appreciation in receiving a copy of the Mayor’s eloquent eulogy of the late President Kennedy.

I assume that you have some influence in regard to these speeches and I therefore want to express my gratification that a point was made of emphasizing the late President’s deep religious feelings. It is noteworthy that, although during the presidential campaign the late Mr. Kennedy’s religious convictions were exploited by some of his opponents to their own ends, Mr. Kennedy, far from concealing or playing down his religious convictions, consistently upheld them. It is regrettable that this point, which was so characteristic of the late President, was not emphasized in the various eulogies which came to my attention, at any rate. Would that the religious spirit throughout America would be deeper and wider, and certainly we would have been spared such a tragic event and such premature eulogies.

There is yet another point which, I regret, was not adequately, if at all, stressed by anyone and that is the insight that the fate of a single individual can have such tremendous consequences. Our Sages say that “The measure of goodness is greater than the measure of evil.”² In other words, the events in the realm of goodness, which are counterpart to the corresponding events in the realm of evil, are infinitely more far reaching. It emphasizes how much a single individual could accomplish in constructive creativeness if imbued with a profound spirit of piety and humility, which find their expression in the everyday life.

May I take this opportunity, while on the subject of religious feelings and corresponding daily conduct, to broach a personal subject. You will recall that when we met in the presence of Ambassador Jacob Herzog, the question of your daughter Shoshana's education came up and it was urged that she should attend the Ramaz School. It is surely superfluous for me to remind you of this, but I thought I would take the liberty, nevertheless, to inquire about her.

At this time, before Chanukah, I extend to you and yours my best wishes for a happy Chanukah. I am looking forward to hearing good news from you about all your affairs, both public and personal.

With blessing,

M. Schneerson

P.S. I requested the office to send some Chanukah literature to your daughter.