5730

Blessing and Greeting:

Your letter reached me with considerable delay. In it you write about the general problems and perplexities of the present time, particularly the confusions and dangers besetting American Jewry, and so forth.

My first observation is that, first of all, it is necessary to narrow one’s attention down to areas where some immediate practical results may be accomplished through a determined effort by Jewish youth. Particularly in regard to Jewish girls who are concerned about present-day problems, there is much that they can do in showing a living example of daily conduct as befits a daughter of Israel, of whom it has been said, “All the honor of the king’s daughter is within,” that is to say, true modesty, tzniut, is their greatest virtue. Needless to say, this must go hand in hand with the conduct of the general daily life in accordance with the Jewish way of life, with kashrut, Shabbat observance, and so on.

Furthermore, inasmuch as the commandment to love one’s fellow Jew is one of the great and basic principles of our Torah, this places an obligation on each and everyone to exercise the optimal influence on their surroundings, by setting an example that others can follow. To be sure, it is not easy to go against the stream, and not be carried along by the general environment. However, Jews have always been in the minority yet have managed to retain their identity down the ages. But only those who have not assimilated have been able to survive as Jews. The only way, therefore, for each and every Jew to conduct himself is to remain steadfast, and not be intimidated or influenced by the majority, and thus to retain sanity in these confused and chaotic times. The important thing is not to crave being considered “modern" “up-to-date,” and the like, for it is not modernity that is good for the Jews, but only those time-honored values that have clearly demonstrated what is truly good and vital for the Jewish people.

If the above is a rule for Jews in general, it applies particularly to the young men and women of the Jewish people, since the young especially are imbued with a goodly measure of courage to face up to challenges and difficulties.

I have already referred to the need to narrow one’s objectives down to immediate and practical problems. This point needs to be especially emphasized, since this is a problem that underlies the inertia so prevalent nowadays. The trouble is that people get involved with trying to solve problems of a global nature, considering it ‘beneath them’ to deal with the so-called trivialities associated with day-to-day living. Yet, insofar as global problems are concerned, an individual cannot accomplish anything, and merely wastes his or her time and energy in futility and frustration, leaving no time or attention for what are immediate personal matters, such as the way a Jewish girl or boy should conduct themselves.

I trust that the above lines will suffice to throw some light on those matters which should be of immediate concern to you, and will have their effect, since the essential thing is the deed. By this I mean that your daily conduct, both at home as well as in public, will be such that everyone can see that you are a daughter of Israel, a daughter of our great Matriarchs, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, who helps perpetuate the real values and eternal traditions of our people with pride and determination. This is also where you can make a real contribution to the general betterment of society and the world at large, at least insofar as your own segment of it is concerned.

With blessing,