By the Grace of G-d 21st of Teves, 5731 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I was under the impression that I had already acknowledged and replied to Mrs.’s letter. At any rate, I will reiterate my views in answer to your questions.

I do not think that you should agree to meet the girl, inasmuch as this would be interpreted by your son and the girl as a sign that you are beginning to accept the situation.

On the contrary, your position should be quite clear: inasmuch as such an intermarriage, G-d forbid, would be a great tragedy for both sides, namely your son and the girl, since it is bound to lead to perpetual strain and strife, eventually leading to a breakup and many other complications — you must do all you can to convince your son not to do such a thing, G-d forbid.

Your effort to dissuade your son from the intended step should also include the point that if a person truly has a good attitude towards another (not to mention a true feeling of love), he should not do anything which would bring upon the other person a life of constant suffering because of a desire for personal gratification. Experience and statistics have amply demonstrated that in such a mixed marriage, the initial period of satisfaction is short lived and soon the strain begins to tell and both realize the mistake they had made.

Assuming that the other party declares that she is also willing to go through with it, this still does not justify the contemplated step. By way of illustration, when one sees another person bent on hurting oneself or trying to commit suicide voluntarily, one should do everything possible to prevent the person from self destruction, even if the person is a stranger, not to mention one for whom there is a personal regard and feeling. Certainly under no circumstances should a person cooperate and help the other person to commit suicide. I would further suggest that in addition to your own efforts, you ought to try and find mutual friends who would talk to your son in an effort to influence him to give up that idea.

If you will let me know your son’s Hebrew name, together with the mother’s Hebrew name, as is customary in such a case, and the same in regard to yourselves, I will remember you in prayer when visiting the holy resting place of my father-in-law of saintly memory.

A further point which is also essential is to bear in mind that a Jewish family is like one body, where a benefit to any part of it is a benefit to all. Consequently, it would be well in such a case that the parents should make a special effort in matters of adherence to the Torah and mitzvos in the daily life and practice, for this is reflected (in a mystical but nevertheless effective way) in inspiring the children to a greater awareness of their Jewish consciousness and fear of G-d.

May G-d grant that you should have good news to report.

With blessing,

(secretary)