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Greeting and Blessing:

Thank you very much for your letter, in which you express appreciation of the visit of our six young emissaries who visited your community.

Judging by the spirit of your letter, I trust that you, and all the members of your congregation, are doing your utmost to strengthen adherence to the Jewish way of life in your community. This will be the greatest expression of appreciation that you can make to the visiting students, to leave them with the knowledge that their visit and efforts have produced tangible results, in accordance with the principle of our Sages that, “The essential thing is the deed.”¹

If this is true of all communities in all lands, it is especially important for your community which, as you point out, is shrinking, for no doubt the burden of perpetuating the Jewish community must now rest on the shoulders of fewer people. This therefore places an extra measure of responsibility on its leaders and on all those who have been left behind to “hold the fort.” It is well to remember that we have the assurance of our Sages that, “He who is determined to purify himself (and others) receives aid from On High.”² I would appreciate your conveying the contents of this letter to all the officers and members of your synagogue, since the words are clearly addressed to each and every one of them. May G-d grant that you should have good news to report. The zechut harabim will surely stand you and your coworkers in good stead.

Especially as we are now coming from the Festival of the Giving of our Torah, the eternal Torah transcending time and space and known as Torat Chaim, because it is the true guide in the daily life and also makes life worthy of living, worthy of G-d’s creature who was called Adam (“man”), etymologically related to adameh I’Elyon — “I will emulate the Supreme One.”³

With prayerful good wishes and regards to all the members of your community, and looking forward to receiving good and even better tidings from time to time,

With blessing,