By the Grace of G-d Rosh Chodesh Teves, 5743Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing: 

I was pleased to receive your letter and many thanks for the good news of your daughter's becoming engaged. To begin with a blessing, may G-d grant that it should truly be a Binyan Adei Ad. 

In keeping with the saying of our Sages that when Hashem shows kindness, He continues to show further kindness, may G-d grant that you should very soon be able to report similar good news about her sister. 

There is a custom in some circles, which is also our custom, that in a case where a younger daughter becomes engaged to be married before the older sister, it is a good thing that she should put side some of her money towards the wedding expenses of her older sister and that also the parents should do likewise, for obvious reasons.¹

From one item of good news to another, I was pleased to read about your meeting with Prf..., and your discussion about cooperation to promote the activities of disseminating Yiddishkeit, Torah and mitzvos, among the immigrants from behind the Iron Curtain, as well as those who are still there. 

May G-d grant that in all matters, both general and personal, things should grow ever brighter, in keeping with the spirit and teaching, as well as the renewed dedication and strength that come with the days of Chanukah. And that in accordance with G-d's way of rewarding in kind, but in generous measure, may the efforts to spread the light of the Torah and mitzvos in a consistently growing measure, bring down G-d's blessings also in a growing measure, to brighten all the days ahead ever more and more, in all respects, both materially and spiritually. 

Hope to hear further good news from you, 

With esteem and blessing,