By the Grace of G-d3rd of Teves, 5744Brooklyn, N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter with enclosures, regarding your proposed dissertation.

I regret that I am unable to help you in this matter and suggest that you discuss it with persons who are competent in this field.

I would like to make a general observation however, which I trust will be of interest to you.

The principle of Kibbutz life is, of course, at variance with the principle of the family unit, which has traditionally been and is the cornerstone of human society. Insofar as the kibbutz system is detrimental to the family system, it is basically a negative phenomenon, as I believe most people will agree. To be sure, there were circumstances, such as turning a desert into a garden, which required a concerted group effort, etc. But this “justification” would not apply to the idea of kibbutz life in a metropolitan area. Much less justification for it would be the idea of a kibbutz in the midst of a Sefardic community, where the family has traditionally been very strong.

Furthermore, even if the material gains were expected to be real and considerable, it would nevertheless hardly outweigh the social, moral and spiritual advantages of the family unit.

With blessing,

P.S. Inasmuch as everything is by hashgocho protis and you have written to me in a matter which, on the face of it, is not in my sphere, I assume that the hidden purpose of this correspondence may be to give an opportunity to help you in another way which, for a Jew, is far more than anything else. This has to do with helping other Jews to strengthen their commitment to a Torah-true life in the everyday life and conduct. There is surely no need to point out that however satisfactory one’s standards of Jewish observance may be, there is always room for advancement in all matters of goodness and holiness, Torah and mitzvos, which are infinite, being connected with The Infinite.

A young lady with your background and family tradition, as you write, can surely do a great deal to promote real Jewishness in your surroundings, both by example and precept.