By the Grace of G-d13th of Av, 5739Brooklyn, N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

I am in receipt of your letter and will remember you in prayer for the fulfillment of your heart’s desires for good. With regard to your idea about writing a book of biographical sketches of “Jewish Women of Worth” — you ought to consult with knowledgeable persons in this subject, both as to whether or not there is already such a book on the market and, if not, as to how to approach such a work — assuming you feel capable of doing it.

In any rate, your idea of selecting a number of biographic candidates from among the contemporary or preceding generations seems to present special problems. First of all, from the viewpoint of the material, since upheavals (the Holocaust, wars, etc.) would make it difficult to gather the necessary material. No less problematic is the fact of having to make a choice and judgement as to which mothers of tzaddikim should be included in the book, especially as it is written, “And your people are all tzaddikim."¹ Usually, history itself makes such a judgement by virtue of acknowledgement and acclaim of many generations. For an author to take such a responsibility, would mean courting criticism and controversy, which would detract from the intended and hoped-for impact.

If at all, it would be easier and more practical to write a biographical anthology of Jewish women from the distant past, in which case there would be fewer problems.

But, as mentioned, consulting with experts in the field would be strongly advisable before undertaking any such project.

With blessing,