By the Grace of G‑d
28 Cheshvan, 5715
[Nov. 24, 1954]
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Blessing and Greeting:

. . . It is surely unnecessary to explain to you at length that every Jew and Jewess, young and old, has a purpose and task to accomplish in his or her life. The task, broadly speaking, is to illuminate the world with “Ner Mitzvah v’Torah Or” in everyday life. After so many Jews lost their lives in recent years, among them the best and choicest of our people, the responsibility of those whom G‑d in His mercy has spared is increased manyfold. It is therefore more obvious than ever that no Jew has a right to give of his time, and even more so of his heart and mind, to matters which not only do not help but are very likely to hinder in the fulfillment of his sacred task and purpose. One of these matters would be to spend several years in college, and especially in a college environment. While it is true that in recent years, in certain colleges, especially in New York, there are groups of orthodox Jewish students, young men and women—and may G‑d help them to come out of it unharmed, at any rate not worse than they were when they entered college—we have a rule not to rely on miracles. It is certain, however, that college will not help fulfill the true and inner desire of the Jew to carry out his abovementioned task and purpose in life, so that even at best it would be an irretrievable loss of time and energy.

It is therefore my sincere hope that you will discard the idea, and do so not only because—as you told your father—that you wish to be guided by me, but also because you will recognize that the idea does not represent your own true thinking and desire. I hope, moreover, that you will use your good influence in this direction with your friends who might entertain a similar idea in the mistaken belief that it might be a good idea.