This letter was sent to the directorate of Kfar Chabad in Eretz Yisrael.

ב"ה,
19 Menachem Av, 5711,
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greetings and blessings,

In response to your letters of 7 Menachem Av and of Friday, the day preceding Shabbos Parshas Devarim: 1

…You sentnotification that you decided to send a special emissary here2 as a representative of the members of the chassidic brotherhood of Kfar Safaria-Chabad, but you do not state the purpose of his mission. Also, from the wording of your letter, I was not able to understand whether you were notifying me of your decision or asking whether it is worthwhile to do so. If you are notifying me of your decision, please notify me of it again soon and endeavor to obtain the [necessary] documents.

If, however, this is a question, my mind is not at ease at all from this suggestion because I do not see it as bringing great benefit. [Moreover,] at this time, in the month of Tishrei in particular, and in the beginning of the Shemitah year3 when there are major changes regarding your settlement as a whole, it is not an appropriate time for an active person who is capable of influencing others to journey [overseas] for several weeks. Undoubtedly, a large portion of what could be accomplished by a person coming here could also be achieved through letters.

d) Over the course of the coming two weeks, the heads of the United Jewish Appeal from the US, the heads of the funds for the Holy Land, and the Joint [Distribution Committee] will visit our Holy Land. According to my understanding, it would be very, very appropriate if: i) an effort is made that they visit Kfar [Chabad] and a befitting reception be organized for them; ii) afterward, after their spirits [have been] raised, emissaries from the chassidic brotherhood in Kfar [Chabad] should return the visit. In order to strengthen the matter and leave the impression that [Chabad] is a power of substance in our Holy Land — they should be joined by emissaries of Agudas Chabad and emissaries from the synagogues of our brotherhood [outside Kfar] Chabad. (If emissaries from other institutions will not visit them, they should at least appoint [the emissaries who will visit them] to speak in their name.)

After making the appropriate presentation, [the representatives] should demand with all [their] power — obviously, in a pleasant and tranquil matter — specific assistance because of the Shemitah year. Among the other statements made, perhaps it is worthwhile to include that certainly it is known to them that Lubavitch can make a public appeal for the Shemitah fund in the US. They, however, are refraining from doing so because this will cause a deficit in their general fund. Consequently, they should recognize the truth of the need to help the observance of Shemitah and to realize that this will not bring a deficit in their fund. On the contrary,….

It is understood that all of the above applies only when no other party or institution speaks on behalf of Kfar [Chabad] for help for the Shemitah [year].

With blessing,