In Response To Intermarriage

It has always been my considered opinion that every Jew, man or woman, who has a special standing and can do much to promote Torah Yiddishkeit and fight assimilation, and intermarriage, must consider himself or herself as a soldier at the front in the battle for Jewish survival, and therefore has no right to desert the front. -The Rebbe, 1982 Greeting and Blessing: This is to confirm receipt of your letter of April 5th with the enclosure. I am gratified to note that you are in agreement with me on the matter of the need to do away with the so-called dialogues. I trust that you will continue your fight to combat the evil of intermarriage, which you mention in your letter, and which you have carried on for a number of years in the past. Needless to say, however, as much as is done in this area, it is by far inadequate to avert this evil. Even if only one case were involved, it would warrant every possible effort, inasmuch as it is not just one case of one individual, but involves children, and children's children, relatives and friends, etc. How much more so in view of the many cases, and ever growing number of cases. Your efforts to combat this evil is not only a great Zechus for you, but also an immediate obligation, which has a top priority. Unfortunately, in our day and age of confusion, it is necessary to add also the following point: There is a prevalent fallacy in thinking that the problem of intermarriage can be dealt with by getting the other party to make a declaration of conversion, Far from being a constructive solution, this alternative is even more destructive from various viewpoints. The only valid conversion is the one that is carried out in a specific and approved way as clearly defined by the same Shulchan Aruch which condemns intermarriage in the strongest terms. Furthermore, there is also a common fallacy to the effect that if the full truth be told, we would frighten people away and would be the losers. The truth of the matter is that the only people who are frightened are those who lack the courage to speak the truth, whereas the audience is always more impressed when it hears the full truth. With blessing, M. Schneerson