Dear Friend,

After years of traveling throughout the country and, indeed, the world, I am witness to the terrible nightmare that threatens the existence of our people. I refer to the reality of assimilation, intermarriage and alienation that rips millions of Jewish youth from their people. I refer to the hundreds of thousands of Jewish youth who are anti-Israel, the millions who are simply indifferent to Jewish issues, the huge numbers who drop any ties to their people.

The worst of this is the fact that, except for a few, the bulk of major Jewish organizations are doing little or nothing to stem this awful tide. The programs that do exist are so pitifully inadequate and such sad failures. Someone must do something to save our youth for the Jewish people.

I have decided to do something. I am opening a school whose major purpose will be to create young Jewish leaders; young Jews who will be scholars in Judaism, knowledgeable of Jewish affairs, with the ability to debate and triumph in confrontation with Arabs, leftists, missionaries, etc.; young Jews who will be skilled in mind. They will be strong in body and trained in defense.

Every student will be pledged to go out at the completion of studies and work on a campus and school for at least two full years. There he will combat the leftists, the Arabs and the missionaries. He will be trained to teach students the Bible; to argue with Arabs and beat them at it; to know how to defeat the missionaries at their own arguments. In short, that which Jewish leaders and campus groups have failed to do, this philosopher-warrior will accomplish. He will be the Jewish leader on the campus and in school. He will give Jewish youth pride and identity.

I am building a yeshiva but a very different kind of a yeshiva. It will produce philosopher-warriors. These will be students who will be immersed in study of Torah but who will not merely learn trees: They will see a forest. They will learn conceptual Judaism, and be taught to see every law and commandment as part of a greater whole, each with its own concept and part of the greater one.

And one more thing. The greatness of Jewish scholarship and spirit will go along with a strong Jewish body. Regular physical and defense courses will be given to the students. They will sanctify the Name of G-d, His people in mind and body.

We believe that this is such a magnificent concept that every Jew will wish to give of himself for it. Here is a sublimely simple way for you to do just that. May G-d grant you the wisdom and strength to do for our people.
 
With love of Israel,
Meir Kahane