YWN was asked to post the following:

Greetings Community Members,

Over the past few weeks so many of you have come to us with warm stories and memories of how Rabbi Kassin has touched your life…one way or another.

We have organized a grassroots effort to help our Rabbi. Below is the request and general guidelines to help you write a letter in telling your story. Each individual story may prove crucial to the effort. Little anecdotes, small examples of things that show his character are important. Assume what YOU have to say will have great impact. Please note the letter does not only have to state how he helped you personally, it can be a letter of something that you know shows his character.

Please forward this email to anyone you feel that could help.

Thank you,
Friends and Family of Rabbi Kassin

To Whom This May Concern;

Thank you for volunteering to write a letter in support of Rabbi Kassin. Letters like yours will be extremely helpful in our efforts to achieve the best possible outcome in the Rabbi’s case.

I hope the information below will answer any questions you may have regarding the content and format of your letter on behalf of Rabbi Kassin.

Content
A useful approach to your letter is to consider it an opportunity to talk about the Rabbi as you have come to know him, including his character and reputation in the community. Remember, most of the parties in this case, including the prosecutors and the Judge, know Rabbi Kassin only in the limited context of the legal proceeding in which he regrettably now finds himself. Your letter will help them come to know the Rabbi as a person. Parties involved in these types of cases typically read such letters carefully and value greatly the perspectives such letters offer. It is therefore critical that before writing your letter, you carefully consider what you want to tell them about the rabbi, and how you might persuade them that he deserves a positive outcome in this case.

That said, it is important that your letter not just be a list of Rabbi Kassin’s good traits or a biography of his life. Indeed, it is imperative that you rely on specific first-hand examples of how he has touched your lives and the lives of others. One way of looking at this is that, instead of just stating conclusions about Rabbi Kassin’s character, your letter should provide the specific facts underlying those conclusions – in other words, specific examples and experiences involving the Rabbi that give rise to your view of him or his reputation within the community. Personal anecdotes of instances that portray the Rabbi’s character and personality would be helpful. Please note pictures tell a thousand words and can have a huge impact – if you have a picture of the Rabbi in action helping you or someone from our community, please include them.

Finally, it is important that the letter be in your own words. Try to resist the tendency to write in a formal of “official” tone, and certainly do not try to write in “legalese”. Rest assured that the lawyers will file all necessary legal documents in the case. You should speak from your heart and present personal information and emotions about Rabbi Kassin.

Format
We suggest beginning your letter as follows:

To Gerald L. Shargel
In support of Rabbi Kassin, I am writing this letter to share my personal experience with the Rabbi and how he impacted my life positively.

Then, continue in your own words. You may type your letter, or write it neatly by hand. Please write only on one side of each page.

Please make sure to sign your letter – DO NOT E-MAIL IT – address it to:

Rabbi Kassin Defense Team
C/O European Home
347 5th Avenue
Suite 510
New York, NY 10016

We need to receive all letters by 8/19 – please send as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your support. With your help and the help of Hashem, the Rabbi will be proven innocent with his name fully cleared.