RECEIPT AND THANKS TO SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE FOR HIS GENEROUS DONATION TO THE POOR OF YERUSHALAYIM BEFORE PESACH 1870, SIGNED BY LEADING RABBIS AND COMMUNAL LEADERS.
Moving letter of thanks, written in an artistic hand, sent before Pesach 1870 on the receipt of £808, and 11 shillings and 7 pence.
The letter is signed by the rabbis and communal leaders of Yerushalayim’s Sefardim, Morrocans, Ashkenazim and Perushim.
The Sefardy signatories are:
Rabbi Avraham Ashkenazi – Rishon Letzion (with stamp), Rabbi Moshe Benvenisti, Rabbi Chaim Nissim Baruch, Rabbi Shlomo Amzalag, Rabbi Refael Meir Fanizel – Rishon Letzion (stamp), and the banker and activist R. Yaakov Valero.
The Ashkenazi signatories are:
Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein of Drohotshin, Rabbi Ze’ev HaCohen of Pinsk, Rabbi Meir Kameikin of Anikst, Rabbi Meir Luntziner of Minsk, Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Lowy, Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Lowy, Rabbi Moshe Eliezer Dan Ralbag, Rabbi Yochanan Hirsch Schlank, Rabbi Isaac Yafeh of Druye, and the famous printer and activist R. Nissan Bak.
Rabbi Avraham Ashkenazi (1811-1880), Dayan and Av Beis Din of the Sefardi community in Yerushalayim, who succeeded Rabbi Chaim David Chazan as Chief Rabbi and Rishon Letzion.
Rabbi Chaim Nissim Baruch (1810-1897), a learned and influential businessman, who was later appointed head and Av Beth Din of the Sefardy community in Yerushalyim.
Rabbi Avraham Eisenstein of Drohotshin (1800-1886), son-in-law of Rabbi Chaim Cohen Av Beth Din of Pinsk, and travelled with him to Tzefas among other disciples of the Vilna Gaon. Dayan in Tzefas (1834) and lost his family in the earthquake of 1837, after-which he settled in Yerusholayim, where he headed the Vaad Hakelali.
Rabbi Meir Kameikin of Anikst (d. 1885), rabbinical emissary and leader of Kollel Vilna.
Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Lowy (1813-1889), distinguished disciple of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of Lipshitz – Chemdas Shlomo and brother of the famous Rabbi Nachum of Shadik. He served as Rosh Beth Din in Yerusholayim and headed Kollel Polin as well as the Vaad Hakelali. Author of Bayis L’Avos.
Rabbi Moshe Eliezer Dan Ralbag (1832-1895), a leading disciple of Rabbi Shmuel Salant and Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib of Kutna, Mashgiach and later Rosh Yeshiva of Etz Chaim. Author of Damesek Eliezer.
Rabbi Yochanan Hirsh Schlank (1815-1884), a disciple of the Chassam Sofer and son-in-law of Rabbi David Tevele Berlin (son of Rabbi Shlomo Hirshel of London). He settled in Yerusholayim and was a founder of Kollel Hod (Holland – Deutschland) and of Yeshivas Etz Chaim.
R. Nissan Bak, son of the famous printer R. Yisrael Bak. Representative of the Rebbes of Ruzhin and Sadagura in Eretz Yisrael, heading the construction of the Tiferes Yisrael Shul in Yerushalayim on their behalf. Leading Yerushalayim communal activist.
1 side. 21.5 x 28 cm. Very good condition.