The Legacy of Philanthropist Judah Touro of Rhode Island.
Americana.
Autographed letter by Sir Moses Montefiore to the eminent rabbis of Jerusalem: Rishon Letzion Harav Avraham Ashkenazi; Harav Meir Auerbach, author of Imrei Binah; and Harav Shmuel Salant.
Judah (Yehuda) Touro (1775-1854) was an American philanthropist and businessman. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, he fought in the War of Independence and was injured in the Battle of New Orleans. In his will, Touro bequeathed a huge sum of money to benefit the Jewish residents of the Land of Israel, naming Sir Moses Montefiore as executor of his will. Montefiore dedicated Touro’s funds to construct the neighborhood Mishkenot Shaananim, which was the first Jewish settlement built outside the Old City walls. Engraved on a stone plate affixed to the first house in the neighborhood is the caption: “Mishkenot Shaananim was established with funds left by the philanthropist Judah Touro of America by Sir Moses Montefiore…”
In this letter, Montefiore clarifies the facts regarding the construction of Mishkenot Shaananim:
1. The land on which the neighborhood was built was donated from his own personal funds, and not from the legacy of philanthropist Judah Touro.
2. The legacy of Judah Touro, which was dedicated to the construction of houses in the neighborhood, was insufficient, and the remainder was supplemented by Montefiore. “For the money that Judah Touro left behind already expired prior to completing construction on the houses, and all that I am doing, all the expenses and donations that I am sending to the residents of Mishkenot Shaananim, are from my personal funds.” Montefiore then submits a request to amend the records in the ledgers.
Montefiore signed his name at the bottom of this letter in Hebrew and English. (At the time when the letter was written, Montefiore was 92 years old.)
A short financial calculation appears on the verso in the handwriting of Hagaon Harav Shmuel Salant.
London, 1877. Special stationery used by Montefiore exclusively for letters sent to Eretz Yisrael that features the logo Holy Land. Thin, bluish paper. Page size: 20×25 cm. Folds in paper.
To learn more about the legacy of Judah Touro, see M. Davis, Select Letters by Sir Moses Montefiore to the Jews of America.
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