The Holocaust of Lithuania’s Jewry
Historic Letter from the Telshe Roshei Yeshivah, Yokohama, Japan, 1941
“The obligation to save lives is our immediate duty!”
A rare historical letter about the trying conditions facing Lithuania’s Jews and yeshivos following the Soviet invasion of Lithuania. The letter describes the Bolshevik government’s attack on the yeshivos and religious institutions of Lithuania.
“A terrible tragedy has befallen our brothers there. In the blink of an eye, those countries were transformed from fertile and blossoming countries to decimated and plundered ones… We plead for assistance in acquiring exit visas…”
The Roshei Yeshivah mention their respective separation from their families and talmidim, and request help in continuing their trip from Japan to the United States in order to reestablish Telshe in America.
Their awe and fear of the government sounds clearly between the lines of this letter. “It is necessary to take caution in publicizing these matters in our names since our families are serving as our collateral and for a wise man that is sufficient…”
The story behind the letter:
Shortly following the Russian invasion of Lithuania, the Telshe Roshei Yeshiva found themselves contending with incredible challenges that threatened the survival of the yeshivah. They determined that they had no choice but to move the yeshivah to America in order to save its last remnants. The two brothers-in-law, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch and Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz accepted the grave responsibility despite knowing that they would be forced to leave their families and talmidim behind. They were the last two Jews to exit communist Lithuania before the Iron Curtain sealed all escape. After crossing Siberia and Japan, they arrived in the United States in Cheshvan, where they began to reestablish the yeshiva.
It was only after several years that they learned about the tragic destruction of the yeshivah and the cruel murder of their families.
Harav Eliyahu Meir Bloch (1895-1955) was Rosh Yeshivah of Telshe, a member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and one of the premier leaders of American Jewry after the Holocaust. In 1928, he was appointed by his father Harav Yosef Yehuda Leib Bloch, Rosh Yeshivah and Rav in Telshe, as a maggid shiur in the yeshivah in Telz. and later established together with his brother-in-law the Telshe yeshivah in America.
Harav Chaim Mordechai Katz (1894-1965) was the son-in-law of Harav Yosef Yehuda Leib Bloch. He served as Rosh Kollel in Telz and the spiritual guide of the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland which he established along with his brother in law. He was a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and one of the greatest marbitzei Torah and baalei mussar in America.
Yokohama, Japan, 1941 3 leaves. Page size: 23×14 cm. Written on Hotel stationery. Filing holes.
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