Letter by Leading Jerusalem Rabbanim
to Lady Judith Montefiore Jerusalem, 1853
Letter of blessing and thanks to Lady Judith Montefiore, wife of Sir Moses Montefiore, for her generous contribution to the Bikur Cholim and Hachnassas Kallah Societies in Jerusalem.
The letter is signed by the Rishon Lezion Rabbi Yitzchak Kovo, Rabbi Shmuel Salant, Rabbi Yeshaya Bardaky and Rabbi Nissan Beck.
1. Rishon Lezion Rabbi Yitzchak Kovo (1770-1854) journeyed from his native Saloniki to Eretz Yisrael in his latter years where he was appointed Rishon Lezion. At the time, the Sephardic kollels in Jerusalem were in dire straits, and he endeavored mightily to fundraise on behalf of the Sephardic Yishuv. Despite his exceedingly old age, in his final years he traveled abroad to raise money for the struggling community, yet while traveling to Egypt, took ill and passed away.
2. Hagaon Harav Shmuel Salant (1816-1909) was the legendary Rav of Jerusalem and leader of the Ashkenazic community for close to a half-century. He journeyed to the Holy Land in 1841 where he served in assorted spiritual leadership positions and directed myriad Torah and charity institutions in Jerusalem for seventy years.
3. Rabbi Yeshaya Bardaky (1890-1963) was the leader of the Ashkenazic Jewish community in Jerusalem, a son-in-law of Rabbi Yisrael of Shklov (author of the Pe’as Hashulchan), and disciple of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. He journeyed to Tzfas in 1810, but following the devastating earthquake that ravaged the city, settled in Jerusalem where he stood at the forefront of the Ashkenazic community.
4. Rabbi Nissan Beck (1815-1889) was a distinguished community activist and son of the famous Jerusalem printer Rabbi Yisrael Beck who was one of the foremost activists of the Old Yishuv in Jerusalem. Rabbi Nissan was a close attendant of the Admor Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin and his son the Admor of Sadigura and established the Tiferes Yisrael shul of Ruzhiner chassidim in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The righteous philanthropist
Lady Judith Montefiore (1784-1862) was the wife of Sir Moses Montefiore and his devoted partner in all his noted philanthropic and charitable activities. She accompanied her husband on his travels to Eretz Yisrael where she spearheaded the founding of the famous Bikur Cholim Hospital, which was the first Jewish hospital in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, 1853. Thin, light blue paper. Page size: 28×22 cm. Coal stamp of the Bikur Cholim and Hachnassas Kallah Societies of Jerusalem and stamp of Kehal Chassidim Ashkenazim of Jerusalem. Holepunched.
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