Historical letters
by Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld
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Fascinating historic letters regarding the founding of the Jewish settlement in Chevron from the early days of the founding of Yeshivas Slabodka in the city of Chevron.
Following the relocation of Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael from the town of Slabodka to Chevron, Rabbi Yisrael Zissel Dvortz, Av Beis Din of Yasna, who had been the one to initiate the relocation of the yeshivah from Europe to Eretz Yisrael, began campaigning for the establishment of a Jewish community in Hebron that would be based around the yeshivah. His goal as Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein describes in the present letter was to “acquire members and build the holy city, to [found] a Jewish settlement in its vicinity.”
In these letters, the Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, Rav of Yerushalayim, issue a public appeal to help establish a Jewish settlement in Chevron .
In his letter, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld writes enthusiastically on the concept of a Jewish settlement in Chevron. “And it is nearly proper to call it Atchalta d’Geulah, the beginning of the Redemption’ to make this sacred city a place of Torah and service [of Hashem].”
The Establishment of Yeshivas Slabodka in Chevron
In 1924, the Lithuanian government issued an anti-Semitic decree annulling the rights of yeshivah students to defer their military service, unless the yeshivos would undertake to adopt a secular curriculum, as well.
The Alter of Slabodka vigorously objected this proposal, which was followed by the tragic draft-call of 50 bachurim to the Lithuanian army. As the yeshivah faced existential threat, a solution was proposed to relocate the entire Slabodka Yeshivah to Eretz Yisrael, to the ancient city of Chevron.
Indeed, in 1925, the first 70 bachurim emigrated from their native Lithuania and arrived on the shores of Eretz Yisrael, eager to rebuild their yeshivah. This letter is dated from that period, on 5 Adar, 5685 (1925).
Chevron, 1925. Letter written on official stationery of Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein, with supporting letter by Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld on verso. The letter is hole-punched on the side, with damage affecting one of the words otherwise in good condition.
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