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Judaica and Hasidic Books and Manuscripts

Lot 69:

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Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin – Handwritten Letter on Official Ezras Torah Letterhead

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Start price: £100

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Description

Author: Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Henkin (רבי יוסף אליהו הנקין).

Notable Connection: Rabbi Henkin was the preeminent Posek (Halakhic authority) in America and the heart of the Ezras Torah (עזרת תורה) organization. For over fifty years, he managed the distribution of life-saving funds to thousands of rabbis, widows, and orphans in Europe and Eretz Yisrael. This letterhead also features other pillars of American Orthodoxy, including Rabbi Israel Rosenberg (רבי ישראל רוזנברג) and Rabbi Chaim Bloch (רבי חיים בלויך). Rabbi Henkin was known for his extreme humility and his mastery of all areas of Torah; his rulings remain foundational for American Jewry.
Content and Context: The letter is written in Rabbinic Hebrew cursive and deals with the administrative and charitable efforts of the organization. The letterhead proudly notes that by 1940, the organization had already distributed over a million dollars in aid—a staggering sum at the time. It provides a direct look into the "central nervous system" of Jewish relief efforts during a critical era of history.

Condition report:

Format: A two-page letter written on the official stationary of Ezras Torah (673 Broadway, New York).


Condition: The paper shows age-appropriate toning and original folding creases. The handwriting is clear and legible throughout.