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Judaica and Hasidic Books and Manuscripts

Lot 6:

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Historical Pair of 1949-1950 Letters – Establishing the Rabbinate in Ramla & Early Social Mediation

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Start price: £100

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Description

Introduction: Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman (1886–1976)

Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman, known as the "Sage of Liverpool" before his aliyah, was one of the most towering rabbinic figures of the 20th century. Serving as the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa (1946–1964) and later as the third Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, he was renowned for his profound empathy. Having led communities in the UK for over two decades, he brought a unique modern sensibility to the challenges of the newly born State of Israel, famously solving complex halachic issues for Holocaust survivors and agunot.
Item 1: "With Bitter Tears" – A Compassionate Plea (1949)
  • Context: A formal letter on official Tel Aviv Rabbinate stationery addressed to Rabbi Yisrael Glaser of Ramla.
  • Content: The letter describes a heartbreaking visit from Mrs. Genia Kubzik, who appeared before the Rabbinate "crying bitter tears." She reported that her husband (Mr. Wixelbaum) was refusing to let her see her daughter.
  • Signatory: This letter is also signed by Rabbi Moshe Toledano (1911–1988), the General Secretary of the Tel Aviv Rabbinate. The son of Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Toledano, he was the administrative backbone of the district, ensuring that the directives of the Chief Rabbis were executed with authority.
  • Significance: Rabbi Unterman, through his office, asks Rabbi Glaser to intervene personally to "soften the heart" of the husband.
Item 2: Appointing Rabbinic Leadership for the City of Ramla
  • Context: Addressed to "The Great Rabbis… and the entire community of the city of Ramla."
  • Content: This document serves as a formal recommendation and appointment from the Chief Rabbinate. It states: "I shall send… in his place a great Rabbi… cherished in my heart, the Great Rabbi Dov Burstin Shlit"a, and he shall fulfill the [role/position] in the best possible manner."
  • The Subject: The recommended scholar is Rabbi Dov Burstin (1892–1976), the former Rabbi of Botosani, Romania. He was a world-class scholar who immigrated to Israel in 1950. This letter captures the exact moment the religious infrastructure of Ramla was being built from the ground up.

Condition report:

Official stationery, original stamps, and filing marks. Fold lines and minor aging typical for documents of this period.