Bidspirit auction | Rare Letter Signed by the

Rare Letter Signed by the Rabbis of Manchester Headed by the Av Beit Din the Gaon Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Yoffey - Manchester, 1921 - Official letter that was sent to the Rabbis and Gabaim of the old Yishuv of Jerusalem specifiying the funds that were raised by the Jews of Manchester for the central institutions of the old Yishuv: the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah and Yeshuva, the Vaad Haklali, the Bikkur Cholim Hospital and the Diskin orphanage.  The letter is signed by the three contemporary leaders of Manchester Jewry:  * The Gaon Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Yoffey, Av Beit Din of Manchester; * The Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Dov Silverstone; * The Gaon Rabbi Yirmiyahu Jacons.  The letter is of historical significance. It includes a rare list of names of the dignitaries of the Jewish community of Manchester and England in the early 20th century as well as the sum of money each one of them had donated; it is an important documentary source for the philanthropic history of English Jewry.  Especially notable is the first passage of the letter in which the rabbis stipulate that the donations for the Diskin orphanage be given specifically by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook! They explicitly state that this is not a recommendation but an official decision of the Manchester Committee.  [1] leaf, written on both sides. Handwritten on official stationery and with the rabbis' signatures.  *** The Gaon Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov Yoffey (d. 1934) the son of the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Yoffey and son-in-law of the Gaon Yosef Yoffe- author of Alim Litrufah and Av Beit Din of Manchester - whom Rabbi Yisrael Yaakov succeeded after his passing. His father changed his name to Yoffey to avoid being enlisted into the army. Studied at the Telz and Slabodka yeshivas and was known as the Iluy of Wilkomir.  Married the daughter of the Gaon Rabbi Abba Yaakov Borochov author of Chevel Yaakov. Simce 1897 served as the Rav of Manchester, where he founded a yeshiva and influenced the Torah life of the city. Authored the book Hadrat Yisrael. Passed away in Egypt on his way to Eretz Yisrael.  The Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Dov Silverstone (1871-1960) the son of Rabbi Yeshaya Meir and brother of the Gaon Rabbi Gedalyah Silverstone, the Rav of Wasshington. Served as Rav of Manchester, where in ca. 1912, he founded a yeshiva with the Gaon Rabbi Zvi Farber. In 1954, he immigrated to Israel. Among others, authored the Anaf Yehoshua, Chidushim on the Bavli.