Letter from the gaon Rabbi Mordechai Feinstein, av beit din of Nowy Alexandrowsky, to Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef - Rav ...

Letter from the gaon Rabbi Mordechai Feinstein, av beit din of Nowy Alexandrowsky, to Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef - Rav HaKollel of New York, who was one of the biggest supporters of Va'ad HaKlali, about excommunicating Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Hochstein, rabbi of the Zichru Torat Moshe congregation on East Broadway, New York. Rabbi Hochstein had opened an office for Kollel America-Tiferet Jerusalem with the goal of raising funds for American Jews who moved to Jerusalem. The Rav HaKlali firmly opposed establishing this office and demanded that all the funds be collected only through the Va'ad HaKlali's offices. He even released a psak din regarding this. Yet Rabbi Moshe stood his ground and continued to speak negatively about the Va'ad. It was for this refusal that the Rav HaKollel released the excommunication letter for Rabbi Hochstein!

Jerusalem rabbis turned to the leaders of communities abroad to not support the new kollel that threatened the existence of the entire Yishuv, and indeed several European rabbis responded favorably. The Rav HaKollel warned him that if he continues his activities he will excommunicate him. It was regarding this act, apparently, that Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef shared his woes with Lithuanian rabbis - that Rabbi Moshe Tzvi opened a front against him, and he had no choice but to excommunicate him! In his response, R' Mordechai encourages him. Having vehemently condemned the moves of the new office, he is adamant that he has done so lawfully by warning of the excommunication if he continues his plans. Most important letter regarding the Kollel America controversy.

Rabbi Mordechai Feinstein was a son of Rabbi Shraga Feivel, who was a rabbinic authority in Slonim, served as a dayan in Lida, and beginning in 1886, served as rabbi of Nowy Alexandrowsky, where he served until his passing in 1903.