Bidspirit auction | Letter from the Head of

Letter from the Head of Neturei Karta, Rabbi Amram Blau, to the philanthropist Rabbi Yaakov Halpern - A fine and content-rich letter, entirely in the handwriting and with the signature of the leader and founder of Neturei Karta, the righteous Rabbi Amram Blau – a symbol of Jewish zealotry in recent generations. Jerusalem, 1964. The letter is addressed to the prominent ultra-Orthodox philanthropist in Eretz Yisrael, the notable Rabbi Yaakov Halpern [Halperin], a close associate of the Chazon Ish. From the letter, it appears that Rabbi Yaakov Halpern conditioned his support for institutions on the approval of Rabbi Amram Blau. Rabbi Amram testifies in the letter regarding a yeshiva that is in no way affiliated with him or with the circles of the zealots, yet out of the goodness of his heart, he goes to great lengths to recommend and praise the yeshiva so that it may receive appropriate support from the benefactor. As with all true zealots, whose zeal does not stem from cruelty, God forbid, but from compassion, Rabbi Amram’s generous spirit is evident in this letter, as he abundantly praises and recommends the head of a yeshiva he had just met for the first time. At the beginning of the letter, the Gaon Rabbi Dov Sokolovsky is mentioned — a student of the Chafetz Chaim and son-in-law of the Gaavad of Mir, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Kamei. He was involved in the “Yossele Schumacher affair” and worked extensively to aid his smuggling along with Ruth Ben David. In the same year this letter was written [1964], Rabbi Amram Blau married Ruth Ben David, a convert. The marriage was met with opposition by the members and leaders of the Beit Din of the Eda HaChareidis. Rabbi Dov Sokolovsky was the one who supported the couple and even served as the officiating rabbi at their wedding. [1] Paper leaf, 25 cm. Very good condition. Fold marks. The righteous Rabbi Amram ben Rabbi Yitzchak Shlomo Blau [1900–1974], leader and founder of Neturei Karta. Known for his separatist stance and uncompromising opposition to Zionism and the State of Israel. He was one of the few in Jerusalem who broke a trade strike declared by the Yishuv institutions — by physically removing the door from his shop so it could not be shut. After the establishment of the State of Israel, he gained fame for leading fierce protests against Shabbat desecration, autopsies, the operation of the Jerusalem swimming pool in a mixed-gender format, and more. He was arrested many times by the Israeli police. On one such occasion, when he was imprisoned for Shabbat protests, the Chazon Ish came to visit him in jail. When Rabbi Blau expressed surprise at the elderly sage's trouble to visit him, the Chazon Ish replied: ”I have come to visit the Shabbat itself, which sits imprisoned!”