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Approximately 460 paper items from the private archive of the biblical scholar Yehiel Michal Zabludowski of Bialystok. Correspondences with intellectuals and rabbis, press editorials, publishers and authors from all over Europe, as well as detailed manuscripts of biblical exegesis compositions. Bialystok, Warsaw, Lvov, Vilnius, Lemberg, Lancut, Tiberias and other locations, [ca. 1860-1869]. Hebrew, some German, Russian and Yiddish.
A rich and comprehensive archive documenting through letters, drafts and printed items the early days of Hebrew journalism in Eastern Europe, as reflected in diverse correspondences between Yehiel Michal Zabludowski and intellectuals of his period.
Yehiel Michal ben Haim Zabludowski (1803-1869), physician and optician by profession, lived and worked in Bialystok in the first half of the 19th century and enjoyed financial wealth all his life. Being an enthusiastic supporter of the Haskalah Movement and one of its heralds, maintained contacts with leading intellectuals of his period, assisted in distributing their writings and was well known for his contribution to the rise of Hebrew journalism. Among other things, Zabludowski corresponded with the founders of newspapers Shmuel Joseph Fuenn ("HaCarmel"), Yitzchak (Arnold) Goldenblum and Alexander Halevi Zederboim ("HaMelitz"), Haim Selig Slonimski ("HaZfira"), Joseph Kohn Zedek ("HaMevasser"), and many others. The archive contains:
Hundreds of letters and drafts, bound according to the order of correspondence, in five bundles:
· Letters from editors and founders of newspapers: 46 letters from the editor of the periodical "HaCarmel" Shmuel Joseph Fuenn (1818-1891). The letters contain a personal announcement that Fuenn received a license from the Czarist régime to print the paper; letters concerning his intention to widen the activity of the printing press and the distribution of the paper, alongside other topics; 7 letters from Joseph Kohn Zedek, founder and editor of "HaMevasser" and "HaNesher" and 12 letters from his relative Shaul Hacohen Katzenellensohn; 4 letters from the editor of "HaZfira" Haim Selig Sonimski and 12 letters from his associate Zvi Dov Habavli; and more.
· 6 letters from Ya'akov Reifmann, with a short handwritten composition titled "21 Things related to Purim" with 21 short paragraphs about the holiday and the Megilah; consultation related to Reifmann's intention to publish two new compositions authored by him, "Chikrey Avot" and "Meshiv Ta'am" and more.
· Letter of a philosophical-biblical nature, handwritten by Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalisher, from 1862, introducing pro-Zionist commentary to "Arba HaGe'ulot" according to the Zohar.
· Letter from Yehudah Shershewsky to Rabbi Halpern, Rebbe of Bialystok (author of "Oneg Yom Tov"), from 1859.
· Letter handwritten by the poet Yehudah Leib Gordon from 1868.
· Correspondences with various people, among them: letters from Zvi Hacohen Shershewsky ("father" of the Hebrew feuilleton), Yitzchak Michaelowsky, Aharon Moshe Schatzkit (Moshe Aharon ben Yehoshua Schatzkes?) , Aharon Moshe Padwa, Joseph Yitzchak Kabak (editor of "Ginzei Nistarot"), Zvi Hirsch Bodek, Yitzchak Goldman, Yitzchak Weisman, Yerahmiel Klatsko, David Gordon, Yehudah Shershewsky; letters from Israel Meir Wohlman concerning a composition about to be published in "HaKochavim" - a periodical which he edited, a letter from David Schiffmann in Tiberias; and more. Numerous letters are written on official stationery of the above newspapers.
55 Printed Items - Rare Issues, public appeals, promotional leaflets and essays:
· "Rosh HaCarmel": special leaflet towards the first publication of "HaCarmel" paper, of 15 Adar, 5620 [1860], with an official announcement about the license to print the paper and the format of the planned issue.
· Various leaves printed during the foundation period of "HaMelitz" with announcements about the printing license granted by Czarist authorities and public appeals to recruit writers, of January and August 1860, in Hebrew, German and Yiddish.
· Receipt for an annual subscription to "HaMelitz" for the years 1865-1866, signed by the publisher.
· "HaZfira, news periodical", pre-publication issue, unnumbered (marked as No 0) of "HaZfira" paper with outline of the paper's nature, prices of issues and other matters (printed in Odessa in 1861).
· "Kol Mevasser", promotional leaflet announcing the publication of "HaMevasser" and "HaNesher". Lemberg, 1862.
· "Otzar Chochma, periodical, anthology: study of ancient languages, biblical commentaries… poetry… by Joseph Kohn Zedek" (Hebrew), promotional leaflet for anthology published by Joseph Kohn Zedek. Lemberg, [1861].
· Issues and "supplements" of "HaCarmel" and "HaMagid", with studies and essays by Yehiel Michal Zabludowski (on some of them appear comments and corrections, handwritten).
Most of the above items are not listed in the National Library of Israel collections.
Essays ready for printing and manuscripts by Yehiel Michal Zabludowski:
· manuscripts of Talmudic exegesis, weekly Torah portions and scrolls of Eicha and Esther, numbered and divided into signatures, according to biblical books. 459 pp.
· Manuscripts of Zabludowski's essays which were published in "HaCarmel" (on which he later based his composition "May Michal", published in Vilnius in 1873). 96 pp.
Lot of approximately 460 items. Size and condition vary. Overall fair-good condition. Stains, creases and tears [mostly slight]. Some are on official stationery.