Collection of letters and photographs - Mordechai Maklef (1920-1978), third IDF Chief of Staff. Including letters from David Ben-Gurion regarding Maklef assuming the role of Chief of Staff and his retirement. Ca. 1946-1953. Mordechai Maklef was born in Motza (near Jerusalem). During the 1929 riots, when he was 9 years old, most of his family members were murdered. In the years that followed he was raised by relatives in Jerusalem and in Haifa. At the age of 16 he joined the youth battalions of the Haganah and when he turned 19 he quit his studies in the Technion and enlisted in the "Special Night Squads ", a British unit established by Orde Charles Wingate. When the "Night Squads" were dismantled he was involved in agricultural work for a living. When World War II broke out he was sent by the Haganah to the British Army, participated in several training courses, fought in North Africa and in Italy and was released in 1946 as Major. Maklef stayed in Europe for a while and was engaged in illegal immigration to Israel. When Maklef returned to Israel he rejoined the Haganah as commander of Haganah forces in Haifa. When the War of Independence broke out Maklef fought with the Carmeli Brigade, took part in battles in Haifa, Acre and the Galilee, planned and took part in Operation Hiram to capture the Galilee. When the war ended Maklef headed the Israeli delegation to talks with Lebanon and Syria. Maklef was appointed in 1949 as deputy Chief of Staff and senior operations officer. In January 1952 Maklef went to study in Britain as preparation for his retirement from IDF, and returned to Israel in August of the same year. After Yigael Yadin's resignation, the Minister of Defense at the time, David Ben-Gurion. turned to Maklef and asked him to accept the role of Chief of Staff. Maklef accepted Ben-Gurion's offer on condition that it will be for one year only. On December 7, 1952 Maklef became the third IDF Chief of Staff at the age of 32. During his service he completed a plan of budget cuts, freed the army from half-civilian missions, and initiated the establishment of Unit 101 commanded by Ariel Sharon. Maklef retired in December 1953. The collection includes: 1-3. Three letters from David Ben-Gurion to Mordechai Maklef. Official letters, partly written in a personal tone and indicate that Ben-Gurion greatly appreciated and liked Maklef. · Typewritten letter on the Prime Minister's official stationery, hand signed by David Ben-Gurion. January 1, 1952. Sent towards Maklef's trip to Britain. "My dear Major General – upon leaving for studies I have a friendly obligation to wish you farewell – and add immediately – and welcome back to the IDF… I see in your studies a temporary break (a fruitful one) from your blessed service in IDF. I knew (at least partly) of your difficulties… but you are not a man discouraged by difficulties while fulfilling his duty. I appreciated your wish to be engaged in agriculture but you are destined to be a soldier – and I do not assume for one minute that you will escape from your destiny…" (Hebrew). 2 leaves, 26 cm. Attached with glue and with staples to a Bristol sheet. · Letter typewritten on official stationery, with some additions handwritten by Ben-Gurion and his signature. December 8, 1952. In the letter, sent to Maklef on the day following his appointment as Chief of Staff, Ben-Gurion lists his future missions. 2 leaves, 28 cm. · Letter typewritten on official stationery, with some corrections in Ben-Gurion's handwriting and his signature. December 6, 1953. A long letter in which Ben-Gurion expresses his regrets that Maklef is retiring: "Dear Mordechai – with great sorrow I part from you today, before I part from IDF. I owe you a deep personal thank you, for listening to me in spite of your wish and tendency... My gratitude, however, is only part of what the people of Israel owe you for seventeen years of service…since you were a boy of sixteen…the bond of arms tied us in loyal and deep friendship…may you succeed in all of your future deeds – just as you were successful so far” (Hebrew). 4 leaves, 28 cm. Condition varies. Filing holes to the three letters. Folding marks, creases, some stains and some tears to some of the leaves. 4. Typewritten letter from Mordechai Maklef to David Ben-Gurion (Marked “Strictly Personal”) in which Maklef asks to release him from the role of Chief of Staff. October, 1953. [1] leaf, 21 cm. Folding marks and tears. 5. Typewritten letter (copy), hand signed, from I.H. Gash, lieutenant in the British Army, Maklef’s commander. October 1946. English. Letter of recommendation towards Maklef’s release from the British Army. [1] leaf, 29.5 cm. Stains, folding marks and tears at margins. Upper part of letter pasted to a Bristol sheet (one of Ben-Gurion’s letters is pasted to reverse of the Bristol sheet). 6-12. Seven black and white photographs of Mordechai Maklef: · five portraits from the period of Maklef’s service as Chief of Staff (1952-1953), stamped on the reverse with the ink stamp of the photographer Zoltan Kluger. · Photograph documenting Maklef’s meeting with Frederick Augustus Irving, superintendent of the United States Military Academy. July, 1952. Titled on the reverse. · Portrait photograph of Maklef, July 1953. Average size 24X19.5 cm. Overall good condition. Some damages to some photographs.

Autograph letter by Jacob Israel De Haan, on official letterhead (Dr. Jacob Israel De Haan, Avocat). Jerusalem, 1919. French.
Written in the year when De Haan arrived in Eretz Israel. "I was informed that the Zionist Council got a message that I am here as a representative of a company…this is a misunderstanding, and I am sorry that we did not talk about it…"
De Haan (1881-1924), jurist, journalist and poet, born in Holland. Zionist activist, Baal Teshuva, immigrated to Eretz Israel and joined the Haredi congregation in Jerusalem. He arranged, among other things, a Haredi expedition to Emir Abdullah, king of Jordan, as part of his endeavors to hinder the Zionist plan. Was murdered, and his assassination is considered to be the first political assassination in Eretz Israel. [1] pp + two lines on the next page, 21 cm. Restored filing holes, some damage to text

Portrait of Thomas Mann, a lithograph by Eugen Spiro (1874-1972). Signed by the artist and by Thomas Mann. Leaf: 24.5X33.5 cm. Good condition. A few stains and creases. Two pieces of adhesive tape on the reverse

A postcard with a photograph of E.M. Lilien painting in the studio. Printed by Phönix, Berlin, ca.1900 (sent by mail to an addressee in Berlin, December 1902).
On the margins of the postcard appears a short greeting (in pencil, in Lilien's handwriting). Next to it appear signatures by E.M. Lilien and his friends Stefan Zweig, Fritz Stöber, David (Davis) Trietsch and an additional signature (unidentified). 9X14 cm. Good condition.

Collection of documents and letters from the estate of Eliyahu Berligne. [early 20th century through ca. 1917]. Most documents are in Russian.
Eliyahu (Ilya) Berligne (1886-1959), industrialist and Zionist activist, served as member in the Provisional State Council, and is one of the signatories of the Independence Scroll.
Born in Mogilev, Berligne established a wood factory in Tsaritsyn (Volgograd) and worked as a construction contractor for the Russian government. Later on, was a member of the Duma (Russian Parliament). Was a member of "Hovevei Zion" and participated in the first Zionist Congresses. Visited Eretz Israel in 1905, and upon returning to Russia established "Atid" company – an investment company for development of industry in Eretz Israel. Immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1907 and settled in Jaffa. Established factories for production of olive oil and soap, was involved in developing agriculture and took an active part in the organization of Yishuv institutes. Was a member of Va'ad HaKehilah in Tel-Aviv, chairman of the executive committee of "Herzliya" Gymnasium and the first director of Bank Hapoalim.
The collection includes:
Handwritten letters to Eliyahu Berligne. Among the letters:
· Letter from Menachem Sheinkin (1871-1924), Zionist leader, one of the founders of Tel-Aviv. Sent from the island of Chios, Greece, in November 1911. The letter concerns mainly "Herzlia" Gymnasium and Sheinkin's plan to establish an agricultural school:
"I intend to talk to others about the Gymnasium and think about all that we have not done about this matter…..I am concerned about an agricultural school…" Finally, he urges Berligne to participate in "Va'ad HaIr" meetings.
· Letter from Jacob Bernstein-Kogan (1859-1929), member of the Zionist Actions Committee and head of the information center of the Zionist movement called the “post pffice” (“lishkat hadoar”). Kharkov, 1917. Bernstein-Kogan reports his economic situation and asks to raise money among his Zionist friends to enable him to immigrate, with his family, to Eretz Israel. Bernstein-Kogan mentions that he lost much of his money while managing the "post office", and claims that the Zionist movement will benefit from his immigration to Eretz Israel.
· Letters concerning plants and factories in Eretz Israel: a long letter sent to Eliyahu Berligne in Tsaritsyn about "'Hadid' oil and soap factory in Jaffa" (written on official letterhead of the factory); a letter from a candidate asking to work in a factory owned by Berligne in Eretz Israel; and more.
Letters and documents handwritten by Berligne: · accounting notebook, handwritten, November 1908. · Some 55 postcards sent by Berligne to his daughter Nina. · and more. · Enclosed is Nina Berligne's British Passport.
Total of about 75 items. Size and condition vary.