Large collection of booklets and prayer leaves, for various occasions, by Jewish communities and institutes in England, 1871-1971.
Approximately 55 printed booklets and leaves. Most of them were printed in London, some in Manchester, Chelsey and Oxford.
Among them are prayers in honor of various events which took place during the history of the Jews of England and of the United Kingdom: Prayers for England's success during WWII and for the welfare of the British soldiers (for example: The Nazi War: Intercession prayer and pleas for the victory of our forces. London, 1940; A service of prayer and intercession in connection with the Second Anniversary of the Outbreak of Hostilities, London, 1941; etc.); Prayers connected to the Boer War in Africa (A prayer for Her Majesty's forces in South Africa. London, 1899; Thanksgiving service, on the occasion of the cessation of hostilities in South Africa and the conclusion of peace. London, 1902); prayers and ceremonies for various occasions in the life of the British Royal family (for example: Form of prayer, for the recovery of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and also on behalf of the Queen, the Princess of Wales and of all the royal family. London, 1872; Memorial service, on the occasion of the burial of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. London, 1901; etc.), eulogies and memorial services of rabbis and various notables, various occasions in the life of the Jewish communities (dedication of a synagogue, 10th anniversary of the State of Israel, etc.); more paper items.
Approximately 55 booklets and leaves. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.
A detailed list will be sent upon request.

Original copy of an important, unknown letter, sent from the United States to Eretz Israel, to the Rishon L'Tzion R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar – the Yisa Bracha, from the administrators of the Vaad HaKlali in New York. New York, [ca. 1893-1894].
Written on the official stationery of R. Dov Ber Abramovich, one of the rabbis of New York and heads of the Vaad HaKlali. It appears that some of the copying is handwritten by R. Dov Ber himself. The head of the paper contains a handwritten title: "Copying of the body of the letter from Rashi script".
This letter was presumably written during the rift between institutions in Jerusalem, in 1893, when the scribe R. Michel HaKohen, who originally served as the secretary of the institutions of the Ashkenazi community and was one of the city's most dynamic activists, was dismissed together with his son and son-in-law R. Chaim Michel Michlin from their positions in the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah and the Bikur Cholim Hospital. They went over to serve the Sephardi community as secretaries of the Misgav LaDach institutions, taking with them the "Donors lists" of the Ashkenazi institutions and doing whatever they could to cause detriment to the fundraising of the institutions they were fired from.
This letter relates to the letter published in the HaTzvi newspaper by the three dismissed secretaries, where they contested and slandered R. Shmuel Salant, and responds to what was said in that letter in the name of R. Elyashar. The writers protest about these rumors: " …Who if not for you know of the piety of R. Shmuel Salant, who can account for every penny…", and counter the contentions of the three secretaries who wish to summon the Ashkenazi community to a Din Torah before the Maharil Diskin of Brisk. The writers explain why the Ashkenazi community will not agree to be judged before the Maharil Diskin on this matter, since "the true Torah scholar from Brisk, in his great holiness and piousness, is very far removed from this whole affair, and he is completely uninvolved in the management of Jerusalem… and in particular regarding charity funds, it is not something he can judge about, since he is a concerned party, as we all know. How much ink has been spilt and how many quills were broken over the funds of this great scholar, who established an orphanage… and no generous or respected rabbi and scholar will be comfortable encroaching on this charity fund, and the whole existence of these funds which support the orphanage is only due to the respect for this elder…".
[1] leaf, official stationery. 27.5 cm. Written on both sides. Fair-good condition. Many stains and wear.

Autograph letter signed by R. "Yaakov David Ridvaz". [Jerusalem], Sivan 1909.
Written to "My brothers and friends who live in the US and in Canada" – Call for keeping the agreement between the Vaad HaKlali and Kollel America regarding their fundraising campaigns. The Ridvaz writes of the importance of saving the campaigns of the Vaad HaKlali which lends assistance to 30,000 souls "in many ways which cannot be detailed on paper, and they cannot exist without the support of the Vaad HaKlali".
R. Yaakov David Wilovsky, the Ridvaz (1845-1913), Rabbi of Slutzk, served at that time as Rabbi in Safed and at the time this letter was written, he was visiting Jerusalem in the framework of his struggles promoting the observance of shemita laws (before the shemita year of 1910) as he himself recounts in the beginning of the letter: "At the time I was summoned to the holy city of Jerusalem, regarding the forthcoming year of shemita and am currently here in the holy city and have heard the disputes regarding the compromise reached in [Kollel] America concerning fundraising… Heaven forbid changing even the tiniest part of the first compromise…".
The founding of Kollel America in 1896 roused many trenchant disputes in Jerusalem instigated by the old-time heads of the kollelim, who were concerned lest the new kollel cause the downfall of the Vaad HaKlali, whose income was primarily dependent on American donations. That year, R. Shmuel Salant published an open letter sent all over the Diaspora, in which he announced that "the obliteration of the Vaad HaKlali is the obliteration of the entire Yishuv". He was joined by various heads of kollelim who also opposed the new kollel. Conversely, the Maharil Diskin supported the establishment of the kollel intended to support American needy families who immigrated to Eretz Israel. At the end of 1897, the Maharil Diskin published a letter in which he wrote, "Kollel America was established with my approval". In 1901, both sides reached an agreement regarding the fundraising rules and the manner of distributing the charity boxes in America, which finally brought the abovementioned controversy to its conclusion. This letter attests that even after the passing of years, this agreement still required reinforcement confronting those who wished to change some of its terms.
Leaf, 30 cm. Approximately 13 handwritten lines. Good condition. Light stains. Minor tears to margins.

Migdol David, commentary to Megillat Ruth, with Shir Hilulim, poem for the occasion of presenting a Torah scroll, by R. David Lida. Amsterdam, [1680-1681]. Only edition.
Shir Hilulim is a song consisting of thirteen stanzas alluding to the thirteen attributes of Mercy, and based on the letters of G-d's Name. Shir Hilulim was printed with a separated title page, and is rare, not appearing in all copies. In this copy, Shir Hilulim was bound at the beginning of the book instead of at the end.
The commentary to Megillat Ruth was in fact composed by R. Chaim HaKohen of Aleppo and not by R. David Lida. See: A. Freiman, R. David Lida and his Self-Justification in Be'er Esek, Jubilee Book in Honor of Nachum Sokolow, Warsaw 1904, pp. 456-457.
R. Yaakov Emden sharply criticized the book and accused the author of plagiarism: "As one can see in Shir Chilulim[!], at the end of the book Migdol David which the publisher attributed to himself while misleading the public… and he was not aware… that the name of the true author remained signed on it, since he concluded with Chaim" (Torat HaKana'ut, Lviv 1870, p. 145).
The foot of the title page of Shir Hilulim reads: "Printed by the excellent David Tartas, brother of the martyr who was burnt in sanctification of G-d's name, Yitzchak Tartas" (Yitzchak Tartas, brother of the printer, immigrated in 1641 to Recife, Northeast Brazil, which was then under Dutch rule. In 1644, he moved to Bahia – an area under Portuguese rule, where he was arrested by the government for being a Jew and deported to Lisbon to be interrogated by the Inquisition. After a lengthy trial, in which he refused to renounce his faith, he was sentenced to death and burnt at stake).
The last page of Shir Hilulim contains the name of the printing press worker: "Yaakov Chaim son of R. Moshe Refael de Cordova from Brazil".
[2] leaves: Shir Hilulim. 5-73 leaves: Migdol David. Lacking title page and four leaves of approbations to Migdol David. 18 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming and minor damage. Leather binding, with damage.

Four books printed in Prague, three of them from the 17th century, and one from 1759:
· Sefer Zikaron, abridged laws of all four sections of Shulchan Aruch in rhyme, by R. Yitzchak Shapira Katz, Rabbi of Mezeritch (Mezhirichi). [Prague, ca. 1640]. Only edition on Yoreh De'ah, Even HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat (the section on Orach Chaim was apparently printed earlier, in Krakow ca. 1635).
[66] leaves (Originally, the Choshen Mishpat section was placed first followed by the sections on Orach Chaim, Yoreh De'ah and Even HaEzer. In this copy the sections were bound in a different order: Orach Chaim, Yoreh De'ah, Even HaEzer and Choshen Mishpat). 17 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming. Repairs. Light stains and faded stamps on several leaves. New binding.
· Yalkut Chadash, selections of Midrashim and Kabbalistic teachings arranged in alphabetical order [by R. Yisrael of Bełżec]. Prague, 1657.
The title page bears a signature: "Yitzchak HaLevi"
[2], 76, 76-161, [12] leaves. 18 cm. Fair condition. Stains and tears. Worming. Tears and damage, repaired. Light stain on the title page. New binding.
· Sefer HaYashar, narrative of the Torah Parshiot according to Midrashim and other sources, by an anonymous author. Prague, [between 1657-1668].
Signatures appear on the title page and in several other places "Yitzchak Seligman Schlicker", "Yitzchak Seligman son of Chaim Yosef Schlicker of Fürth", dated 1754.
[84] leaves. 18.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains and tears, severe worming, professionally restored. New binding.
· Yad Chaim, grammar principles, by R. Chaim Shek. Prague [1759]. Only edition.
Owners' signatures appear on the title page. The last leaf contains a handwritten inscription of a riddle whose solution is the name Shmuel.
28 leaves. 16 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming. Inner margins of the title page taped. New binding.
Provenance: Collection of Dr. Israel Mehlman.