Handwritten leaf, certificate of ordination as rabbi, signed by R. Akiva Sofer, Rabbi of Pressburg, and the dayan R. Leib Rubenstein. Pressburg, [Kislev 1920].
The ordination was apparently written by the dayan R. Leib Rubenstein, who signed the present document, to which R. Akiva Sofer appended his signature.
On the reverse side of the leaf is an additional ordination handwritten and signed by R. Yeshayah Kalisch, a dayan of Pressburg, son-in-law of R. Leib Friedman, head of the Pressburg Beit Din. Pressburg, [Tevet] 1920.
The ordination was granted to the student of the Pressburg yeshiva, R. Menachem Donat, son of R. Shmuel Donat of Pressburg

R. Akiva Sofer (1878-1960), author of Daat Sofer, son of the Shevet Sofer and grandson of the Ketav Sofer. Served as Rabbi and yeshiva dean of Pressburg for 33 years. In 1939, he moved to Lugano, Switzerland, and from there immigrated to Jerusalem, where he reestablished his yeshiva and community.

The dayan, R. Yehudah Leib Rubenstein (ca. 1857-1923), disciple of the Shevet Sofer and Maharam Schick, served as dayan and yeshiva lecturer in Pressburg.

The dayan R. Yeshayah Kalisch (1883-1944; perished in the Holocaust), disciple of the Shevet Sofer, R. Yeshayah Ehrenfeld Rabbi of Šurany, the Minchat Elazar Rabbi of Munkacs, and R. Yitzchak Shmelkes Rabbi of Lviv. Dayan in Pressburg and head lecturer in the Pressburg yeshiva.

The recipient of the certificate of ordination, R. Menachem Donat (1888-1977), born in Pressburg to his father R. Shmuel Donat (1861-1931, rabbi and orator in the Ahavat Torah society in Pressburg), studied in the Pressburg yeshiva and Rabbinical Seminary in Berlin. Served as Rabbi and dayan in various cities in Germany. Immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1939, settling in Jerusalem.

[1] double leaf (2 written pages). 21 cm. Good-fair condition. Folds. Tears to folds, reinforced with tape.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.