Large collection of letters of rabbis, dayanim, shochatim and poskim in Soviet Russia, addressed to R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel and a leader of the Aid Committee for Russian Jews of the rabbis of Eretz Israel. Various cities in Russia and Ukraine, 1933-1935.

Most letters written within Russia, during Stalin's reign of terror. The rabbis recount at length the harsh persecution and self-sacrifice for keeping the Torah under the conditions of famine and poverty. They beg for material assistance, and ask for help attaining visas to immigrate to Eretz Israel. Some letters include various Torah and halachic novellae.

The authors include Chassidic rabbis of the Chabad, Chernobyl, Rachmastrivka, Chortkov, Breslov and other Chassidic traditions – including distinguished followers of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz of Lubavitch.

The authors of the letters in the present collection include:

• R. Eliezer Moshe Madyevsky, Rabbi of Khorol (a senior Chabad rabbi in Russia, and a leading public activist as an emissary of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz).

• R. Avraham Levi (Levik) Slavin, Rabbi of Kulashi and Kutaisi.

• R. Yisrael Moshe son of R. Yaakov Aryeh Itkin, shochet and mohel in Mglin (Bryansk region).

• R. Yaakov Gershon HaKohen Akushsky, a rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (Dnipro), successor of R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe).

• R. Mordechai Shmuel Kroll, Rabbi of Kfar Chassidim.

• R. Mordechai son of Avraham Matityahu Kroll, Rabbi of Novoukrainka.

• R. Shlomo Avraham Aberbuch, posek in Franpol (Kosohirka), formerly Rabbi of Kuzmyn.

• R. Michel Ruchman, posek in Berditchev.

• R. Avraham Breitman, Rabbi of Kamianets-Podilskyi, a Chortkov Chassid and dean of his local Tiferet Yisrael yeshiva.

• R. Pinchas Blechman, rabbi and posek in Tulchyn.

• R. Avraham Kravitzky, Rabbi of Kalis (apparently Kalush, Ukraine).

• R. Yitzchak Meir Glaser, rabbi in Kupil (Ukraine).

• R. Chaim Mendel Chefetz, Rabbi of Sevastopol (Crimea), formerly preacher in Kiev.

• R. Yisrael Yaakovson, rabbi on Bakhmut (Ukraine), formerly rabbi in Sevastopol (Crimea). In the margins of the letter he explains the use of an old stamp from his rabbinic tenure in Sevastopol: "As these years we are not permitted to make stamps".

• R. Yisrael Maggid, Rabbi of Kryzhopil (Vinnytsia province).

• R. Moshe Chaim Dinin, "grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and other holy ones", dayan and posek in Pykiv (Vinnytsia province).

• R. Moshe son of R. Yosef Shlomo, Rabbi of Ulaniv (Vinnytsia province).

• Letter (in square letters, signed?) – call for action, with chilling descriptions of exile to concentration camps, disease and famine, and the mass death of Jewish Torah scholars. On back on leaf, stamp of receipt dated 1933 [apparently this letter was sent by Jews of the Caucasus regions].

See Hebrew description for a detailed list, with quotations from the letters.

20 letters. Size and condition varies. On some letters, stamps of receipt of the rabbinate in Jerusalem, with date of receipt filled in by hand, and red pencil inscriptions with summaries of content.

Stamps of rabbis in most letters (mostly to top of letter, mimicking official stationery), some old stamps with handwritten corrections, others fashioned amateurishly by carving of wood. [Production of stamps and official stationery appears to have required official approval in those days. See also the note of R. Yisrael Yaakovson mentioned above: "As these years we are not permitted to make stamps"].