Auction 75 - Rare and Important Items
Letter Handwritten and Signed by Moses Montefiore – To the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, R. Nathan Marcus Adler – Ramsgate, 1871 – The Montefiore Orchard
Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000
Sold for: $5,500
Including buyer's premium
Letter handwritten and signed by Moses Montefiore, addressed to the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, R. Nathan Marcus Adler. Written on official stationery. Ramsgate (England), 12th November 5632 (1871).
Montefiore writes: "I hope it may be agreeable to you to convene a meeting of the Holy Land Committee… some measures must be taken conducive to the improvement of the Jaffa Estate. I understand the land is becoming more and more valuable and I deeply regret that so many months have elapsed without our hearing the least information respecting the progress made in the cultivation of the land".
The estate which Montefiore discusses in this letter is presumably the orchard he purchased in Jaffa in 1855. The orchard, known as Montefiore Orchard (or Montefiore Garden) is considered to be the first Jewish orchard in Eretz Israel. Over the years, the orchard knew better and worse times, encountered various difficulties and changes in the management. Many of Montefiore's colleagues, including R. Nathan Marcus Adler, attempted to arrange the sale or lease of the orchard, claiming it was unprofitable. Nevertheless, Montefiore refused to give up ownership of the orchard, which was important to him for reasons beyond profit.
Montefiore, who headed the Sephardic community of London, had a long-standing friendship with R. Nathan Marcus Adler (1803-1890), the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. The cordial relationship between them, which was accompanied by extensive correspondence, led to cooperation in a variety of community projects, including raising funds for the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Israel. R. Adler, who by the power of his position as Chief Rabbi headed the United Synagogue, an organization that united all the orthodox communities of Britain, gathered the funds raised by the synagogues and sent them to Eretz Israel through Montefiore's representatives.
[1] leaf folded in half (three pages handwritten by Montefiore). Approx. 17.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks and creases. A few stains. Several tears to folding marks.
Moses Montefiore would usually dictate his letters to his secretary, and sign his name at the end. Letters entirely handwritten by Montefiore are rare.
Montefiore writes: "I hope it may be agreeable to you to convene a meeting of the Holy Land Committee… some measures must be taken conducive to the improvement of the Jaffa Estate. I understand the land is becoming more and more valuable and I deeply regret that so many months have elapsed without our hearing the least information respecting the progress made in the cultivation of the land".
The estate which Montefiore discusses in this letter is presumably the orchard he purchased in Jaffa in 1855. The orchard, known as Montefiore Orchard (or Montefiore Garden) is considered to be the first Jewish orchard in Eretz Israel. Over the years, the orchard knew better and worse times, encountered various difficulties and changes in the management. Many of Montefiore's colleagues, including R. Nathan Marcus Adler, attempted to arrange the sale or lease of the orchard, claiming it was unprofitable. Nevertheless, Montefiore refused to give up ownership of the orchard, which was important to him for reasons beyond profit.
Montefiore, who headed the Sephardic community of London, had a long-standing friendship with R. Nathan Marcus Adler (1803-1890), the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. The cordial relationship between them, which was accompanied by extensive correspondence, led to cooperation in a variety of community projects, including raising funds for the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Israel. R. Adler, who by the power of his position as Chief Rabbi headed the United Synagogue, an organization that united all the orthodox communities of Britain, gathered the funds raised by the synagogues and sent them to Eretz Israel through Montefiore's representatives.
[1] leaf folded in half (three pages handwritten by Montefiore). Approx. 17.5 cm. Good condition. Folding marks and creases. A few stains. Several tears to folding marks.
Moses Montefiore would usually dictate his letters to his secretary, and sign his name at the end. Letters entirely handwritten by Montefiore are rare.
Jewish Communities – Pinkasim and Documents
Jewish Communities – Pinkasim and Documents