MOVING APPEAL TO SAVE THE JEWS OF TZEFAS FROM ARAB ATTACKS IN 1883. SIGNED BY RABBI SHMUEL HELLER AND RABBI ...

MOVING APPEAL TO SAVE THE JEWS OF TZEFAS FROM ARAB ATTACKS IN 1883. SIGNED BY RABBI SHMUEL HELLER AND RABBI REFAEL SILBERMAN, RABBIS OF TZEFAS.

Letter to Dr Eliezer Loewe, personal assistant to Sir Moses Montefiore, appealing for financial support for the Tzefas community. The community was then in danger following the accidental killing of an Arab by a Jew, and intensive intervention and huge sums were required to calm the situation.

This appears to be one of the latest letters to have been signed by Rabbi Shmuel Heller, who passed away only about five months after signing this appeal for his community.

Rabbi Shmuel Heller (1803-1884), born in Zlotchov, descendant of the Tosfos Yomtov, close adherent of the Chernobil chassidic dynasty. He arrived in Tzfas with his parents, gradually becoming close to the community leadership, particularly after the passing of his Rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Dov of Avrutch – the Bas Ayin, in 1840. A highly respected rabbinical leader of the chassidic community deeply involved in its contacts with Eastern Europe, with the local Sephardic community and its rabbis, with the Ottoman authorities and with the local Arab population.

Rabbi Refael Silberman (1839-1918), b. Uman and settled in Tzefas succeeding his father Rabbi Mordechai as Dayan and in (1872) as Rabbi of the Ashkenazim of the town. Respected by both Jews and Arabs. Rabbi of Uman, settled in Eretz Yisrael in 1850 and joined the Beth Din of Rabbi Shmuel Heller in Tzefas, and the Beth Din in Teverya. Ancestor of the Silberman – Kaplan rabbinical family of Tzefas.

1 side. 19.5 x 27 cm. Good condition.