Interesting letter by Rabbi Abba Grossbard - Regarding his Disciple Rabbi Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz - Petach Tikva, 1943

Interesting letter by Rabbi Abba Grossbard - Regarding his Disciple Rabbi Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz - Petach Tikva, 1943
Autograph letter signed by R. Abba Grossbard, mashgiach at the Lomza Yeshiva. Petach Tikva, Sivan 1943.
In this letter, the mashgiach describes his plans to establish more yeshivas and Torah centers in various settlements in Eretz Israel: "The idea has arisen in our yeshiva… to build a handsome impressive yeshiva so that the students can grow in Torah and fear of Heaven. The rule is that if a yeshiva exists in the city, it has positive influence on the city. First of all, the number of Torah students increases because the local boys envy them…therefore, we have [in the yeshiva in Petach Tikva] young men immersed in Torah and fear of Heaven…They want to be active in this project and with G-d's help they have the ability, both due to their fear of G-d and their skills with good characteristic attributes…". Further in the letter, he focuses on a practical suggestion to appoint his disciple R. Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz head of the yeshiva "Because he is one of the most select students in the yeshiva, leading in Torah knowledge and fear of Heaven… he was one of the leading students of the Kaminetz Yeshiva…".
R. Avraham Abba Grossbard (1890-1946), the first mashgiach of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak was one of the leading mussar figures of his generation. A close disciple of R. Yerucham Leibowitz from the time he studied in the Radun Yeshiva. He served as mashgiach of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Lithuania and after moved to establish a yeshiva in Riga. At the end of 1939, he moved to Eretz Israel to serve as mashgiach of the Lomze Yeshiva in Petach Tikva. In 1944, he moved with a group of disciples to Bnei Brak, to establish the Ponovezh Yeshiva. This group was organized by his initiative and with his encouragement. At the head of this group, R. Abba placed his distinguished disciple R. Shmuel Rozovsky who had already begun to deliver discourses. At the end of WWII, R. Grossbard discovered that his wife and all his children were murdered during the Holocaust and his heart failed him and he died a year later. This letter reveals a few of his activities to spread Torah and build yeshivas in Eretz Israel, an initiative which preceded his other plan to establish the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.
Leaf, 25.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Wear to folding creases.