Silver Bowl of Rebbe Rayatz – Purchased by R. Dovid Shiffrin During the Rayatz's Trip to the United States in 1930 ...

Silver Bowl of Rebbe Rayatz – Purchased by R. Dovid Shiffrin During the Rayatz's Trip to the United States in 1930 – Used by the Rebbe for Shehecheyanu Fruit on Shavuot, Rosh Hashana and Tu BiShvat

Silver bowl used by Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rayatz of Lubavitch, for Shehecheyanu fruit on Shavuot, Rosh Hashana and Tu BiShvat. The bowl was bought during the visit of the Rayatz to the United States in 1930, by the Chassid R. David Shiffrin.
Sterling silver (marked on underside) – United States, ca. 1920s.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chanah Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift… the fruit bowl that rabbi Dovid Shiffrin gave to my father [the Rayatz] during his trip in 1929-30 to the United States. My father told me he used it for schechiyanu fruit, Rosh Hashana Tu Bishevat and Shevous". Dated – 3rd December 1989.

The visit of Rebbe Rayatz to the United States
Some two years after his release from the Soviet prison and settling in Riga, Rebbe Rayatz made a trip to the United States. The purpose of the visit, which lasted for close to a year (Elul 1929-Tammuz 1930), was to raise awareness of the plight of Soviet Jews and to encourage and strengthen American Jewry.
Wherever he went, the Rayatz campaigned to strengthen and fortify Torah observance, and propagandized for Shabbat observance, laying tefillin and establishing Torah classes. He founded Agudas Chassidei Chabad and women's societies to promote Taharat HaMishpacha. On Shabbat, he would hold gatherings and deliver Chassidic teachings, and on weekdays, he would convene various meetings and receive people in private audiences. Towards the end of the trip, the Rayatz met with Herbert Hoover, president of the United States, in the White House (on 14th Tammuz). During their meeting, the Rayatz thanked the president for the freedom of religion given to American Jewry and for the help his government provides to Jews throughout the world.
The Rayatz ended his visit on Thursday, 21st Tammuz 1930. He set sail from the port of New York on SS Bremen and reached Berlin on 27th Tammuz. After spending several weeks in the Marienbad health spa, the Rayatz returned in the middle of Elul 1930 to his home in Riga. According to the enclosed letter, during the course of his visit to the United States in 1930, R. David Shiffrin gave the present bowl as a gift to Rebbe Rayatz, who used it for Shehecheyanu fruit on Shavuot, Rosh Hashana and Tu BiShvat.
The Chassid R. David Shiffrin (d. 1943) was one of the first Chassidim of the Rebbe in the United States. One of the founders of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the United States in 1924, and secretary of the Agudah. He also had the merit of meeting Rebbe Maharash.

Approx. 11.5X23X9.5 cm. Good condition.