An Open Letter. The Rabbis of Jerusalem to Sir Moses Montefiore. London 1875. First Edition. Against Those ...

An Open Letter. The Rabbis of Jerusalem to Sir Moses Montefiore. London 1875. First Edition. Against Those Criticizing the Jewish Yishuv in Jerusalem

An open letter to Sir. Moses Montefiore, from Rabbis Meir Auerbach and Rabbi Shmuel Salant the heads of the Ashkenazi Beit Din of Jerusalem, 1875. On the occasion of Montefiore's arrival in Jerusalem. Accompanied by a description of his visit to Israel. London, 1875.

In the book is a long letter from the Rabbis which is intended to dispel the harsh criticism of the Jewish (especially the Ashkenazi) community in Jerusalem which appeared in publications in London, following the visit of delegation from London in Israel. The delegation portrayed the Jewish yishuv as being in a state of great poverty, with no employment in trade, dependent on others and not creative, unclean, sick, and with no orderly leadership. In their letter, the Rabbis refute the delegation's claims one by one, and inform Montefiore about the true condition of the Jews through direct acquaintance with the Yishuv. It is known that Montefiore himself supported the Rabbi's view, against the denigrators, and he funded the printing of the book in London. The Rabbis address Monefiore with many honorifics: "And now the prince and president of his land", "Our master the prince", "An order of prayer will be established on your behalf, for God to guard your going and coming" and more.

A picture of Monetfiore from the 19th century is stuck into the beginning of the book.

40, 148 pages. 24 cm. 148 pages in English, with a special title page for the English section: An Open Letter to Sir Moses Motefiore, Bartt.

Original blue cardboard binding with gilded decorations and writing on the Hebrew and English title pages. Gilded page cut.

Very fine condition.