Letter from R. Yosef Elimelech Kahana Rabbi of Ungvar - Ungvar, 1943 - A Rabbinic Convention during the Holocaust

Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yosef Elimelech Kahana Rabbi of Ungvar and the region. Ungvar (Uzhhorod), 1943. Addressed to his colleague R. Shmuel Sanvil Kahana-Fränkel, head of the Central Bureau of Orthodox Jewry in Hungaryv. In the letter, he writes: "I received the letter of invitation to the convention, and I would have loved to attend, but am unable to for lack of necessary documents, I am therefore afraid to travel, and since I attended the convention in Pest several years ago, I have not left my house. May G-d be with you and may you be successful, and may the work of your hands be established upon you, to endeavor for the benefit of the Jewish people, and may our eyes observe the return of G-d to Tzion speedily and with compassion…". R. Yosef Elimelech Kahana (1866-1944, perished in the Holocaust), was a foremost rabbi and yeshiva dean in Hungary. A disciple of R. Shlomo Ganzfried, author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, and of the Shevet Sofer. He served as rabbi of Hernád-Zsadány (Zsadány) from 1892 in place of his father R. Yitzchak Isak Kahana. In 1917, he went to serve as rabbi of Bonyhád, and in 1923, of Tzelem (Deutschkreutz). In 1931, he was appointed rabbi of the big city of Ungvar and the region. Wherever he served as rabbi, he headed a large yeshiva, and edified thousands of disciples. His renowned disciples include: R. Shmuel HaLevi Wosner, author of Shevet HaLevi, R. Menasheh Klein Rabbi of Ungvar, author of Mishneh Halachot, R. Yaakov Snyders Rabbi of Basel, R. Amram Blum chief rabbi of Argentina, R. Yekutiel Yehuda Greenwald rabbi of Columbus. His writings - novellae on Talmudic topics and responsa, were destroyed in the Holocaust, and remnants of his novellae and responsa were published in the book Chiddushei R. Yosef Elimelech HaKohen (Jerusalem, 1969), by his grandson R. Yitzchak Isak Jungreis. Beit Yisrael HaShalem (Taussig, part VIII, p. 211) relates in the name of his disciple R. Simcha Bunem David Sofer, that R. Yosef Elimelech Kahana Rabbi of Ungvar would recite the Akdamot on Shavuot with great passion, declaring that whoever listened carefully to his Akdamot recital, was assured to not pass away without repenting. [1] leaf, official stationery. 23 cm. Approx. 14 autograph lines and signature. Very good condition.