An important letter by Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz ahead of the inauguration of the 'Knesset Beit Yitzchak' yeshiva ...

An important letter by Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz ahead of the inauguration of the 'Knesset Beit Yitzchak' yeshiva building in Chemnitz

"Let us, please, give a helping hand to the great cause of this building of G-d and his Tora!" An important letter signed by Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz regarding the strengthening and support of the new building of the 'Knesset Beit Yitzhak' Yeshiva in Chemnitz, mid-1930s.

The genius opens his letter: 'I address you with my warm request since four years have passed since we started build the building for our holy yeshiva ... Unfortunately, due to lack of resources, we had to stop in the middle of work ...', And requests assistance for the new building of the 'Knesset Beit Yitzhak' yeshiva in the last Mishkan in Kamnitz.

On the 24th of Kislev, 1929, Rabbi Baruch Ber returned from America for the purpose of raising funds for the yeshiva. Upon his return, there was an urgent need for a new building for the yeshiva due to a significant expansion of the number of its disciples. Rabbi Gershon Galin purchased land for the new building, for which he came especially to Kamnitz. On the 12th of Elul 1932, the cornerstone was laid in a large class and with the participation of gdoley Israel and all the residents of the city, but when they reached the second and more difficult stage of obtaining donors for the building itself, they encountered great difficulties. Four years passed and alternately the building was built very slowly (this is what Rabbi Baruch Ber refers to in the letter before us: "four years have passed since we started build the building for our holy yeshiva"). In the end, Rabbi Gershon Galin was rescued and donated a considerable amount of money, as well as several other donors, and in 'Zot Hanukkah' [1937] The building was completed. The keynote speech at the inauguration of the house was delivered by Rabbi Baruch Ber, saying: "Our hopes and aspirations are to learn in the yeshiva in exactly the same way we saw with our rabbis in Volozhin, and in the same way that Rabbi Akiva Eiger studied."

The Gaon Rabbi Baruch Dov (Ber) Leibowitz [1864-1940], author of 'Birkat Shmuel' on the Shas. One of the greatest Torah scholars of his generation. When his father-in-law moved to Kremenchug, he filled his place in the Helusk rabbinate and established a yeshiva there. After 13 years, he was invited to serve as head of the 'Knesset Beit Yitzhak'  yeshiva in Salvodka. During the First World War he traveled with his yeshiva to Minsk, Kremenetsog and Vilna, until he finally established it in Chemnitz.

[1] leaf. Typewriter and signature of Rabbi Baruch Ber. Tears at the margins with text damage to beginning and the end of two lines. Folding marks. Moderate condition.