Bidspirit auction | Historically Significant and Exceptionally Rare

Historically Significant and Exceptionally Rare Archive – Internal Documents from the Establishment of the State of Israel and the Rescue of European Jewry – 1948–1949 - An important and extensive historical archive of the “Rescue Center – Aid and Rescue in Europe” of the Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi movements. More than one hundred pages comprising letters, telegrams, circulars, internal materials, resolutions and reports – firsthand documentation from the crucial months surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel, the War of Independence, and the efforts to rescue European Jewry and assist Holocaust survivors. Eretz Israel and Europe, primarily 1948–1949. An archive of exceptional historical importance from the birth of the State of Israel. Most of the documents were written as the events themselves unfolded, beginning in Iyar 1948 – the very month in which the State was established – and continuing throughout 1949. The archive vividly reflects, in real time, the struggle for the survival of the young State, the establishment of its governing institutions, debates concerning its legal system and Jewish character, the first elections, the composition of the government, and relations with the Arab population; alongside these developments, it documents efforts on behalf of European Jewry, Holocaust survivors, and their immigration to Israel. Of particular significance is the fact that a substantial portion of the material is headed “Internal Material” or “Internal Circular” – documents intended for members of the movement rather than for public distribution. They contain reports, information and statements offering an inside view of the Mizrachi leadership during this decisive period. Examples of important documents in the archive include: - “Internal Circular No. 6,” Sivan 1948, approximately one month after the declaration of the State. This several-page document discusses fundamental issues confronting the newly established State at that very moment. Among its statements are: “Arabs requesting to return will be permitted to do so if they prove their loyalty”; “The form of government in the State – in joint discussions of the Left within the Histadrut”; as well as discussions regarding representation in the government and the demands of Poalei Agudat Yisrael. - Another document, “Internal Material No. 13,” dated 9 Cheshvan 1948, records Mizrachi’s involvement in shaping the State’s legal system. It states, among other things: “Rabbi Berlin alluded to Mizrachi’s role in preparing a system of laws that are not explicitly set forth in the Shulchan Aruch.”   A fascinating statement from the period in which the religious leadership was confronting, for the first time in practical terms, the question of how a modern Jewish state should function in areas not explicitly addressed by halachic literature. The same document also contains the heading “Letters from Captivity.” - “Internal Material No. 14,” dated 4 Shevat 1949, written against the backdrop of the first elections in the State of Israel, describes the historic event in exalted language: “An aura of majesty enveloped the people as they went to elect their representatives.” - Another document, dated 7 Tammuz 1948 and headed “Internal Circular, ” deals with the ongoing battles throughout the country. - A particularly moving document is a letter dated 22 Iyar 1948, only days after the Declaration of Independence, addressed to Mizrachi representatives in Austria: “We thank you for your congratulations on the establishment of our State.”   The words “the establishment of our State, ” written by contemporaries when the Jewish State was only days old, transform the letter into a tangible testimony to that historic moment. - Another letter, dated 12 Iyar 1948, was sent “To the Centers of Our Movement Wherever They May Be, ” and contains a summary of the World Mizrachi Conference held in Tel Aviv. - The archive also includes an earlier letter in Yiddish, dated November 11, 1947, signed by A. Becker, from the months preceding the establishment of the State. - Alongside the building of the new State, the “Rescue Center” continued its activities on behalf of European Jewry and Holocaust survivors. One document concerning permits and possibilities for immigration subtly reveals the political difficulties surrounding these efforts: “The general political situation is affecting the field of permits – and a word to the wise is sufficient.”   This brief statement offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes activity involving permits, connections, and efforts toward immigration and rescue, at a time when many Jews in Europe were still seeking a path to the newly established State. - A particularly important and intriguing item is a document headed: “Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel.”   The document is undated, but was preserved alongside documents from the summer months of 1948,