Letter by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Eliyahu Igel, Av Beit Din of Tchernowitz and Region. Tchernowitz, 1863

Letter by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Eliyahu Igel, Av Beit Din of Tchernowitz and Region. Tchernowitz, 1863

"I read the letter of appreciation in honor of Sir [Moses Montefiore], and it was like the sweetness of honey in my mouth." Letter from Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Eliyahu Igel, Av Beit Din of Tchernowitz and region, to the editor of The Maggid, Zilberman. Tchernowitz, 1863.

Specifications: [1] page, paper. 14X23 cm. Autographed, with the signature and stamp of Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Eliyahu Igel.

Unique Features: Enthusiastic letter in response to the initiative of The Maggid's editor to inspire the gratitude of the Jewish people for Moses Montefiore's life work; a heartfelt expression of thanks by the Av Beit Din of Tchernowitz on behalf of "All my Jewish brothers, the inhabitants of the state of Bukovina, their rabbis and leaders," to Montefiore. He presented a list of signatories  and requested that it be added to the general letter of thanks from the Jewish people. At the bottom of the page, M.S. Rabbiner, "the (previous) first teacher of the school in Tchernowitz" added his appreciation and blessings in honor of Sir Montefiore, and requested that The Maggid publish a poem he wrote in honor of Sir Montefiore, "Masa Matitiyahu."

Background: Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Eliyahu Igel [Lemberg 1824 - Tchernovitz 1892] traveled to Padua in 1843, whereupon he became a student of Rabbi Shmuel David Luzzato. In 1848, he was ordained as a rabbi and was also awarded a doctoral degree. In 1854, he was elected as the rabbi of Tchernowitz, upon which the government gave all matters regarding Jewish religion in Bukovina into his hands. However, the chareidim and chassidim did not regard him as an authority in any way. He published many valuable books, articles, and studies in German and Hebrew (for further reading see the Encyclopedia of Romanian Jewry, part 3, pp. 861-862).

Condition: Fine. Fold marks. A few ink-smears.