Israel ben Samuel of Shklov. Rov Shalom u-Berachoth me-Zion... [concerning the earthquake suffered in Safed]

On January 1st, 1837 (24th Teveth), an earthquake all but destroyed the Jewish community of Safed, killing more than 4,000 inhabitants of the Holy City. R. Israel of Shklov, leader of the Kollel Perushim (the followers of the Vilna Gaon in Eretz Israel), organized prodigious relief efforts for the survivors of the catastrophe. Here he writes to the Lehren Brothers of Amsterdam, the Administrators of the funds for the support of the Yishuv and Kollelim in Eretz Israel, apprising them of the situation. The Treasurers' committee, consisting of Tzvi Hirsch and Yaakov Meir Lehren, Abraham Prins and Zalman Rubens, published these letters with an additional appeal of their own, urging donors to double their pledges to aid the victims of the earthquake. Also includes an interim report concerning monies collected in Gibraltar in this regard. See Yaari, Sheluchei Eretz Israel (Jerusalem, 1977), p. 7; S. Levi, Rabbi Israel of Shklov, in: Sinai III (1939) pp. 30-37; L. Jung ed., Men of the Spirit (1964), pp. 63-81; JE, Vol VI, p. 669