Manuscript, signed by Rabbis Isaiah Bardaki, Yoseph Zundel Salant and Yaakov Berlin

(ISRAEL, LAND OF)

Jerusalem

23rd Cheshvan, 1861

Important historical document pertaining to a loan on bhalf f the celebrated synagogue of the Aschkenazim-Perushim, known as Churvath R. Yehudah He-Chasid. The signatories were the most important leaders of the growing Aschkenazi “Perushim” community of Jerusalem. The first, R. Isaiah Bardaki (d.1862), was the son-in-law of R. Israel of Shklov. He had the distinction of holding the double-position of both Chief Rabbi of the Aschkenazim and Haham Bashi of the Sephardim. He also held the politically important position of Vice-Consul of Austria. Many of the leading institutions of the Old City were founded under his auspices. The second signatory, R. Yoseph Zundel Salant (1786-1866) was the first official Dayan of the Aschkenazi community. Salant studied under R. Chaim of Volozhin, the most eminent disciple of the Vilna Gaon. R. Yoseph Zundel taught the young Israel Salanter, who went on to found the Mussar movement and who characterized his mentor as the ideal synthesis of scholar and saint - and the ideal inspiration for the Mussar movement. The third signatory, R. Yaakov Berlin, was the father of R. Naphtali Zevi Judah Berlin (Netzi”v), last rosh yeshiva of Volozhin. R. Yaakov resided in a small room in the building of the “Churva” synagogue. He was active in communal affairs and is buried near R. Yoseph Zundel Salant. See A. Frumkin, Toldoth Chachmei Yerushalayim 3, pp. 220-21, 227-29, 246-47; E. Rivlin, Ha-Tzadik R. Yoseph Zundel Mi-Salant, Jerusalem, 1927