Hebrew Letter addressed to Rabbi Samuel Salant. Signed by 55 members of Colel America in Jerusalem. Written on letterhead of Colel America / Tiphereth Jerusalem in Jerusalem.

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

25th Iyar

Jerusalem

1906

Protests the integrity and innocence of Judah Leib Levenstein, an agent ("sochen") of the Colel and beseeching Chief Rabbi Salant not to pay heed to controversialists who would speak ill of Levenstein.

The Kollel America was founded in 1897 with the blessing of Rabbi Joshua Leib Diskin of Brisk as a means of support for the 500 American Jews residing in Jerusalem. Jews in America were called upon to assume financial responsibility for their countrymen residing in Eretz Israel, which in turn engendered bitter internal politics with the administration of the "Vaad Haklali" (Central Charity Committee) presided over by Rabbi Samuel Salant, which had until then been solely responsible for the collection and distribution of funds for the impoverished residents of Jerusalem. Although the Kollel America was founded to help American (and Canadian) Jews, according to its constitution it “extends assistance liberally to the distressed without regard of their native country.” Sepher HaTakanoth shel Kollel America (New York, 1898). The protracted disagreement was eventually solved by a rabbinic mediation between Kollel America and Va’ad Kelali Knesseth Yisrael.