Auction 86 - Part I - Rare & Important Items
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Letter handwritten and signed by Albert Einstein (with the initials "AE"), addressed to the Danish journalist Karen Stampe Bendix. No indication of place or date [United States, ca. 1936]. German.
A fascinating letter written against the backdrop of the threat posed by Nazi Germany's rapid mobilization in conjunction with its escalating political extremism, and the increasing likelihood of another war. Thus, notwithstanding his decidedly pacifistic worldview, Albert Einstein insists that under the prevailing circumstances, there is no choice but to confront Germany, the sooner the better, and perhaps even take the initiative in doing so. In this regard, he takes issue with the conciliatory stance of the powers of the free world: "Most regrettable is the feeble stance of England, insofar as it indeed postpones the start of war, but certainly cannot prevent it. It would have been best to intervene already three years ago. There are diseases that cannot be overcome without surgery. I cannot deny this even though I abhor the knife."
Einstein implores Stampe to take comfort in her own situation, inasmuch as Denmark, her native country, "is unthreatened by the impending turbulence, " and promises her that "even if it is economically difficult, there is yet strange consolation in that no place on earth is in a better situation." (This assertion turned out to be untrue in hindsight, seeing as notwithstanding the nonaggression pact it signed with Germany, Denmark was attacked and occupied by Nazi German forces in 1940.) The letter ends with a description of the prevailing sentiment in the United States: "There is heavy unemployment here as well, and unlike the situation in the past, [there is] a mood of pessimistic resignation with the state of affairs. On the other hand, the difficult circumstances here have not led to the heated political passions so familiar to us from Europe."
Einstein makes parenthetic reference to his wife's poor state of health, as well as the couple's general living conditions: "We live in an old, pretty house in picturesque surroundings… but I am still plagued by an unimaginable flood of letters."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), among the most influential physicists of the 20th century, gave rise to the theory of relativity and helped lay the foundations for the theory of quantum mechanics. Nobel Laureate in Physics. Born in Ulm in southern Germany, studied in Switzerland, and served as professor at a number of different universities. In addition to his distinguished scientific accomplishments, Einstein was deeply involved in social and political activism; when the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Einstein chose to renounce his German citizenship and settle in the United States with his second wife, Elsa Einstein (1876-1936), where he was offered a position at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey. Einstein remained at Princeton until his death on April 18, 1955.
Albert Einstein was an avowed pacifist all his life, and remained steadfast in his opposition to war in almost any form. As such, he campaigned for the establishment of international institutions promoting conflict resolution between the nations of the world. Notwithstanding this worldview, considering the threat posed to humanity by Nazi Germany – "an enemy who pursues the destruction of life as an end in itself" – Einstein vociferously called for the free world to prepare for war. So great was the danger in his view, that he implored United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt to order the accelerated development of an atomic bomb to ensure America would be in possession of this lethal weapon before Nazi Germany. With the conclusion of the Second World War, Einstein returned to his previous positions in opposition to virtually all use of military force, and campaigned forcefully for nuclear disarmament. For more on this subject, see below.
Karen Stampe Bendix (1881-1963), Danish educator, screenwriter, and author. Daughter of Danish-Jewish composer Victor Bendix and of the Danish noblewoman and activist author Rigmor Stampe Bendix (godchild of Hans Christian Andersen). In the 1930s, Stampe Bendix developed a close relationship with Albert Einstein and his wife, and published a lengthy article on Einstein in the Danish newspaper "Politiken."
[1] f., folded (roughly two-and-a-half written pages), 17.5 cm. Good condition. Fold lines and creases. Stains. Small tears along fold lines, repaired.
Albert Einstein's Pacifistic Worldview
For his entire life, Albert Einstein regarded himself as a passionate pacifist. With every fiber of his being, he opposed military conflict in all its forms. He sought to completely abolish the concept of the nation-state, whose very existence, in his view, rendered warfare unavoidable. In this vein, in the early days of the First World War, he signed the pacifistic manifesto entitled "Aufruf an die Europäer" ("Call to the Europeans, " 1914) as a direct response to "Manifest der 93" (the "Manifesto of the 93") – a rallying cry for war signed by 93 notable German academics. In the interwar period, through various frameworks, he actively and persistently strove to further his pacifistic and humanistic agenda, and to advance the goal of establishing powerful international institutions that could promise stability in Europe and enable the creation of multilateral international cooperative ventures, that would advance the cause of peace and eventually bring an end to war. In several instances, he went as far as intervening personally on behalf of conscientious objectors and pacifists who had been persecuted and prosecuted by legal governmental authorities in a number of different European countries (see "Einstein on Peace" [below], chapters 4 and 5).
Despite his longstanding commitment to pacifism, Nazi militarism and Adolf Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions convinced Einstein that Nazi ideology posed a clear and present danger to both European Jewry and European civilization, and that Hitler must be stopped at all costs, sooner rather than later. In a letter dated 1936, Einstein wrote the following: "A strange breed of pacifist, you will probably say of me! But I cannot shut my eyes to realities. It is no exaggeration to say that the British, and, to some extent, the French pacifists are largely responsible for the desperate situation today because they prevented energetic measures from being taken at a time when it would have been relatively easy to adopt them. In vain, I advocated appropriate policies in 1933. But the 'Great Men' at the time almost ridiculed the danger of war" (see "Einstein on Peace" [below], p. 273).
Einstein regarded the possibility of Nazi Germany possessing an atomic bomb as a threat to all humanity, and believed it was essential the Allied Powers beat Germany in the race to the bomb. This view brought him and physicist Leo Szilard to send, in 1939, the so-called "Einstein-Szilard Letter" to United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to call the attention of the US administration to the latest developments in the field of nuclear fission, to clarify the potential military uses of this new technology, and to voice their fears that Nazi Germany might be pursuing an atomic weapon. In essence, the Einstein-Szilard Letter ultimately gave rise to the Manhattan Project which would eventually lead to the production of the world's first atomic bomb. Einstein later expressed his regrets of having signed this letter. In 1946, he and Szilard established the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists (ECAS) with the aim of warning the public of all the potential dangers of the atomic bomb. In 1955, shortly before his death, Einstein signed the Russell-Einstein Manifesto which similarly dealt with the threat of nuclear weaponry and beseeched the governments of the world to pursue the resolution of international conflicts by peaceful means.
In yet another letter, addressed to Japanese pacifist Seiei Shinoara and dated June 23, 1953, Einstein clarified his positions regarding Nazism and the American use of the atomic bomb with the following words: "I am a dedicated [‘entschiedener'] but not an absolute pacifist; this means that I am opposed to the use of force under any circumstances, except when confronted by an enemy who pursues the destruction of life as an end in itself […]" (English; excerpted from "Einstein on Politics" [see below], p. 491).
References:
1. Otto Nathan and Heinz Norden, eds., "Einstein on Peace, " Schocken Books, New York, 1960.
2. Robert Schulmann and David E. Rowe, eds., "Einstein on Politics, " Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ and Oxford UK, 2007, p. 491.
Letter typewritten on stationery blind-stamped with Albert Einstein's address and bearing his signature. Addressed to the Australian pathologist, Dr. Alton R. Chapple. Princeton, New Jersey, USA. February 18, 1949. English.
Through the duration of the Second World War, Albert Einstein remained steadfast in his insistence on forceful, aggressive action against Nazi Germany. But immediately after the conclusion of the war – and once the full extent of the horror caused by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan was revealed – he began to once again advance, just as vociferously, the pacifistic agenda he had subscribed to most of his life, and quickly became one of the world's leading proponents of nuclear disarmament. In the ominous shadow of the Soviet-American nuclear arms race, and with the terrifying specter of nuclear holocaust rendered more palpable than ever, the Australian pathologist, Dr. Alton R. Chapple, turned to Einstein with a passionate entreaty to hear "a few words of leadership and hope" from the renowned pacifist (see: Einstein on Peace, p. 510, below).
In response, with the present letter, Einstein offered a decidedly pessimistic analysis regarding the state of politics and international relations: "There seems to be no doubt that in all countries the power is in the hands of power-loving persons who know very little restrictions when it comes to the realization of ambitious goals. This is so whatever may be the form of political machinery, dictatorial or democratic." As Einstein insists in the letter, this power structure is based on government control of the media and educational systems. Evidently, Einstein believed that governments – both in the West and in the Eastern Bloc – were guilty of leading their public astray regarding the need for weapons of mass destruction.
Expecting the scientific community to prevent the continued development of such weaponry was unrealistic according to Einstein, for a number of reasons: First, existing military capabilities were already sufficiently adequate to bring about total destruction; second, scientists were concerned, first and foremost, not with the attainment of practical goals, but rather with the furthering of human knowledge in and of itself, and in any case, there was no telling what form the practical applications of their discoveries would take; and third, financial considerations were preventing a great number of technical personnel – who were an essential part of the weapons development process – from refusing any available offer of employment. Therefore, even if they were aware that their labor was likely to lead to devastation on a global scale, they would be pressed to continue taking an active role in advancing the arms race.
Einstein concludes as follows: "Hope can be based only in the intellectual and moral independence of a sufficient number of people the world over who can resist all the nefarious influences brought to bear upon them […] Honesty and courage of the individual to stand up for his convictions on every occasion is the only essential thing."
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), among the most influential physicists of the 20th century, gave rise to the theory of relativity and helped lay the foundations for the theory of quantum mechanics. Nobel Laureate in Physics. Born in Ulm in southern Germany, studied in Switzerland, and served as professor at a number of different universities. In addition to his distinguished scientific accomplishments, Einstein was deeply involved in social and political activism; when the Nazis came power in Germany in 1933, Einstein chose to renounce his German citizenship and settle in the United States with his second wife, Elsa Einstein (1876-1936) where he was offered a position at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey. Einstein remained at Princeton until his death on April 18, 1955.
[1] f., 28 cm. Good condition. Foxing. Fold lines and creases. Minute hole at top of leaf, with negligible damage to blind-stamped address.
Reference:
Otto Nathan and Heinz Norden, eds., "Einstein on Peace, " Schocken Books, New York, 1960. The present letter is cited in this book, pp. 510-511.
Provenance: Sotheby's London, December 5, 2017, Lot 95.
Large collection of letters and photographs from the psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung – letters sent by Jung to the psychoanalyst Dr. Rivkah Schärf Kluger, most handwritten and hand signed by him (German); photographs of Jung at his home in Küsnacht on the outskirts of Zurich, and more. Switzerland, [ca. 1940-60].
The collection includes:
• 62 letters bearing Carl Gustav Jung's signature (German). Most are handwritten, on official stationery, and the remainder typewritten. Most are in their original envelopes. The letters were sent from 1940 to 1960 to Jung's student and close friend, the psychoanalyst Dr. Rivkah Schärf Kluger. To the best of our knowledge, these letters have never been printed or published.
The letters deal with a wide range of personal and professional subjects, and contain some intriguing references to Jung's theories. In his letters, Jung relates to various ideas and concepts connected to his own theories of analytical psychology; he consults with Dr. Schärf Kluger regarding the publication of his studies and works, provides her with guidance in editing and copy-editing her own research, tells her about the state of his own health, about his vacations and future plans, gives her all manner of advice, and more. In some of his letters, Jung psychoanalyzes Schärf Kluger's dreams – which she had told him about in her letters to him – by deciphering, interpreting, and clarifying them.
In one letter, dated April 3, 1946, Jung analyzes a particular dream Schärf Kluger had told him about, which appeared connected to the relationship between the two: "You stay too long – Hidden behind this is a desire to be part of my family. But I lead you out, – that is, out of the realm of ‘being a daughter' […] The card points to the pious Jew who has to teach you obedience. The apparatus that lengthens my nose is suggestive of the intention, that is, the distant goal one reaches when one pursues that nose. The small wriggling fish behind all this is the Christian symbol […] This is the part or the ‘self, ' the ‘atman' (from Old High German = breath, Holy Spirit) that a person internalizes, aspires to bring closer, that which enables one to breathe (‘Spiritus Vitae, ' [the ‘spirit of life']), in other words, that which enables life. Life is sacrifice, that is, any form of fulfillment is sacrifice, because completion is both a beginning and an ending… the ‘self' lives only insofar as we live our lives according to reality. Through illusions we distort reality and attempt to avoid it."
In another letter, dated November 11, 1944, Jung writes to Schärf Kluger as follows: "It seems to me every time something is constellated in your unconscious, threatening dreams are aroused, because you usually react to your unconscious as if it were something pathological. This is a form of overreaction, and is far too pronounced, and is apparently related to the fact that you dropped abruptly, shall we say, from the Middle Ages into the Modern Era – actually to the pinnacle of modernity." In yet another letter, dated August 30, 1943, Jung confides to her that "it so happened that you once suddenly appeared in one of my dreams, but I can't remember the context."
In some of the letters, Jung appears to be intrigued by the Hebrew language and Jewish texts. In one of them, dated May 24, 1944, he thanks Schärf Kluger for sending him a particular kabbalistic composition, and writes as follows: "This [the composition] strongly reinforces my own feelings and experiences. I was very impressed by it. In the darkest hours of my illness, every night I found myself in something of a ‘pomegranate orchard.' [In all likelihood, the composition in question is the book by Rabbi Moses ben Jacob Cordovero titled ‘Pardes Rimonim' = ‘Pomegranate Orchard.'] In another letter, he thanks Schärf Kluger for providing him with an interpretation of the Hebrew word "rikmah" (= embroidery, tapestry, [biological] tissue).
• 41 photographs, including photos of Carl Gustav Jung at home in Küsnacht, on the outskirts of Zurich. Some of the photos show him in his study room, or working in the yard outside his house, or with members of his family, colleagues, and acquaintances, and more. Two of the photographs (portrait photographs of Jung) were taken by Margarita Fellerer, one of them is signed by Jung.
Size and condition vary.
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), Swiss physician and psychiatrist, one of the founding fathers of modern psychology; the father of analytical psychology, sometimes referred to as Jungian Psychology, and the theorist who gave rise to the concept of "collective unconscious." Jung was one of the most prominent of Sigmund Freud's students; Freud regarded him for a while as his natural successor, and even made certain he would be appointed President of his newly founded International Psychoanalytical Association. In 1912, Jung published a treatise, based on the results of his research, entitled "Psychology of the Unconscious, " in which he took issue with some of Freud's fundamental theoretical premises. This publication led to an ultimately irreconcilable personal and professional rift between the two. The main bone of contention between Freud and Jung involved their respective views regarding the unconscious; while Freud concentrated on illicit urges and repressed personal memories, Jung chose to focus on patterns of collective thought. In Jung's view, the appearance of recurring symbols and images in divergent cultures points to the existence of a pervasive collective unconscious wherein experiences are passed on from one generation to the next, originating with the dawn of humanity. In his opinion, this collective unconscious, consisting of symbols and images that exist cross-culturally among virtually all human societies – what Jung termed "archetypes" – exerts a profound influence on human personality. The impact of Jung's approach extended far beyond the field of psychology, into such areas as philosophy and religion, behavioral sciences, literature, art, and more.
The Swiss psychoanalyst Dr. Rivkah Schärf Kluger (1907-1987), was one of Carl Gustav Jung's most outstanding disciples. Born in Bern, Switzerland, she was the firstborn daughter of Sara Ettel Wiesel and Meschulem Leib Schärf, a Jewish couple of Hasidic origin who immigrated to Switzerland from Bukovina (today part of Romania; then a region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). When she was four years old, her family moved from Bern to Zurich. Her academic training began at the University of Zurich, where she first studied philosophy and psychology, and then moved on to Semitic languages and religious history. She took a thorough interest in the field of Jewish mysticism and kabbalah. Her first encounter with Jung came when she was still a young student; she read his writings, attended his lectures, and kept detailed notes on the content of his lessons. Some of these notes have been recently published. In 1936, she began working alongside Jung as a psychoanalyst, and subsequently started teaching students of her own at the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. In 1946, she earned her doctorate. Her doctoral thesis dealt with the image of Satan in the Old Testament. Jung, who was immensely impressed with her work, had the thesis published as an appendix to his own book, "Symbolik des Geistes." Jung and Schärf Kluger developed a deep and durable, longstanding personal friendship. They would meet from time to time, and exchanged many letters over a prolonged period of correspondence. In 1955, Schärf Kluger moved to the United States along with her husband, Yehezkel Kluger. The two settled in Los Angeles, where Schärf Kluger lectured at the C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles. In 1969, the couple immigrated to Israel, settling in Haifa, where Schärf Kluger continued both teaching and practicing psychoanalysis.
Enclosed:
• Letters sent to Rivkah Schärf Kluger following the death of her mother in early February, 1950, including a handwritten, hand-signed letter from Emma Jung, wife of Carl Jung; a handwritten, hand-signed letter from the psychologist Toni Wolff (1888-1953), sometimes referred to as Jung's "second wife"; a letter of condolence signed by Jung's daughter Agathe and her husband Kurt Niehus; a letter (written on a postcard) from "M.J." – probably Jung's daughter, Marianne Jung; and more.
• Two lengthy letters written by Rivkah Schärf Kluger to Carl Jung: one from May 28, 1956, and the other from January 25, 1961. Another one of her handwritten letters is enclosed with one of Jung's letters, dated April 13, 1942.
• A letter signed by Aniela Jaffé, Carl Jung's secretary, and dated May 26, 1961. This letter, addressed to both Rivkah Schärf Kluger and her husband Yehezkel just a few days prior to Carl Jung's passing, gives a highly detailed account of Jung's failing health. In the letter, Aniela Jaffé requests that the couple treat the matter as strictly confidential.
• 13 handwritten or typewritten letters from the German-Jewish psychiatrist James Kirsch (1901-1989), chairman and founder of the C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles, dated 1951-54. Addressed to Yehezkel Kluger. English.
• 8 handwritten or typewritten letters from Prof. Heinrich Zangger (1874-1957), chairman of the University of Zurich's Instituts für Rechtsmedizin (Institute of Forensic Medicine). Addressed to Rivkah Schärf Kluger. German.
Reference:
Nomi Kluger-Nash, "Rivkah Schärf Kluger: A Life Fuelled with Intensity of Spirit and Rare Depth of Soul, " [Appendix I] in Carl Gustav Jung, "The Solar Myths and Opicinus de Canistris: Notes of the Seminar given at Eranos in 1943," Daimon (publisher), Switzerland, 2015.
25 letters written in Shai Agnon's singularly distinctive style, including, inter alia, requests pertaining to various literary matters, requests regarding the publication of stories in the daily newspaper "Haaretz" and references to the paper's editorial board, references to the great deal of effort Agnon has devoted to his writings, and other matters.
Included in the present collection:
• Letter in German, handwritten by Agnon and signed "Shai Czaczkes" (1922), addressed to "Mr. Moses" (Siegfried Moses?). Mentioned in the letter are Agnon's wife, Esterlein (Esther) and their infant daughter, Emunah: " Seeing as, several months ago, I changed professions – I am now ¾ nanny and ¼ sous-chef – I was unable to respond to you immediately." • Two letters addressed to the author Dov Kimhi (late 1930s?; 1943). One letter relates to Kimhi's (Hebrew) book "Massot Ketanot"; the other pertains to a story written by Kimhi: " Kimhi my friend, you have gladdened my spirit with your delightful story, Jubilee of the Aged Artist. And thank you and may you be blessed for being so kind as to mention my name in it…" (the story referred to here was published in "Haaretz" on December 3, 1943, and dedicated to Agnon). • Three letters addressed to the author Yitzhak Lamdan (1940; 1950s). In one letter, Agnon writes that " a new story I have not, but had I had a new story, never would my publisher agree to print it somewhere else..." • A letter addressed to Shlomo Picker (1958). Agnon writes that "as I learned from [reading] his letter, the gentleman requests that [I] recommend his book to the 'Haaretz' editorial board, so [that] they dedicate a review to it. I have no influence on the "Haaretz" editorial board nor on its authors… and at times they do the opposite of what is requested of them or of the advice given to them." Agnon then signs off with the complimentary close and signature: "The overly busy and troubled Shai Agnon." • Letter addressed to Yehoshua Tan Pay (1958), head of the "Haaretz" editorial board in Jerusalem, with a request to publish a review of a book by Shlomo Picker. • Four letters addressed to Benjamin Tammuz (1950s and 1960s). Two of them deal with the publication of excerpts from Agnon's story "Hadom VeKiseh". Agnon writes, inter alia, about the difficulties he experiences in reading articles in "Haaretz": " How it pains me to see these tortured words, mercilessly torn, one letter here and another in the next line. And needless to say how difficult it is for me to read those tiny letters whose purpose can only be to deprive the readers of their eyesight." Another letter deals with various publications printed in "Haaretz." As something of a footnote to this letter, Agnon adds an autobiographical recollection: " On Lag Ba'Omer nine-and-fifty years ago, I set foot for the first time on the soil of Jaffa. That was the beginning of my arrival in the Land of Israel. Back then my handwriting was beautiful and legible." In yet another (this one typewritten) letter, Agnon relates that "each and every week I receive delightful letters from Ashkenazic and Sephardic girls and boys, including residents of the ma'abarot [immigrant camps], regarding stories of mine that they have read"; he adds that he received one particular letter from Grade Six children who "had read ‘Tzipori' and asked me, on behalf of the entire class, if they [the stories] are really true." At the end, Agnon apologizes for his wordiness, and explains that this is because he is " training my fingers to use a typewriter, out of love for my fellow men, so as not to torment them with my atrocious penmanship." • Letters addressed to Ya'akov Horowitz, editor of the literature and culture supplement to "Haaretz, " regarding various literary subjects, such as the publication of his stories in the newspaper, copy editing of those stories, and other issues (1950s and early 1960s). In one of the letters, Agnon specifies a number of conditions for the publication of one of his stories in the paper: "[It must be] printed in attractive letters, " " do not crush the words, " " do not play ‘kuntzin' [Yiddish: ‘tricks'] on me as you have [in the past]." With regard to a story intended for the pre-Rosh Hashanah issue of the newspaper, Agnon writes as follows: " You surely wanted [to receive] a modern story; but what can I do? I am unable to satisfy the modern muse." • A typewritten letter, hand signed by Agnon (1960), addressed to "a most honored editor." Regarding stories he had contributed to "Gilyon HaBesht" ("the Ba'al Shem Tov Issue"), Agnon writes: " they demanded of me numerous hours and much labor. I did not spend as many days [working] on my book Shevu'at Emunim nor did I invest as much labor." • Letter addressed to Salman Schocken (1960) regarding the publication of a story by Agnon in the pre-Passover issue of "Haaretz." Typewritten, with an additional seven handwritten lines, and with Agnon's hand signature. • Additional letters.
25 letters (19 of them handwritten by Agnon). One letter incomplete, missing the end. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition. Stains. Creases and fold lines. Punch holes on some sheets. Minor tears.
Two letters on the subject of Yemenite Jewish immigrants in Israel: a letter from 1949, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Zadok ben Shalom Yitzhari, discussing discrimination against immigrants from Yemen, anti-religious coercion, and the persecution of members of the Hapoel HaMizrachi movement in the immigrant camps (Mahanot Olim), addressed to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion; and a handwritten, signed letter from Ben-Gurion to Rabbi Yitzhari, dated 1965. Hebrew.
1. A lengthy, intriguing letter, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Zadok ben Shalom Yitzhari (1901-1986), "one of the earliest arrivals on [Operation] ‘Magic Carpet'; a member of an ethnic community with a tradition thousands and hundreds years old." Written in "Rashi" script. Dated 2nd of Tevet 5710 (December 22, 1949).
In colorful Hebrew, Rabbi Yitzhari appeals to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion with a request for his assistance and intervention on his own behalf, and on behalf of religiously observant Yemenite Jewish immigrants, following his humiliation at the hands of the authorities at the Rosh Ha'Ayin immigrant camp. The letter, entitled "Security of the Citizen in Israel and the Security of the Religion of Israel" is a first-hand account of discrimination against Yemenite Jewish immigrants in Israel, of attempts to sway them from their traditional way of life, and of the persecution of members of the religious Zionist Hapoel HaMizrachi movement in the immigrant camps by officials of the Israeli establishment and the Jewish Agency.
At the beginning of the letter, Rabbi Yitzhari introduces himself to Ben-Gurion, and speaks of the systemic discrimination against religious Jews: "In our days we have been privileged with redemption, and we have been transported on man-made wings of eagles, to arrive in the Land of our Forefathers. As a man of religion, I have been employed by the organization of Hapoel HaMizrachi; I was given the job of handling matters of religion and tradition in the immigrant camps, and what did my eyes see? Every counselor and social worker working on behalf of Hapoel HaMizrachi is persecuted and hated. And I, as one of the representatives of Hapoel HaMizrachi, suffered persecution up to my neck […] How horrified we were to see that here as well, in our [own] land, state, and government, we are persecuted for our faith and our beliefs, and the contrast is unbearable seventy-seven-fold, for in the Diaspora we were persecuted by the gentiles, whereas here we are persecuted by our brethren […] sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob […] Those same functionaries, directors, and inspectors […] in the immigrant camps – they are the very ones who persecute us, the very ones who mock our Torah and those who study it, and they are the ones who act as criminally as can be, and they have assumed the role of blasphemers and abusers, those who curse the ranks of the Living G-d…".
Much of the letter is devoted to detailing the persecution and repression of the Jewish religion and tradition on the part of the authorities governing the immigrant camps, as related to Rabbi Yitzhari by his fellow Yemenite immigrants. He gives the example of one particular group of immigrants who complained about what they regarded as "disgraceful and bizarre acts done by people who call themselves Jews deliberately antagonizing them by desecrating the Sabbath right in front of them; and the requirement that they enroll their children in a school they deemed inappropriate [where they would be] educated by the types of teachers who remove head coverings and cut off earlocks."
A prominent portion of the letter is dedicated to Rabbi Yitzhari's complaints concerning his own treatment, and the abuse he personally experienced: how he was arrested without warning and interrogated at the hands of one of the officials in charge of the Rosh Ha'Ayin immigrant camp, simply because he was engaged in the promotion of religious causes among the immigrants. The interrogation he underwent was long and difficult; he relates to it briefly by providing excerpts from the dialogue conducted between him and his interrogator. Among other things, he was told: "Your verdict and sentence must be graver than that of a murderer […] You poison all the immigrants and murder them and ruin and destroy them, and pervert their minds, and turn us into their enemies, and we are the ones who brought them here on airplanes, and take care of them and feed them and provide for them and shelter them, etc." Yitzhari was also ordered to hand over to the authorities a portfolio he had kept and had meant to pass on to the relevant state authorities. It contained complaint letters given to him by immigrants. When he refused to cooperate and deliver the portfolio, he was imprisoned behind a barbed-wire fence and publicly humiliated. The incident came to an end when the camp director – "Mr. Yitzhak" (in all likelihood, Yitzhak Maoz), with whom the rabbi had a friendly relationship – entered the picture and apologetically freed him from confinement.
At the end of the letter, Rabbi Yitzhari appeals to Ben-Gurion with the following plea: "Cast your eyes heavenward to G-d Almighty, who has rendered you a shepherd over his people, Israel, and tend to them faithfully, according to their will, their wishes and desires, as is the will of G-d; do not allow the nation's officials to afflict His flock […]" And he concludes by turning to the prime minister with a personal request: "To those who apprehended me and tormented me and imprisoned me at the Rosh Ha'Ayin Camp on Friday, and disgraced me all day long for all to see, just so they could humiliate and subjugate me, and caused me mental anguish and grief and pain and sorrow […] see to it that they are fittingly punished and that justice be seen to be done."
In a footnote at the bottom of the page, Rabbi Yitzhari adds the following apology, immaculately written in cursive Ashkenazi script: "For this I beg my dear sir to forgive his servant, that I have written this letter in Rashi script, for this is what is customary among us, and I do not permit myself for the time being to abandon the tradition of my ancestors, [and I act] in the spirit of 'Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and forsake not the teaching of your mother'…" [Proverbs 1:8].
[1] f., 32 cm. Good-fair condition. Fold lines to length and width of sheet; closed and open tears along fold lines, with minor damage to text, mended unprofessionally with strips of acidic adhesive tape. Browning to paper in vicinity of taping. Adhesive tape for reinforcement on verso. Minor tear to right edge, causing minor damage to text. Minor creases and stains.
2. Brief letter, handwritten and personally signed by David Ben-Gurion, addressed to Rabbi Yitzhari and dated October 19, 1965 (a time when Ben-Gurion was involved in the parliamentary election campaign for the Sixth Knesset, introducing and heading his new political party list, "Rafi").
In this letter, Ben-Gurion expresses regret over the fact that he was unable to meet with Rabbi Yitzhari in the course of his visit to Rosh Ha'Ayin, and states the following: "Few are the places I have visited where I so enjoyed a discussion with friends as much as I enjoyed myself in Rosh Ha'Ayin following the meeting. I felt that the enthusiasm here was not merely emotional – as it was with some other ‘Edot Mizrach' [Oriental Jews] – rather, here the enthusiasm was imbued with profound wisdom. I was overjoyed to meet learned, wise, level-headed interlocutors who act with a deep sense of responsibility."
Further on in the letter, Ben-Gurion writes: "I had always assumed – without knowing for certain – that there must be many manuscripts [circulating] in Yemen, since I knew there were no printing presses there, and it is far removed from Europe, where, over the past few centuries […] most Hebrew books were printed." Ben-Gurion concludes by requesting that Rabbi Yitzhari send him a Yemenite version of a siddur (prayer book), and asserts that "the Yemenite Tribe is one of the great wonders of Jewish history: far removed in time and place – thousands of years and thousands of miles away from the centers of Judaism – and they have preserved their Judaism better than any other Jewish community."
[1] f., 21 cm. Good condition. Tear to top, with negligible damage to text, mended with adhesive tape. Fold lines and minor creases. Minor stains.
Rabbi Zadok ben Shalom Yitzhari (Salah Al-Sahari, 1901-1986), native of Rada'a, Yemen. Became deeply involved in the affairs of the Yemenite Jewish community when still a youth; certified as a ritual slaughterer at age 15. When he was 16, he moved to Sana'a, where he studied under Rabbi Yihyah Qafih. As a collector of Jewish manuscripts, he visited Jewish communities throughout Yemen. His labor brought him success, material profit, and recognition; he became a senior advisor to the Imam of Yemen, Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din, and one of the chief liaisons with the State of Israel in the execution of Operation "On Eagles' Wings" (1949-50), bringing Jewish immigrants from Yemen to Israel. In 1948, following allegations that he had participated in a plot to assassinate the Imam, he fled to Aden, and from there to Israel. Once in Israel, he served as a representative of the religious Zionist Hapoel HaMizrachi movement in the Rosh Ha'Ayin immigrant camp, but eventually left the organization because of what he perceived as discrimination against the Yemenite Jewish community. Yitzhari became active in politics, associating with various political parties and frameworks – including the "Bnei Teiman BeYisrael" movement which he himself headed – and worked at the same time as an educator. Served as chairman of Rosh Ha'Ayin's local committee, and as chief coordinator of Torah-oriented culture on the local council.
Text of the coalition agreement (mimeographed typescript, with a single handwritten correction), providing the support of a majority of Knesset members to the government led by the State of Israel's second prime minister, Moshe Sharett. The arrangement was concluded one day prior to the establishment of the government, and included the following political parties: Mapai, General Zionists, HaPoel HaMizrachi, and Mizrachi.
There are three sections to the agreement: Moshe Sharett's commitment to the participating parties; a "protocol" clarifying the responsibilities of the constituent parties to the coalition; and a brief addendum. Most of the paragraphs relate to delineating the contours of relations between religion and state in Israel, specifically enacting laws relating to religious court judges and religious councils; determining conditions for the service of religious soldiers in the IDF and for paid work on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays; prohibiting the raising of pigs; and other matters. The signatures of the following appear beneath the texts of each of the three sections: Prime Minister Moshe Sharett, Labor Minister Golda Meir, Minister of Interior Israel Rokach, Minister of Religious Affairs Haim-Moshe Shapira, Minister of Postal Services Yosef Burg, Minister of Trade and Industry Peretz Bernstein, Meir Argov, Akiva Govrin, and others.
Israel's fifth government did not last long. Because of this, only one paragraph in the present agreement was actually enacted; it was the most important paragraph, leading to the enactment of the "Law of Religious Court Justices [Dayanim] 5715-1955," establishing the status and authority of the rabbinical courts. But even after the fall of this government, the political alliance between Mapai and the religious parties – based in large measure on the understandings drafted here – persisted for decades, and many of the paragraphs in the present agreement would become law under subsequent Mapai-led governments. These included the "Law of Local Authorities (Special Authorization) 5717-1956," the "Law Prohibiting the Raising of Pigs 5722-1962," the "Law of Religious Jewish Services (Integrated Version) 5731-1971," and a number of other laws, which till this day, remain at the heart of any discussion of relations between religion and state in the State of Israel.
Moshe Sharett's government was given its initiating parliamentary vote of confidence by the Knesset on January 26, 1954. It was a government that cowered under the giant shadow of the previous leader of the Yishuv and founder of the state, David Ben-Gurion; it was in power at a time when tensions were at their height between the two main protagonists making the headlines: David Ben-Gurion, the irrepressible advocate of a strident, activist, and aggressive approach, versus Moshe Sharett, who championed a moderate, pacifistic stance. Sharett incurred insoluble difficulties in advancing the cause of peace with Israel's neighbors, while Ben-Gurion – though having ostensibly abandoned public life in favor of the pastoral desert landscapes of Kibbutz Sde Boker – persisted in wielding immense influence on public opinion throughout Sharett's term in office. Among other issues, behind Sharett's back, the botched false flag operation known as the Lavon Affair was orchestrated on Egyptian soil. Sharett resigned in June, 1955, and Ben-Gurion returned to office shortly thereafter.
[4] ff., 28 cm. Good-fair condition. Fold lines. Creases. Minor stains. Tears to fold lines and to edges.
The present collection represents the joint efforts of the Jewish-American political cartoonist Richard (Dick) Cawdor, the American-Israeli rabbi, David Geffen, and the former president of the Israel National Labor Court, Steve Adler. In the 1970s, Cawdor worked in Israel. Inspired by the enthusiasm generated by the peace process with Egypt, Cawdor produced the cartoon "Bird of Peace" (the dove of peace made to look like a primitive aircraft, with Carter, Begin, and Sadat seated in it, along with the inscription "Peace, it can fly!"). Rabbi Geffen, a friend of Cawdor's, had the cartoon printed on envelopes, stationery, and cards, and sold the items outside the Central Branch of the Israel Post Office in Jerusalem. Steve Adler received a number of such envelopes and cards from Rabbi Geffen, and asked his friend, Professor Marvin Gottesman – personal physician to Menachem Begin, who accompanied Begin in all his foreign travels – to do him the favor of collecting the signatures of various high-ranking personalities. A unique collector's item was thus created, bringing together a combination of illustrations, postmarks, postage stamps, and autographs of political leaders, all together documenting the process that led to the signing of the very first peace agreement between Israel and one of its Arab neighbors. For additional information see: Richard Cawdor, David Geffen, and Steve Adler, "The Israeli-Egyptian ‘Bird of Peace' Trilogy, " Jerusalem Post article, January 13, 2022 (English).
Included in the collection:
1. Envelope bearing the signatures of prominent personalities in the Israel-Egypt peace process: Menachem Begin (signatures in both Hebrew and English), Anwar Sadat (signatures in both Arabic and English), Moshe Dayan, Yigael Yadin, US Ambassador to Israel at the time, Samuel Lewis, US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Khalil. Bearing the Israeli postage stamp, designed by Roni and Arie Hecht, issued on the occasion of the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, along with a postmark commemorating the day of the signing of the historical agreement: March 26, 1979. The envelope features the political cartoon titled "The Peace Plow, " signed by Dick Cawdor, and, as part of a series, numbered 52/62.
2-3. Two envelopes bearing cartoons by Cawdor, both dedicated to US President Jimmy Carter's visit to Israel, which began on March 11, 1979. Both envelopes also bear an Israeli postage stamp, and an Israeli postmark dated the day of the visit, in addition to a US postmark applied March 28, 1979, shortly after the ceremony marking the signing of the peace agreement, as well as a US postage stamp. One of the envelopes also features an Egyptian postmark and postage stamp.
4. Foolscap sheet printed with Cawdor's cartoon titled "Bird of Peace, " along with Israeli postage stamps and a postmark dated the day of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin, December 10, 1978; a US postmark dated March 28, 1979 (two days after the signing of the peace agreement on the White House Lawn, Washington DC); and a US postage stamp.
• Also enclosed: A photograph from the Israel-Egypt peace talks; unsigned. The photo shows the heads of the Israeli delegation to the talks: Menachem Begin, Moshe Dayan, Ezer Weizman, Aharon Barak, and others; and the heads of the Egyptian delegation: Anwar Sadat, Hosni Mubarak, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and other figures.
Size varies. Overall good condition.