Notebook of R. Ben Tzion Avraham Koenka of Jerusalem, editor of HaMe'asef, containing lists of subscribers from his trip to the United States in 1902, with dozens of letters of support and signatures of rabbis and community leaders in the United States, as well as letters from rabbis of Poland and Eretz Israel. United States, 1902-1903; Poland and Eretz Israel, 1898-1902.
The present notebook contains both recommendations and signatures of subscribers to the HaMe'asef anthology compiled by R. Koenka, including dozens of letters from rabbis and gabbaim of synagogues and congregations throughout New York. It serves as an important documentation of American Jewry at the turn of the 20th century. The notebook includes letters of support from leading American rabbis of those times: R. Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz of Moscow, chief rabbi of America; R. Shalom Elchanan HaLevi Yaffe – rabbi of Beth Medrash HaGadol in New York; R. Yehoshua Seigal – rabbi of the United Israelite Congregation of New York; R. Shmuel Tzvi Wein – rabbi of Vizhon; R. Avraham Eliezer Alperstein; R. Aharon Gordon – rabbi in New York; R. David Radinsky – rabbi of Beth Medrash HaGodol in Brownsville, New York; R. Shimon Yitzchak Finkelstein - rabbi of Brownsville; and others (see below).
Pasted at the beginning of the notebook are four letters from rabbis of Poland and Eretz Israel, recommending the HaMe'asef anthology and its editor R. Ben Tzion Avraham Koenka: • letter of recommendation from the Rishon LeTzion, rabbi of Jerusalem R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar (official stationery, with signature-stamp of R. Yaakov Shaul). Jerusalem, Adar I 1902. • Letter of recommendation from R. Rachamim Yosef Franco, rabbi of Hebron. Cheshvan 1898. • Letter of recommendation from R. Yosef Levenstein Rabbi of Seratsk (Serock, Poland). Kislev 1899. • Postcard with letter of recommendation from R. Tzvi Yechezkel Michelsohn, rabbi of Płońsk (Poland). Tishrei 1898.
Various notes handwritten by R. Ben Tzion Avraham Koenka on the first and final leaves and on other pages.
R. Ben Tzion Avraham Koenka (1867-1936), leading Sephardi Torah scholar in Jerusalem. Dayan and posek in Jerusalem and Hebron. He was the founder and editor of the periodical HaMe'asef which was published in Jerusalem from Tammuz 1896 until Tishrei 1914. HaMe'asef became the central forum for discussions on halachic questions and Talmudic topics, with the participation of rabbis worldwide: rabbis of Poland and Hungary, alongside rabbis of Egypt and Iraq; rabbis of Eretz Israel and Turkey, alongside rabbis of the United States and England. In 1899-1907, R. Koenka travelled several times as an emissary to various countries (India and Iraq, Egypt and North Africa, Greece and France). During the course of these missions, R. Koenka raised funds for the communal institutions in Jerusalem, and worked to promote the HaMe'asef anthology he had founded (HaMe'asef continued appearing regularly even during his travels, under the care of his deputies, the heads of the editorial staff in Jerusalem).
In spring 1902, R. Koenka travelled to the United States, remaining there for close to a year. The trip garnered more contributions to the anthology from rabbis in the United States, as well as new subscribers.
Notebook, over [64] written pages. 15 cm. With 4 letters of varying size pasted in notebook. Overall good condition. Stains and wear. Tears to some letters. Original cloth binding.

Rabbis and Congregations in New York at the Turn of the 20th Century
The present notebook offers a wealth of information on New York Jewry at the turn of the 20th century. It provides many details about rabbis, gabbaim, and presidents of various communities throughout the city of New York, and about the various synagogues and congregations ("Chevrah") made up of immigrants originating from specific communities and countries, operating in the city.
The notebook contains letters signed (and stamped) by rabbis and gabbaim of various synagogues and congregations in New York, including:
R. Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz of Moscow, chief rabbi of America; R. Shalom Elchanan HaLevi Yaffe, rabbi of Beth Medrash HaGadol in New York; R. Aharon Broude, rabbi of the Anshei Volozhin synagogue in New York; R. Avraham Yitzchak Fein; R. Yehoshua Seigal, rabbi of the United Israelite Congregation of New York; R. Shmuel Tzvi Wein (rabbi of Vizhon), New York; R. Yosef Yitzchak Lefkowitz of Congregation Shaarey Zion; R. Tzvi Hirsch Lass, "rabbi of Jieznas, currently dayan and posek in New York"; R. Aryeh Leib Binkowitz, author of Rishon LeTzion, Maon Aryeh and Nehamat Aryeh; R. Aharon Gordon, rabbi and posek in New York; R. Shabtai Sofer, author of Shaarei De'ah on Hilchot De'ot by the Rambam; R. Baruch Cohen of Braynsk; R. Avraham Eliezer Alperstein; R. Yehuda David Bernstein; R. Moshe Weinberger, rabbi of the Hungarian Congregation Beth HaMedrash HaGodol, and R. Ze'ev Wolf Weinberger, scribe of the congregation; R. Yitzchak Leib Kadushin, rabbi and dean in Minsk; R. Chaim Moshe Kamenetzky, rabbi of Congregation Nachlath Zevi on 114th Street, New York; R. Baruch Ze'ev Moost; Khal Adath Jeshurun synagogue; Bnei Emeth – Marijampolė synagogue; Khal Adath Zichru Torath Moshe synagogue; R. Moshe Chaim Rabinowitz of Brownsville; R. Joseph Horowitz – rabbi of Anshei Sfard of Austria and Hungary; R. Avraham Chaim Charlap; Mishkan Yisrael – Anshei Suvalk synagogue; Rishon LeTzion – Anshei Yerushalayim Beit Midrash; R. Moshe Wexler, head of the Brit Shalom Beit Din in New York; Kol Yisrael – Anshei Polin Beit Midrah; R. Yeshaya Shlomo Rishpan of Przedbórz; R. Shabtai Rosenberg, rabbi of Kehillot Yisrael; Chevrat Mishnayot – Anshei Slutsk; Shaarei Torah Beit Midrash; Chayei Adam – Anshei Lomza; Congregation Sons of Israel - Kalwarier; Tiferet Bachurim congregation; R. David Radinsky rabbi of the Brownsville Great Synagogue, New York; R. Shimon Yitzchak Finkelstein, rabbi of Brownsville; Ahavat Gerim congregation; and other subscribers and signatories.