Recent Acquisition at Mizrahi Bookstore: The Albert and Tammy Latner Jewish Public Library of Toronto

Mizrahi Booksore is proud to announce it's recent acquisition of the Albert and Tammy Latner Jewish Public Library in Toronto, consisting of approximately 50,000 Jewish Books, Periodicals and Newspapers.

The Latner Library, founded by Ben Zion Hyman in the 1930s, began as an independent library located in the bookstore of Hyman, until 1941 when the public library was formally established and moved to a set of rooms in the College Street and Spadina Avenue area in the 1940s. It then moved to the intersection of Markham Street and Harbord Street and then Glen Park and Glenmount Avenues. In 1983, it settled in its final location in the Lipa Green Building at 4600 Bathurst Street.

The library closed in 2008, “due to a lack of resources and a decline in circulation of books being taken out”. The books were carefully stored for 8 years awaiting an institution or library to acquire them, but no such opportunity availed itself, unfortunately. Mizrahi Bookstore has now acquired the library, and we are in the process of finding good homes for each of the books in the collection.

The library consists of an excellent collection and very wide range of Jewish interests. All the classics you would expect are present, as well as endless fine scholarly works, and many unusual titles. Local publications and periodicals are a strong point as well, with full runs of many Journals and Newspapers rarely seen.

The books are now in NY at our storefront and have been shelved in our newly expanded upper level of the store, visitors are more than welcome to browse and enjoy. With the numerous closures of Jewish public libraries, and the changing habits of the book reader in the modern age, there has never been a more crucial time to build your personal collection. Gone are the days when you would travel hours on a train to a library and spend what felt like eternity roaming the stacks of books. In an era when we must steal time to hide from our devices and read a book, our books must be near and dear to us, thus the importance of a home library. All are welcome to visit our store and develop your interests among our 150,000 books now in stock.

Many thanks to Dara Solomon, Bill Gladstone, Mariana Botezatu, Peter Oliver, Barry Sullivan and the endless other people who assisted in the transport of the book, without whom this would have been impossible.

A glimpse at our upper level, housing the Latner Collection

A glimpse at our upper level, housing the Latner Collection

A glimpse at our upper level, housing the Latner Collection

A glimpse at our upper level, housing the Latner Collection

Article in Ami Magazine about Mizrahi Bookstore

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, there was an article recently in Ami Magazine about Mizrahi bookstore, which you can read below. Many thanks to Yossi Krausz for his excellent writing and to the photographer who managed to get some nice photos despite the organized chaos here.

On the scarcity of books in the Displaced Persons Camps in Germany חוסר הספרים במחנות הפליטים

I recently came across an interesting letter written by a David Friedman in a Displaced Person Camp run by UNRRA in 1946. Describing the dire situation in the camps and asking for assistance, Friedman also writes אנחנו סובלים פה חוסר ספרים. מקום דירתנו פה ב"ה טוב, מי יתן שיהיה כמו כן בארץ..
"we suffer here from the scarcity of books. Our apartment here is is thank g-d good, if only it shall be as such in the holy land.."

Mentioned in the letter are the Pupa Rebbe, and Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Neiman.

Hat-tip: J. Djmal

Aaron Stefansky, Jewish Philanthropist and Bookseller extraordinaire 1965-2016

Aaron was a son of Rabbi Eliezer Stenfansky. His father, Rav Leizer, is a mashgiach at Beth Medrash Govoah in Lakewood, NJ.

Aaron was a living legend in the world of Jewish Bookselling, and a fixture at the numerous Judaica auctions he attended. Aaron is credited in having a large part in the development and expansion of the rare book market and his knowledge and expertise were instrumental in the building of some of the finest collections of Judaica in the world today. Many of the fine libraries in existence today, were built under his guidance. Always willing to help, endless people have benefited from his generosity from both his knowledge and financially, and endless charitable causes were supported through his philanthropy.

Salo "Sal" Kluger August 21, 1946 - July 14, 2016 Jewish Bookseller and Yiddishist

SALO "SAL" KLUGER passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at home. He was 69.

Born in a D. P. Camp in Weiden, Germany, the family later settled in Lynn, MA. Sal met his wife of 47 years, Myrna (Glazer) Kluger, as a fellow student at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. In recent years, Sal collected and dealt with items related to Yiddish Culture, American Jewish History, Jewish Music and related fields and was known and loved by all. His knowledge of Jewish Folk history was phenomenal, and he was always a pleasure to deal with. Endless artifacts from the Borscht Belt, the Lower East Side and long forgotten Jewish Communities were preserved by Sal through his endless efforts. With the passing of Sal, the Jewish Community has lost one of it's guardians of it's heritage, תנצב"ה.

An unusual Pair of Approbations in the book Helkenu Betoratecha by R. Zvi Hirsch Friedman

In חלקנו בתורתיך Helkenu Betoratecha, published in 1951, authored by R. Zvi Hirsch Friedman, we find published 2 approbations in the book that seem like a very odd pair. In the beginning of the book appears a letter from R. Yoel Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe and at end of the book appears a letter from Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century and a Conservative Rabbi. 

R. Zevi Hirsch Friedman learned by the Kidushat Yom Tov of Sighet (R. Hananiah Yom Tov Lipa of Sighet) and the Arugat ha-Bosem of Hust. He was the Av Bet Din of האטסעג, and later resided in Brooklyn

Announcement: Special shiur by Rabbi Yechiel Goldhaber on this Sunday, April 3

The readership of the Blog is invited to a shiur that will be taking place this Sunday April 3, at 7PM. The shiur will be given by the noted author Rav Yechiel Goldhaber of Eretz Yisrael. He has authored many wonderful articles and works on a wide range of topics most notably Minhage Kehilot about customs, Kunditon about the Titanic, and the Cherem on Spain, and 2 volumes of Ginze Yehuda, a collection of assorted letters of various Rabbis. 

The subject of the Shiur is חיפושו של ר ישראל משקלוב אחרי עשרת השבטים, and it will take place in Brooklyn at 3114 Quentin Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11234, on the second floor, upstairs at Mizrahi Bookstore. Men and women are invited. The shiur will be in English. Please note that the bookstore will close at 6:30 p.m. and will not be open during or after the shiur, if one wishes to visit the store, please plan accordingly.  

Thank you to Dr Stanley Sprecher and Tevy Kagan for their help in coordinating this Shiur

Recent Acquisitions at Mizrahi Bookstore, the libraries of Aaron Ben-Zion Shurin, Rabbi Ephraim F. Rubin, Jan (Yanek, Yohanan) Adler, Yosef Shmuel Steinmetz and Dr. Mordechai Hakohen

The library of Rabbi Aaron Ben-Zion Shurin 

Rabbi Shurin was a legendary writer and columnist, most known for his many decades as a columnist for the Jewish Forward. "The Forward, which was a daily from 1897 to 1983 (when it became a weekly), had enormous influence in the left-leaning Jewish world, and especially in New York, publishing such luminaries as Isaac Bashevis Singer and Elie Wiesel. Since 1983, it has had an English-language counterpart.

Throughout its history, The Forward was a Socialist, secular publication, and the presence of Rabbi Shurin, who is Orthodox, was something of an anomaly. His hiring reflected the feeling of the founding editor, Abraham Cahan, that the newspaper needed to speak to the religious Jews who flooded the United States in the 30's and 40's. "

Rabbi Shurin, who was in his 90s and of Lithuanian origin, represented the 36th consecutive generation of rabbis in his family. He began writing his column during the Holocaust and over the years has dealt with subjects as diverse as the lives of illustrious rabbis, the propriety of women sitting with men in synagogue, and the impact of court decisions on funds for yeshivas. Rabbi Shurin was the last surviving student of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Europe. In addition, Rabbi Shurin taught at Stern College from 1966 until his retirement in 2001.

Rav Shurin received Rabbinical ordination from Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rav Yitzchok Isaac Halevi Herzog, Rav Reuven Katz of Petach Tikvah, and others.

The library containing aprox 2000 volumes, mostly in Hebrew included many classics as well as obscure works from the last century as well as a very strong showing of newspapers, from the 19th century through the WWII period, with many bound volumes of rare newspapers present. 

The library of Rabbi Ephraim F. Rubin 

Rabbi Ephraim F. Rubin was born in 1920 in the Batei Ungarin section of Jerusalem. He emigrated to the United States in 1934, and attended Yeshivot Torah V'Daas and Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan. He served as an expert mohel for over 50 years, and disseminated Torah in the Far Rockaway/ Lawrence community. Rabbi Rubin was not primarily an antiquarian collector of sefarim. His library consisted mainly of sefarim which he learned and taught from, Talmud, midrash, rishonim and halacha. He did, however, collect and enjoy sefarim connected with and about Eretz Yisrael, haggadot, and brit milah, his life's vocation. He passed away in 2014.

The library of Jan (Yanek, Yohanan) Adler

Jan (Yanek, Yohanan) Adler was born in Warsaw on April 6, 1932, where he lived at 19 Hoza Street with his older brother Kazik (later Ron) and parents Sofia and Maurizi ( Moshe). His grandparents lived on Twarda street in the Jewish quarter along with many members of his extended family, who all perished in the Holocaust. In 1939, during the first week of the war, Yanek, his parents and his brother managed to escape to Kovel (Ukraine) where they stayed with extended family. A few months later they were deported to Siberia where they spent a year freezing and starving until the Russians set them free in the summer of 1941. They traveled southwards to Uzbekistan, and there his brother Ron (who was 14 years old) was drafted to the Anders Army Cadet School (one of only 2 Jews), which was stationed in Palestine (now Israel). Yanek and his parents boarded the famous Children Of Teheran ship in 1943 and made Aliya to Israel. Yanek moved to New York in the 1960's, and lived in Queens, where he passed away in March 2016. He was an amateur historian, a translator and world travel expert, and spent every moment of free time with his beloved books. He was honored by the Polish government for his work in bringing together Polish Jews and non-Jews. You can watch Yanek tell his survival story in more detail in his own words in this video.

Yanek's brother, Dr. Ron Adler, was the Director of MAPI: Israel's Mapping Agency for 20 years and a professor at the Technion. He passed away in 2015.

1944 in Tel Aviv: Yanek, Maurizi, Zofia, and Ron Adler

One of his many bookcases in Queens 2010

School ID from Warsaw 1938-1939 (school year of 1939 never opened because of WWII...)

Summer of 1947, watching the Altalena burn in Tel Aviv

The library of Yosef Shmuel Steinmetz

The library of Yosef Shmuel Steinmetz, son of the legendary Melamed and Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath, Rabbi Moshe Steinmetz , contained aprox. 5,000 volumes. The bulk of his collection are works of Hasidut, printed within the last 30 years. There are numerous works of Chabad, Satmar, Bobov, as well as nearly every other Hasidut present. There are endless different commentaries on the Haggadah, Avot, as well as numerous classic sets alongside many obscure works. Nearly every twig of every branch of Hasidut is presented.

Yosef Shmuel was known as a Talmid Chacham who cherished his books and spent any income he had on expanding his library, which he put to very good use. Many in the book community recall him as a friendly fixture at local sefarim stores in Boro Park near his home. In his library, all the Hasidic branches made peace, with books by the Satmar, Sadigura, Chabad and Sanz Rebbes all sharing the same shelves. 

 The library of Dr. Mordecai Hacohen

Dr. Mordecai Hacohen (1919-2008) was born in Vienna. A member of the Betar Youth Movement, he helped coordinate the clandestine immigration of thousands of Jews to Israel in the run-up to World War II. He went on to help establish the Israeli Foreign Service. A staunch Revisionist Zionist, he found himself thus ousted from Ben-Gurion's government, and wound his way to New York. Of his many extraordinary achievements during his career in New York, was his serving as the Director General of the Otzar Hatorah chain of schools, founded by Isaac Shalom. Tens of thousands of students studied Jewish and Vocational studies in Otzar Hatorah's schools throughout North Africa, the Middle East, France and Iran. His leadership of the organization greatly expanded the reach of this remarkable organization and his natural ability at fundraising helped keep it afloat. Dr Hacohen also served as Senior Vice President of Israel's Bank Leumi, where he was instrumental in promoting investment in Israeli companies. His memoir, Homeland: From Clandestine Immigration to Israeli Independence was published in 2008. 

 

Haggadot

It is that time of year again, and we welcome you to browse through our wide selection of Haggadot now available. Nearly 1,000 different Haggadot are available, with everything from Maxwell House Haggadot to rare 18th century illustrated masterpieces, there is something for everyone. Some highlights include a Haggadah printed on parchment, a Haggadah printed by the Dror Habonim in 1946 in Hungary, The Trieste Haggadah, 2 Yemenite Manuscript Haggadot, a Haggadah with translation to Marathi among much else. You can view the titles available here. 

Rabbi Avraham Shalom Halberstam of Stropkov testifying regarding the Sanz-Sadigura fight

In 1984 the book Yeushar Ba'aretz was published, authored by a fine Williamsburg Jew, Yeshaya Asher Mendelowitz. At the end of the book, appear in facsimile many rare and otherwise unknown Hasidic letters.

One of the letters reproduced is a letter by Rabbi Shalom Halberstam, the Stropkover Rav, the son of the Shinover Rav and grandson of the Divre Hayyim of Sanz. In it, he writes that "he testifies, from his father and grandfather that people mislead them with false information regarding the dispute with Sadigura, and their intent was not Leshem Shamayim ("For the sake of heaven."). It is clear that if these great giants were not mislead by evil people, these great people would have brought about the final redemption through their Torah and holiness."

This statement would come as a shock to many of the followers of these Hasidic Dynasties today, who believe in the infallibility of their Rebbes. The Sanz-Sadigura dispute, was one of the harshest Rabbinic disputes in history, with several books written about it's history and development, see for example,
The dissertation on the subject by Rabbi Ahron Malkiel,   ספר החסידות של אהרן מרכוס ,  and David Assaf's הציץ ונפגע: אנטומיה של מחלוקת חסידית

Interestingly,  when the book was republished, this letter mysteriously was no longer present.
You can read the letter in it's entirety below. 

A few pages prior in the book, appears this other gem, which you can read below:

from the fifth to bottom line, continues below

continuation from previous photo

hat-tip: Menachem Silber

The Marranos, New World Explorers and the Kashruth status of Turkey

The kosher status of the Wild Turkey has been a much discussed topic in Rabbinic Literature. Being a New World Species, there was no tradition regarding it's status as a Kosher bird. Many different solutions have been proposed as to why it is indeed Kosher, one of the most novel theories put forth is that of the author of Sichat Hullin, who had this original idea:
שיתכן והיו באמריקא בזמן שנתגלתה בני ישראל מעשרת השבטים האובדים בארץ אסו'ר (כמסופר בספר שארית ישראל פרק לה, בעדות שגבה רבי מנשה בן ישראל מפי אנוס ספרדי שחזר מאמריקא), ולהם היתה מסורת על עוף זה והעבירוה לחכמי הדור דרך מגורשי ספרד שהגיעו לשם
His theory is that it is possible, that when the New World was discovered, there were Jews there from the ten lost tribes who were exiled there ( as related in the book She'erit Yisrael with the testimony received by Menasseh Ben Israel from a marrano who returned from the New World). These Jews from the lost tribes, had a tradition regarding the Kashrut of the Turkey and they passed on the information to the Rabbis of that generation, through the marranos.

hat-tip: Menachem Silber

Prayer composed by the British Chief Rabbinate in 1933, on behalf of the Jews of Germany

On the free-end of a 1903 Editon of the Netinah Lager commentary on the Torah, I found this prayer pasted in. The prayer was composed by the British Chief Rabbinate in 1933, on behalf of the Jews of Germany.

"אב הרחמים בלב נשבר נבואה לחלות פניך היום : הנה קול שועת בת עמנו מארץ גרמניא . ולבנו דוי על הרעות אשר נגד פניהם : רוח עועים נשפך על מושלי עם אדיר . ויתאמצו להכות בית יעקב רסיסים : אנא חמל נא על בניך המצפים לישועתך יום יום . ובטל מעליהם כל גזרות אכזריות : חזק נפש אחינו היושבים בצרה ויגון . והיתה אמונה אזור חלצימו : נטע אחוה ורחמנות בלבנו שלא נתעלם מבשרנו . וירב מעשה הצדקה לעזרת הנרדפים . עד שתוציאם מאפלה לאורה ומעבדות לחרות . ונאמר לפניך שירה חדשה . צורנו וגואלנו : אל עליון הסר קנאה ושנאת חנם מלב העמים : חדש רוח נכון בקרבם . ולא יוסיפו עוד בני עולה לענות את ישראל : קרב הימים אשר יודע בגוים כי אב אחד לכלנו ואל אחד בראנו . ופרוש סכת שלומך על כל יושבי תבל . אמן ואמן "

A Shabbat Hagadol Sermon, given by R. Haim Brody in The Altneuschul: Prague's Old New Synagogue

Tucked in a Prague edition of the Talmud, tractate Zebachim, I found the notes of Chief Rabbi of Prague Haim Brody, which he wrote in preparation for his Shabbat Hagadol Derasha at the Altneuschul: Prague's Old New Synagogue in the year 1917. A look back in to history to the style and surprising depth of the lectures given to the general population in this community.
Brody was the rabbi of the congregation of Náchod, Bohemia and chief rabbi of Prague (both cities then part of Austria-Hungary), before moving to Palestine. In Czechoslovakia, he was the leader of the Mizrachi movement.

A Critique of The Source by James A. Michener

"The Source is a historical novel by James A. Michener, first published in 1965. It is a survey of the history of the Jewish people and the land of Israel from pre-monotheistic days to the birth of the modern State of Israel."

Inserted in a copy of The Source was found this anonymous Jewish response and critique of the book. An interesting read, the response, is an intelligent and detailed critique and correction of errors in the book in matters of Jewish Law. You can read it in it's entirety below:

hat-tip: Menachem Silber

The correspondence of Ephraim Deinard with Elkan Nathan Adler

I had the good fortune to acquire recently a collection of letters sent from Ephraim Deinard to fellow bibliophile Elkan Nathan Adler. The letters contain a treasure trove of information on bookselling, collecting and life in rural America in the 1890s-early 1900s, as well as the never disappointing entertaining writing of Deinard. Deinard spares no one from his sharp critique, with attacks on the Reform Movement, American Jews, the Zionist conference, as well as other booksellers, Hasidim and nearly everyone else that Deinard encountered. Even Elkan Adler himself receives a bounty of abuse from Deinard's pen, with numerous pokes at Adler's complaining of his financial situation. Deinard often refers to Adler in these letters as my "poor, rich friend".  There are discussions as well on Karaite, Sabbateans, Samaritans, the Jews of China and other Jews he encountered during his numerous travels. The letters, written over several years, were sent from throughout the world, with some letters marked Ferrara, Constantinople, Ramleh, Kearney NJ, Mantua, Salonica, Beirut etc.

Contrary to much of his published work, the letters are very readable and written in an attractive block script, contrary to any of the other writing of Deinard which I was able to locate. From reading the letters, one suspects that Deinard didn't put much faith in the ability of Adler to comprehend his usual literary style, or be able to read his script handwriting, thus his using this script and style. The massive quantity of books discussed is also of note, Deinard speaks of shipping 50 boxes, 30 boxes etc of rare books from one port to another. It may be worth contemplating what the fate of such books would have been if they would have still been in Europe during WWII.

"Ephraim Deinard (1846–1930) was one of the greatest Hebrew "bookmen" of all time. He was a bookseller, bibliographer, publicist, polemicist, historian, memoirist, author, editor, and publisher, all rolled into one.

Deinard produced some 70 volumes whose subjects range from Jewish history and antiquities (especially of the Crimea, Russia, America, and The Holy Land), to treatises against Hasidism, Christianity, and Communism, parodies, medieval and modern Hebrew literature, Jewish religion, and especially booklore.

Deinard's antiquarian activities, which involved constant travel throughout Europe, the Orient, and America, gave him a unique acquaintance with scholars, private collectors, fellow booksellers, and libraries. He came into contact and conflict with numerous Hebrew writers and Jewish communal and political figures. His wide-ranging knowledge and experience are fully reflected in his own voluminous writings, mostly in Hebrew, produced over more than half a century. His scope of interests, the intensity of his sentiments, the acerbity of his remarks, all coupled with his bibliophily, render Deinard's works a source of contemporary Jewish historical and literary controversy, as seen in the margins of the Hebrew-reading world, before and after World War I."

"Elkan Nathan Adler (24 July 1861, St Luke's, London – 15 September 1946, London) was an English author, lawyer, historian, and collector of Jewish books and manuscripts. Adler's father was Nathan Marcus Adler, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. He traveled extensively and built an enormous library, particularly of old Jewish documents. Adler was among the first to explore the documents stored in the Cairo Genizah, being in fact the first European to enter it. During his visits to Cairo in 1888 and 1895 Adler collected and brought over 25,000 Genizah manuscript fragments back to England."

The correspondence is shown below in their entirety, here are some selected portions:
כי לא יכלתי קרוא את שם הרחוב של הגביר העברי בשום אופן. יען כי כתב יד סופרך היא בלי ספק גלגול המלאך שכתב על קיר בלשאצר
translating as: As I could not read the name of the street address of the wealthy Jew under any circumstance, since the handwriting of your secretary, is without a doubt the reincarnation of the angel who wrote on the wall of Belshazzar.

ולא השלמתי את מסעי וביחוד לא הלכתי לכינא לחקור ולדרוש על דבר היהודים היושבים שם משנים קדמוניות ... כי עד היום עוד לא התעורר אף אחד מכל המון בית ישראל לבקש את אחיו האובדים בארץ רחוקה ההיא
translating as: I did not complete my travels, particularly, I did not travel to China to research and search for the Jews who are dwelling there from ancient times... until this day, not one of the multitudes of Jews has risen to the task of searching for his lost brothers in this faraway land.


לולא יגורתי כי תעורר לויתן על הוצאת הכסף כי אז שלחתי לך רשימה מהכ"י הנמצאים בידי אשר בלי ספק יכולת לבחור מהם הרבה אבל לדאבון לבי חסר אונים הנני. למחות דמעה מעל כל פנים ובמה אנחמך יקירי. האנחמך כי אשה יפה ובעלת אוצרות עוד תפול בגורלך? אבל גם נחמתי זאת הבל יען הספרים תועבה המה אף לחכמות נשים
translating as: Had I not feared that you would awaken a whale on the account of your spending money, I would have sent you a list of the manuscripts currently in my possession. Without a doubt you could have chosen from them many, but to my despair I am at a loss. How can I comfort you to wipe the tears from your face? Shall I comfort you that a beautiful and rich wife fall in your lot? This would be a false comfort, as books are an abomination even to intelligent women.

הראני ה. פריידוס את ספרך ע"ד הכ"י ומצאתי כי אמרת עלי כי הנני "קוריאזיטי", ועל מה יסדת את דבריך אלה? חי פרעה אנני יודע האמנם יען הנני נוסע סופר ומדפיס ספרים עתיקים. ולוא הייתי נוסע סופר ומדפיס ומאסף ספרים עתיקים אז לא הייתי קוריאזיטי? ואם תחפוץ כי אודה לך על דבריך הנני להשמיעך באיזה קוריאזיטי היה ברגע הראשון אשר פתחתי את ספרך מצאתי בו איזה שבושים...ובלי ספק ידעתי כי אין איש יודע את הקראים יותר ממני
translating as: H. Freidus showed me your book regarding manuscripts and I discovered that you referred to me as a "curiosity", on what did you base these words? I swear on the life of Pharaoh! that I do not know, is it because I am a traveler, author and printer of old books? Had I not been a traveler, printer and collection of ancient books, had I then not been a curiosity? If you wish that I agree to this matter, I will reveal to you what a curiosity I had when I first opened your book and found major errors... I know without a doubt, that no one know the Karaites better than I do..

ואמנם יש כעת קונים באמעריקא, ולא יעברו עוד שלושים שנה ואתם בני איירופא תלכו עוד לבקש ספר יקר באמעריקא. כי מי כמוני יודע כי מוכרי הספרים באיירופא שולחים את כל הספרים הטובים לארץ החדשה... יכלתי לעשות את איירופא כמצולה שאין בה דגים.. וכן הוא גם חפץ ומטרת ידידנו החכם היקר הר"מ זולצברגר. ואקוה כי לא יעברו ימים רבים ואמעריקא תצא תורה לישראל.. וגם נגע הרעפארם תהפך לבן
translating as: Indeed there are at this time buyers in America, thirty years will not pass and you Europeans will come to America to look for rare books. Who more than I knows that European booksellers send all their finer books to the new world... I can make Europe like a deep ocean with no fish...and this is indeed the ambition and goal of our dear friend and scholar, M. Sulzberger. It is my hope that not many days shall pass before Torah shall sprout forth from America to Israel... and the leprosy which is Reform Judaism shall turn white..

כאשר יביאך האלהים לנויארק בירת התבל להומבוג ושקר עולמים..משכני הוא רק מרחק רבע שעה מניוארק אבל נשמתי רחוקה ממנה מהלך ת"ק שנה. ואם תכבדני לבקר את ביתי, תמצא יהודי רוסי יושב בדד בין עם נכר בבית יחידי בכפר, והוגה באוצר ספריו כל היום וחלק הלילה. ובני ביתו עוטרים אותו והנם שבע רצון בגורלם הדל... אבל הנהו יהודי מכפות רגליו עד ממעל לחוטמו, והדבר הזה לא יתנהו להשכין רגליו בביתו
translating as: When G-d shall bring you to New York, the capital of the world of humbug and eternal deception... my dwelling is just 15 minute distance from New York but my soul is 500 year distance from it. If you would honor me with your visit to my home, you shall find here a Russian Jew, living alone between gentiles in a lone house in a village, studying with his books all day and part of the night. His family surrounds him and they are content with their meager lot... but alas, I am a Jew from the tips of my toes to above my nose, and this prevents me from resting at peace in my home...

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