A large double-sided poster calling for the purchase of land in the Rachel’s Tomb compound – Tammuz, 1908 – Hebrew and English. Rabbis’ signatures in print headed by Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.
At the beginning of the poster, the importance of Rachel’s Tomb is explained “How significant is this place… on the road going up from Bethlehem to Hebron, the burial place of our holy fathers”, It describes how the tomb itself was redeemed by Moses Montefiore, but the surrounding area is still in foreign hands. The rabbis call to redeem the land near Rachel’s Tomb in order to build a Beit Midrash, a Mikveh, and a guest house: “Land of several thousand cubits near the tomb… Anyone who bears the name of Israel, anyone in whose veins flow the blood of Judaism, anyone who cherishes the sanctity of Israel and our holy fathers… For this purpose we will acquire this holy land to build on it sanctuaries of G-d – synagogues for prayer and Beit Midrash for Torah, and a pure water Mikveh as is fitting for such a holy place”, and for the purpose of a guest house called “Beit Rachel Imenu”. At the top of the signatories on the back is Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, who blesses all those who assist “to save the honor of Israel and the honor of our holy fathers”, Also signed are the Rishon LeZion Rabbi Eliyahu Panigel, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Bhar’n, and other rabbis. On the back is also a letter from the Anglo-Palestine Bank which was also harnessed in favor of the matter .
46×31 cm. Fold marks. Reinforcements with paper glue. Good condition.
