Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yosel Ashkenazi, famed attendant of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. Brooklyn, New York, [29 Sivan], 1964. Yiddish.

Letter on official stationery of Rebbe "Yoel Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Satmar and the region",  written and signed by "Yosef Ashkenazi – Gabbai". Sent to "Mrs. Zlotnik" [apparently, the widow Rebbetzin Zlotnik of Shaarei Chesed, sister-in-law of R. Eliyahu Zlotnik, dayan of the Edah HaCharedit in Jerusalem]. In his letter, R. Yosel Ashkenazi writes that the Rebbe received the Kvittel and Pidyon of 300 dollars she had sent, and prayed for her and blessed her with "salvation, for all your wishes to be fulfilled for good, with everything good".

Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar (1887-1979) was the youngest son of Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa, the Kedushat Yom Tov (1836-1904), and grandson of Rebbe Yekutiel Yehuda, the Yitav Lev (1808-1883), who both served as rabbis of Sighet (Sighetu Marmației) and were leaders of Chassidic Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was renowned from his youth as a leading Torah scholar of his generation, for his perspicacity and intellectual capacities, as well as for his holiness and outstanding purity. At a young age, he was appointed rabbi of Irshava. In 1925, he was appointed rabbi of Karoly (Carei; in place of R. Shaul Brach who went to serve as rabbi of Kashoi), and in 1934, of Satmar (Satu Mare). In all the places he served as rabbi, he also maintained a large yeshiva and Chassidic court. He stood at the helm of the faithful, uncompromising Orthodox Jewry in the Maramureș region. He was one of the founding pillars of the Torah world in the generation following the Holocaust. After surviving the Holocaust, he emigrated to the United States, where he established the Satmar Chassidic community. He served as president of the Eda HaCharedit in Jerusalem, and as leader of Orthodox Jewry in the United States and throughout the world. His writings were published in dozens of books: VaYoel Moshe, Responsa Divrei Yoel, Divrei Yoel on the Torah and more.

R. Efraim Yosef Dov son of R. Shraga Feivish Ashkenazi (R. Yosel; 1911-2002), attendant and confidant of the Rebbe of Satmar for close to sixty years, and his close assistant in all communal matters. R. Yosef was a particularly astute Torah scholar, great in Chassidut and fear of God. During the Holocaust, R. Yosef accompanied the Rebbe on his journey in the famous Kastner rescue train, and later immigrated with him to Eretz Israel, and immigrated to the United States shortly thereafter. He was the owner of the Yerushalayim publishing house in Williamsburg. He edited his Rebbe's books in Halachah and Aggadah and published them (see his introduction to Responsa Divrei Yoel). Author of She'erit Yosef on the Torah.

[1] leaf, official stationery. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Folds.

Letter of approbation signed by Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet (later Rebbe of Satmar), author of Berach Moshe. Brooklyn, New York, 11 Tevet, 1950.

Typewritten on Rebbe's official stationery during his stay in Brooklyn after the Holocaust, signed "Moshe Teitelbaum".

Sent to R. Tzvi Yaakov Abraham (formerly Av Beit Din of Turda and director of the Orthodox Bureau in Transylvania), regarding his commentary Maasei Melech on the Pesach Haggadah, prefaced by "introduction from our holy rabbis, the great disciples of the Baal Shem Tov, most of which have never been printed". The Rebbe writes that he greatly enjoyed reading his novellae, and especially in that he "saved these holy Torah teachings from oblivion", and he closes with the hope that all Torah learners merit to enjoy the book and that his novellae "be accepted by the sages and their disciples".

Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum of Satmar (1914-2006), author of Berach Moshe, second son of Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet, author of Atzei Chaim. He was a son-in-law (by his first marriage) of his uncle, Rebbe Chanoch Henich of Sassov, Av Beit Din of Keretsky (son-in-law of the Kedushat Yom Tov). Initially he directed the Beit David yeshiva of his uncle and father-in-law in Keretsky, and he was later appointed as Rabbi of Senta, where he founded a yeshiva and served as its dean. After the Holocaust, he served as Rabbi in his hometown Sighet. After persecution under the Communist regime in Romania intensified, he immigrated to the United States and founded the Atzei Chaim – Sighet Beit Midrash in Boro Park. He was one of the great members of the Central Rabbinical Congress and a confidant of his uncle, Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. In 1979 he began to serve as Rebbe of Satmar, succeeding his uncle Rebbe Yoel (whose three daughters passed away in his lifetime without children). His sons Rebbe Aharon Teitelbaum and Rebbe Yekutiel Yehudah (Zalman Leib) Teitelbaum lead the two large Satmar Chassidic communities in the United States and worldwide.

[1] leaf, official stationery ("Moshe Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Sighet – 152 Hughes St., Brooklyn, NY"). 28 cm. Good condition. Folds and minor creases.

Prozbul document of R. Efraim Yosef Dov Ashkenazi, famed attendant of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, signed by the dayanim of the Beit Din, R. Moshe Yosefovitch, R. Eliyahu Pollock and R. Natan Yosef Meisels. 29 Elul, 1959.

Printed document with details filled in in handwriting: "R. Yosef Ashkenazi of Brooklyn came before us, the Beit Din undersigned… and we grant that he not remit any debt he is owed by any person… in accordance with the decree of the Sages. Signed 29 Elul, 5719".

R. Efraim Yosef Dov son of R. Shraga Feivish Ashkenazi (R. Yosel; 1911-2002), attendant and confidant of the Rebbe of Satmar for close to sixty years, and his close assistant in all communal matters. R. Yosef was a particularly astute Torah scholar, great in Chassidut and fear of God. During the Holocaust, R. Yosef accompanied the Rebbe on his journey in the famous Kastner rescue train, and later immigrated with him to Eretz Israel, and immigrated to the United States shortly thereafter. He was the owner of the Yerushalayim publishing house in Williamsburg. He edited his Rebbe's books in Halachah and Aggadah and published them (see his introduction to Responsa Divrei Yoel). Author of She'erit Yosef on the Torah.

[1] leaf. 21.5 cm. Good condition. Folds.

Long letter (two pages; 32 lines) handwritten and signed by Rebbetzin Chaya Roiza, daughter of Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. Sent to their relative in Switzerland, the attendant R. Yosel Ashkenazi. [Jerusalem, 1945.] Yiddish (and some Hebrew).

Letter from Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum’s only daughter still alive after the Holocaust (her two sisters had passed away earlier in 1921 and 1931). Her father the Rebbe and his attendant R. Yosel Ashkenazi were staying in Geneva, Switzerland at that time (after they were rescued in the Kastner train), and they were waiting to get an immigration visa to Eretz Israel. [His daughter, Rebbetzin Chaya and her husband R. Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Mayer-Teitelbaum, were rescued in a different way, and reached Jerusalem about a year earlier. They all later immigrated together to the United States.]

In her letter, the Rebbetzin describes at length her own and her husband R. Chananya Yom Tov Lipa’s efforts to get an immigration visa to Eretz Israel, and the high costs and bureaucratic difficulties, and her husband’s voyage to Safed to find documentary evidence that R. Yosel was born in Eretz Israel and emigrated with his father to Hungary in his youth.

Rebbetzin Chaya Roiza goes on to write her hopes that he would hear good tidings from his wife Pessel and his dear children, and she encourages him with the news that most Hungarian Jews were rescued and are now returning to Hungary: “The newspapers here write that most of the Jews are returning to Hungary! Near Vienna there are 170,000 Hungarian Jews, and in Budapest there are 150,000 Jews, but they can’t be contacted…”. She goes on to say that R. Yudel Schwartz and his children were rescued and are now in Satmar, and she asks if he has news from some family members.

In the last part of the letter she writes that she sent him a Tallit Katan: “It is not Turkish but made in Eretz Israel, because here we can only get local merchandise”. And she adds regarding getting an immigration visa for her father, the Rebbe: “Regarding the certificate for my father, we hope that with God’s help the matter will come to an end, but we have to wait a bit”.

She ends the letter with a request for him to write to her frequently, and she hints at problems with the British censor disposing of many letters – “because when one writes a lot, a little arrives” – and she signs the letter with wishes and blessings: “we hope every day to hear good tidings from you, may God help, and may we merit to hear good tidings from all our families – Chaya Roiza”.

On the margins of the leaf is written in pen: “Sent 28.5.45 – received 8.6.45”.

[1] leaf. 20.5x20.5 cm. Good condition. Folds. Minor stains. Pin holes in the margins.

Long letter (two pages; 42 lines) handwritten and signed by Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Mayer-Teitelbaum of Sassov, to the house of his father-in-law, Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar. [Jerusalem, ca. winter 1947-1948.]

The letter is addressed to R. Yosel Ashkenazi, the famous attendant of his father-in-law, Rebbe Yoel of Satmar. Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa sends a detailed report on the status of the Yitav Lev yeshiva in Jerusalem (the letter appears to have been sent in winter 1947-1948, a few months after Rebbe Yoel and his attendant R. Yosel emigrated from Eretz Israel to the United States).

Written on Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa’s official stationery from his period of residence in Jerusalem: “Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, Av Beit Din of Szemihaly, Rosh Av Beit Din of Satmar – residing here in Jerusalem, Beit Yisrael HeChadashah”.

Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa starts by writing: “I was pleased to hear of my uncle and father-in-law’s health, may God grant him more strength and power to widen the holy domain in the name of the Torah, and may He bless him with lengthy days and years of life now and forever”.

The main part of the letter describes the development of the Yitav Lev yeshiva that Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa established in Jerusalem, in its first days: “I now inform you in detail of the goings-on and news of the yeshiva…” He describes in ten paragraphs the happenings in the yeshiva since the Rebbe and his attendant left Jerusalem – the state of the yeshiva students (new students, a student’s wedding); the yeshiva’s needs (providing winter clothing for students); money spent, donations received, and money donated personally for the Satmar Rebbe; a visit of R. Sachs to the yeshiva; and more.

Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa sums up his letter with a blessing: “I have already written all the goings-on and news of the yeshiva I remember since you traveled away, and may God allow us to give and receive good tidings and only good and kindness always – his loving relative, hoping for salvation from heaven soon, Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum”.

Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Mayer-Teitelbaum of Sassov (1906-1966), son of Rebbe Chanoch Henich Mayer of Sassov-Keretsky and Rebbetzin Esther, daughter of the Kedushat Yom Tov of Sighet. In 1924 married Rebbetzin Chaya Roiza, daughter of his uncle Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, in Orsheva. After the marriage, he lived near his father-in-law and uncle, and assisted him in directing his yeshivot in Orsheva, Carei and Satmar. He served in tandem as rabbi of Szemihaly (Bűdszentmihály) and Rosh Av Beit Din of Satmar. During the Holocaust, both son-in-law and daughter attempted to rescue the Rebbe from the war. In late 1943 the Rebbe sent his daughter Chaya Roiza to Budapest to get certificates to immigrate to Eretz Israel for himself and his family, but they did not succeed in the task. They fled through Romania and reached Eretz Israel, and the Rebbe later managed to escape through the Kastner rescue train. Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa founded the yeshiva Yitav Lev in Jerusalem, and served as Rabbi of Beit Midrash Ohel Rachel of Satmar Chassidim in the city. During the 1948 War of Independence, Rebbe Chananya Yom Tov Lipa left Jerusalem and joined his father-in-law and uncle, Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum of Satmar, in the United States (who had reached it about a year and a half earlier in 1946). His wife, Chaya Roiza, passed away in 1953 without children, and she was buried in a Tiberias cemetery. In 1955 he married the widow of R. Mordechai Pergamenski, and rebuilt Sassov Chassidut in the United States. In late 1963, he returned to Eretz Israel and built the Yismach Moshe neighborhood, where his son R. Yosef David Teitelbaum currently serves as Rebbe of Sassov.

R. Efraim Yosef Dov son of R. Shraga Feivish Ashkenazi (R. Yosel; 1911-2002), attendant and confidant of the rebbe of Satmar for close to sixty years, and his close assistant in all communal matters. R. Yosef was a particularly astute Torah scholar, great in Chassidut and fear of God. During the Holocaust, R. Yosef accompanied the Rebbe on his journey in the famous Kastner rescue train, and later immigrated with him to Eretz Israel, and immigrated to the United States shortly thereafter. He was the owner of the Yerushalayim publishing house in Williamsburg. He edited his Rebbe's books in Halachah and Aggadah and published them (see his introduction to Responsa Divrei Yoel). Author of She'erit Yosef on the Torah.

[1] leaf, official stationery. 27.5 cm. Good condition. Folds. Pin holes. Minor stains.