Lengthy handwritten letter by the Anshei Maamad society in Jerusalem, addressed to R. Eliyahu Levinson of Kretinga, signed by three treasurers of the society: R. Bentzion Shlez, R. Moshe son of R. Aryeh Leib and R. Yitzchak Meir son of R. Yechezkel, with stamps of the society. Jerusalem, [ca. early 1880s].

On verso, abbreviated copying of the statutes of the society, enacted by R. Yehoshua Leib (Maharil) Diskin, and of a letter of leaders of the community in Jerusalem, R. Meir Meisel, R. Yaakov Tzvi Rabinowitz, R. Aharon Zelig son-in-law of R. Mordechai Chen Tov, R. Avraham Eisenstein and R. Moshe son of R. Yaakov. They go on to request donations to be sent to the trustee R. Yitzchak Tzvi, administrator of the Suvalk Kollel (son-in-law of R. Yitzchak Eizik Chaver).

The Anshei Maamad society was established in Jerusalem, ca. 1878-1879, by R. Bentzion Shlez. Its members were Torah scholars who kept a fixed morning study regimen of study and prayer.

The present letter describes the Anshei Maamad society, and asks for donations to support the members and their devotion to acts of kindness.

R. Eliyahu (Elinke) of Kretinga (1822-1888), studied in his youth in Salant under R. Yosef Zundel of Salant, during which time he became the close friend and disciple of R. Yisrael Salanter and R. Shmuel Salant. He remained the close disciple of R. Yisrael his whole life, and served as his close attendant in public activism and a staunch proponent of the Musar movement founded by R. Yisrael Salanter. Though he was one of the prominent Torah scholars of his generation, he refused to serve as rabbi and worked as a merchant and banker. R. Elinke was a foremost leader of Russian Jewry and a leading lobbyist in the upper echelons of the government. He was an administrator and trustee of the Eretz Israel funds for over forty years.

[1] leaf. 26 cm. Written on both sides. Fair condition. Stains, wear and tears. Open tears, slightly affecting text and one stamp.