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Lot 1130:
AN EXTREMELY RARE CHARITY CONTAINER COLLECTING FUNDS FOR THE KLETSK YESHIVA “EYTZ CHAIM”
AN EXTREMELY RARE CHARITY CONTAINER COLLECTING FUNDS FOR THE KLETSK YESHIVA “EYTZ CHAIM”. New York, c. 1930. Dyed red leather on a metal book shaped case. Inscribed in English “SOCIETY FOR THE YESHIVA OF KLETSK” in English and “YESHIVAT ETZ CHAIM D’KLETSK” in Yiddish. The only example that we have seen. The Eytz Chaim Yeshiva was founded in Slutsk in 1897 by the Ridvatz and led by Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer and Rabbi Ahron Kotler. Because of the Russian Revolution in 1917, all religious institutions were banned and Rabbi Meltzer was arrested multiple times leaving Rabbi Kotler as the Rosh Yeshiva. It remained in Slutsk until 1921 where it crossed over to the then Polish border where religion was legal. In 1921, Rabbi Kotler and 50 of his students moved the Yeshiva to Kletsk on communal property which they outgrew and built their own building. In 1929, the building was completed. At the outbreak of World War II, the yeshiva numbered two hundred sixty students. In 1939, Kletsk became under Russian rule, and the yeshiva once again faced the anti-religious communist government. The yeshiva remained open and had a complete learning schedule Many students left. In 1941, Rabbi Kotler escaped to America. 3.3” tall.
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