TREASURES FROM THE RABBI’S LIBRARY – SEASON 2, EPISODE 2

Over many years Rabbi Dunner has collected innumerable oddities and rarities spanning every era of Jewish history and literary activity.

In his series “Treasures from the Rabbi’s Library”, here in its second season, Rabbi Dunner reveals some of the forgotten pieces of Jewish literary history that he has in his vast library, revealing the stories behind them, and the reasons for his interest in them.

In this episode, Rabbi Dunner delves into his “file” of broadsides, posters, flyers and photographs. A protest against those who oppose Rav Kook in Jerusalem; photographs from Gateshead Yeshiva in the 1960s; an “eternal document” issued by Rav Gavriel Zev “Velvele” Margolies in 1932, on the occasion of his 85th birthday; a letter of support from Rav Yitzchak Elchonon for UK Chief Rabbi Hermann Adler in 1891, as part of the latter’s fight against those trying to upgrade London’s orthodox community; a letter from Rav Shmuel Salant and Rav Chaim Berlin concerning the bitter battle over who should be Sephardic chief rabbi of Palestine in 1909; and a public letter from Rav Avraham Leib Rosen of Rumania, attacking a breakaway community in his hometown of Moinesti.

Rabbi Dunner brings all these pieces to life, giving background and details, and painting a vivid picture of these obscure chapters in Jewish history.