The “Kollel America” controversy. Collection of [26] forms, signed by collectors of the “Rabbi Meir Ba’al HaNes” Pushkas, for reaffirmation of the agreement with ‘Kollel America’; from the beginning of 5567 members of this Kollel will receive a third of the monies gathered in North America. 1906
“As collectors of the Rabbi Meir Ba’al HaNes Charity Boxes, we express our agreement to renew the bond of compromise and peace that was made and established… in distribution of the monies sanctified by Bnei Yisrael which come up from the countries of America and Canada to the fund, that of those two thirds will be given to the poor of all our Holy Cities, Yerushalayim, Chevron, Tzfas and Tveria, and a third will be given to Kollel America which is in the Holies”. Wording on forms of the agreement to the method of distribution of the monies coming from North America, signed by scores of collectors who were in charge of emptying the charity boxes throughout North America.
[26] printed forms, Each signed by one, two, or three collectors. Some of the signatories added their address next to their signatures. On the back of one of the forms is a letter from the collector where he requests that the money be distributed properly – per capita and not based on lineage.
These forms hail from many communities around the US such as Lawrence and Lowell (Massachusetts), Portland (Maine), Denver (Colorado), Baltimore (Maryland), New York and Monsey (NY), Huston (Texas), Savannah (Georgia), Omaha (Nebraska), Peoria (Illinois) and more.
Background: During the 1850s and 1860, as the Jewish community in Jerusalem grew, it split into many “Kollelim”. In order to increase unity, the ‘Central Committee for all Ashkenazi Kollelim’ was established in 1866, which represented both the Chassidim and the Prushim, and charged with overseeing all the needs of the community and represent it before the Ottoman regime. In 1896 the ‘Kollel America and Tiferet Yerushalayim’ was established due to claims that the committee was disenfranchising them of the division funds. Due to this a sharp controversy arose, in Jerusalem and in North America, between the supporters of the new Kollel, which included the Maharil Diskin, and between the opponents, which included Maran the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Salant, who feared that the new Kollel will lead to a reduction in the donations from America for the other Kollelim, destroy the unity that had been achieved, and bring ruin to the entire Yishuv.
Fold marks. A few forms have tears, creases, or ink smears. Good condition.
' d='M0 0h21v15H0z'/%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23b)' d='M0 0h21v3H0zm0 12h21v3H0z'/%3E%3Cpath fill='url(%23a)' d='M0 3h21v9H0z'/%3E%3Cpath d='M7.575 9.25L10.5 3.985l2.925 5.265h-5.85z' stroke='%23093EC5' stroke-width='.5'/%3E%3Cpath d='M7.575 5.75l2.925 5.265 2.925-5.265h-5.85z' stroke='%23093EC5' stroke-width='.5'/%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E){kind=small}
