The Secret Society "A"A": An Interesting Letter from the Rabbi of Hebron, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Slonim

The Secret Society "A"A": An Interesting Letter from the Rabbi of Hebron, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Slonim

The World Brotherhood Association is a religious secret society founded in the year 5655 (1895)... The world headquarters is located in Jerusalem (Wikipedia, entry: World Brotherhood Association).

A fascinating historical letter regarding the secret fraternity "A"A" [–Agudat Achva], in the handwriting and with the signature of the "Brother, " the esteemed Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Slonim, the renowned rabbi of the City of the Patriarchs, Hebron, and a descendant of the Ba'al HaTanya. 1st of Adar 5687 [1927].

In the letter, Rabbi Slonim, referred to as "the Brother, " expresses his concern: "regarding the distressing developments of our Brotherhood in Jaffa-Tel Aviv… due to the well-known troubling incidents there." He proposes convening a meeting of the Brotherhood’s presidents during the wedding of his nephew, Mendel Slonim, and suggests that "the president from Safed… and I, your servant, the Hebronite president… should attend, and of course, the chief president will also be present."

[1] Sheet of paper. 23X29 cm. Official letterhead of the rabbi. Entirely in his handwriting and signed.

Good condition. Age stains. Filing holes. Fold marks. Tears along the edges of the folds, without any loss.

The World Brotherhood Association is a religious secret society founded in the year 5655 (1895). Among other objectives, the society sought to assist its members, known as "Brothers, " through support and financial credit. To avoid arousing suspicion among the leaders of the Jewish settlement, who viewed any form of organization with skepticism, the society was established as a secret fraternity.

After three months, news of the society leaked out, and communal leaders approached Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, claiming it was a new sect similar to those of Shabbatai Tzvi and Jacob Frank. Rabbi Diskin sent his close associate, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Baharan, to attend the executive committee’s meeting and examine the society’s records. After completing his investigation, Rabbi Baharan wrote in his concluding remarks: "May my portion be with you."

Once the controversy subsided, new members joined, and the society expanded, opening branches in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Safed, Tiberias, Hebron, Petach Tikvah, Haifa, New York, Egypt, and London (see also: 'Sefer HaAchva' Jerusalem, 5707 [1947]).

The esteemed Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Moshe Slonim [5630–5698 (1870–1938)], the last Ashkenazi rabbi of Hebron, was a member of the distinguished Slonim family, one of the prominent families in Chabad. He was a direct descendant of the Lubavitch rebbes [a grandson of Rebbetzin Menucha Slonim, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe of Lubavitch]. He served as the representative of the Rebbe Rashab in Hebron, engaged in purchasing houses for the Rebbe and the Chassidut, and founded the "Torat Emet" yeshiva. He worked extensively for the welfare of Hebron’s Jewish community and was instrumental in bringing the Slabodka Yeshiva to Hebron. During the 1929 Hebron massacre, his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were killed.