A Brief Encounter Between Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz and RIETS

As an amateur researcher of the early history of YU, I am deeply indebted to the writings of Gilbert Klaperman. For his doctoral research that accompanied his rabbinic degree, he produced a critical history of Yeshiva University. Lacking any archival records from before 1915, Klaperman turned to newspapers and oral history to construct a grounded narrative. Like any pioneer in a particular field, Klaperman got a lot right, but also made many errors. 

I am fortunate to have the luxury of the National Library of Israel's digital newspaper collection to exponentially increase my ability to find relevant information in the collection. Klaperman had to manually search through tens of thousands of pages of newspaper material to find his many sources. His imperfect method of search meant that he missed some information that challenges the facts that form the basis of his historical narrative. Though on the whole, his historical narrative is generally reliable as an approximation of the historical events. 

Klaperman (page 131) of his doctoral thesis, states that RIETS first sent out someone to fundraise out of state in 1900, a sign that it had grown too large to be supported locally. I found that RIETS actually sent out a fundraiser to travel across the country from July 1, 1898.

https://www.nli.org.il/he/newspapers/dth/1898/07/01/01/article/12 

The fundraising advertisement begins with a basic description of Yeshiva. 

"Here in New York there is exists a Yeshiva, already in its second year, where one studies Gemara with Poskim, and for two hours a day a teacher teaches the English language, and the boys get board, clothing, and all expenses."

Then follows with an appeal for funds.

"Therefore we sent out a fundraiser, the great rabbi and speaker Yisrael Yosef Litvik [sic] and we request that all rabbis, slaughterers, and presidents receive him with honor wherever he goes. And support the elevated matter, to elevate the horn of Torah in America, the money from each city should be sent to the treasurer M. A. Germansky, and they will get receipts from New York."

And ends with the following signatures.

"Yaakov Yosef, Rav ha-Kollel

Hillel Katz who is called Klein

Shlomo Natan Kotler Judge of the Kollel"

Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz moved to America in 1892 to lead the Lubavitch community in New York. The Adas Lubavitch and Niezhin published a letter in Hapisgah on August 12, 1892, announcing that he would be their spiritual leader.

Initially it seems that Widrewitz worked with Yaakov Yosef and the established orthodox rabbinate of New York to police Kashrut. A public letter reprinted from March to April 1896, declaring a slaughterhouse on Governor Street to be not Kosher, was signed by both Yaakov Yosef and Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz. They were also jointly signed on another letter that ran from May to August 1896 declaring a rival rabbinic organization, bearing the name Kollel America v'Tiferet Yerushalayim to be illegitimate. 

The two rabbis seem to have developed beef in October of the same year. On October 2, Yaakov Yosef and his assistant Hillel Klein declared the United Dress Beef Company to no longer be under their supervision. Following a summons of shochetim from this slaughterhouse to a Din Torah in late September. 

On October 12 Chaim Yaakov Widerwitz endorsed the Kashrut of shochetim of the United Dress Beef Company. 

This seems to have been the start of Widerwitz and Yosef's feud over Kashrut in New York City. 

The feud played out in some interesting ways. Shortly after RIETS announced that it was sending out a fundraiser, Chaim Yaakov Widrewitz protested this development. On July 7, 1898, about a week after the announcement was made, Widrewitz published a letter in the Jewish Daily Herald. Widrewitz argued that it was embarrassing for the New York Jewish community to have to fundraise from outside the city for its Yeshiva. He claimed to have consulted with Yehuda David Bernstein and Asher Lemel Germansky, the treasurer, who agreed with his perspective. It seems as if Widrewitz was blaming the Rav Hakollel for the idea of sending out fundraiser for the Yeshiva, and inflicting shame upon the New York Jewish community. 

Its difficult to know exactly what happened then, but my gut feeling is that Widrewitz was trying to use this small issue of the Yeshiva fundraising outside of the city against his local rabbinic rival. Claiming that Yaakov Yosef was bringing shame upon the New York Jewish community with the intention of swaying public opinion. 

At some point I should look more into the United Dress Beef Company affair, but for the moment I must let it sit because I don't really have time to investigate further.