A fascinating historical exchange has come to light involving a heartfelt appeal from Rebbetzin Shterna Sara to the widow of renowned philanthropist Felix M. Warburg, chairman of the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, seeking support for the Tomchei Tmimim yeshiva during severe financial hardship.

By Anash.org reporter

A fascinating historical exchange has come to light this week between Rebbetzin Shterna Sara, wife of the Rebbe Rashab, and Mrs. Warburg, the widow of the renowned philanthropist Mr. Felix M. Warburg. In her heartfelt letter, Rebbetzin Shterna Sara appealed to the prominent and generous Warburg family for support of the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva, which was facing severe financial hardship at the time.

Mr. Felix M. Warburg was a leading Jewish philanthropist and community figure. As a member of the renowned Warburg banking family, he dedicated much of his life to charitable work and was instrumental in founding and guiding major institutions, most notably the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, through which he helped raise crucial funds for Jews in Europe after World War I and during the Great Depression. He also played a key role in aiding Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. Widely respected in both philanthropic and public spheres, Warburg donated over $10 million to Jewish causes around the world.

The letter, dated 19 Shevat 5698 (1938), was written by Rebbetzin Shterna Sara in Yiddish on the official stationery of the Ladies Auxiliary of Tomchei Temimim, which she headed, and was later translated into English.

She addressed the letter to “the highly valued and praised Mrs. Warburg, widow of the deceased Mr. Felix Warburg, the great and kind benefactor,” describing the dire financial state of the yeshiva, which at the time was located in Otwock, Poland, near Warsaw, under the leadership of her son, the Frierdiker Rebbe.

“The parents of our Yeshivah pupils in Tomchey-Tmimim are incapable to care for their children’s sustenance, clothes, etc. and the former supporters of the Yeshivah became poor and are in need of a support themselves,” she wrote.

She went on to appeal directly to Mrs. Warburg: “I dare coming to you in the name of our poor children of the Yeshivah with the hearty request to grant us a support according [to] your noble feelings, to increase the general situation of our poor Yeshivah children.” She also enclosed a photo of the yeshiva.

Unfortunately, in a response written by a secretary on behalf of Joseph C. Hyman, Executive Director of the Joint Distribution Committee, Mrs. Warburg conveyed that while she recognized “the meritorious work of your worthy institution,” she was unable to add to her financial commitments at that time.

She added that the yeshiva was already receiving support through the JDC and Central Relief Committee, and any future grants would depend on fundraising outcomes.

The full letter of Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah:

To the highly valued and praised Mrs. Warburg,
Widow of the late Mr. Felix Warburg, the great and kind benefactor,

Many times I beg your pardon for troubling you and taking from your precious time, dear Mrs. Honorary President, widow of the godly Mr. Felix Warburg.

But I feel compelled to write to you now, as the material situation in Poland is truly terrible. As a result, our Yeshivah is in great need, and the parents of our students in Tomchei Temimim are unable to provide for their children’s basic needs—food, clothing, and more. Even our former supporters have themselves become impoverished and are now in need of assistance.

Dear Mrs. Warburg, your highly esteemed, late husband was an unusually great philanthropist, and I am certain that his noble and generous wife is continuing his elevated charitable work. Therefore, I take the liberty of turning to you on behalf of the poor children of our Yeshivah, with a heartfelt request that you grant us support, in keeping with your noble and compassionate heart, to help improve the dire situation of our needy students.

Enclosed I am sending you a small photograph of the Yeshivah and thank you in advance, with heartfelt greetings.

Respectfully,
Sterna Sara Schneersohn

The full response:

February 16, 1938

Mrs. S. S. Schneersohn
Yeshivah Tomchei Tmimim
Zeromskiego 12
Otwock, Poland

Dear Mrs. Schneersohn,

Mrs. Warburg has referred to this office the communication which you recently addressed to her requesting assistance on behalf of your institution. She has asked us to advise you that while she recognizes the meritorious work of your worthy institution, it is impossible for her to add to her commitments at the present time.

As you know, the Lubavitch Yeshivah has been receiving subventions out of the funds allotted by the J.D.C. for cultural-religious purposes, which have been made available to you through the Central Relief Committee here, as well as grants made directly by our European office to your institution.

Since appropriations for all activities of the Joint Distribution Committee overseas necessarily depend on the amounts we are able to collect in this country, we are naturally not in a position to state at this time what grants may be made to your institution this year. The Central Relief Committee will doubtless advise you in due course.

Sincerely yours,
Henrietta K. Buchman
for J. O. Hyman, Executive Director

*

The following is a transcript of the Yiddish letter:

ב”ה יום ו’ י”ט שבט תרצ”ח
אל הכבודה המהוללה עהרן פרעזידענטין אשת האדם הדגול מרבבה המנוח פ’ וו[א]רבורג נשמתו ע[דן]!
איך בעט פיעלמאל ענטשולדיגין וואס איך שטער דיא זעהר טהייערע צייט פון גיהערטע פראו ווארבורג נאר דיא מאטיריעלע לאגע אין פוילין איז יעצט זעהר א שווערע, דדורך איז יעצט אויך דיא ישיבה תומכי-תמימים זעהר אנגעשטרענגט, דיא עלטערן פון דיא ישיבה קינדער יחי’ זיינען ניט אומשטאנדע זיך ביי שטייערין פאר דאס וויכטיגסטע וויא קליידונג א.ד.ג. דיא פאריגע שטיצער פון דער ישיבה תומכי-תמימים אין פוילין איז ליידער פערארימט, און נויטיגען זיך זעלבסט אין שטיצע. אלזא ג[יהע]רטע פראוי ווארבורג וויא אייהר גיהערטער ג-ט זייליגער מאן נשמתו עדן וואס איין אונגעהויער גרויסער פילאנטראפ, ווארשיינליך איזט דיא געהערטע פראו ווארבורג אויך גענאי דאביי, איך קום מיט מיין ביטטע, אין נאמען דיא ארימע ישיבה קינדער יחי’ זיא זאלין
עפענין לאיט איהרע איידעלע געפהילן, און צו פארבעסערין דיא אלגעמיינע לאגע פון דיא ישיבה קינדער יחי’,
איך לייג דאביי א בילד פון דער ישיבה, און דאנקע פאראויס צייכנע זיך מיט הערצליכע גרוסין.
האכאכטונגספאלל
שטערנא שרה שניאורסאהן

The letter has been published by Rabbi Mendy Cohen of Los Angeles lizchus the birth of Shterna Sara bas Chaya Rochel shetichye.