By COLlive reporter
A letter from the Rebbe dated Elul 5727 offering the customary greetings in honor of the new Jewish year is currently for sale by the Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem.
Only the family of the person it was addressed to are stating that it was one of the many that have been stolen and are demanding its return.
The letter in question was addressed to Rabbi Meir Tzvi Gruzman, a renowned Torah scholar and senior figure of the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in Kfar Chabad. Over the years, Rabbi Gruzman has received many precious letters from the Rebbe.
Shortly before his passing on 17 Teves 5777 (2017), tens of those letters were stolen from his home. Also stolen was his handwritten account of the 18-minute Yechidus he had with the Rebbe.
Rabbi Gruzman spoke with great pain about the loss during his interview with JEM about his connection with the Rebbe.
The Gruzman family tried for years to recover those valuable documents and filed a police report with no success.
They now say that the letter being auctioned by Kedem is part of that stolen collection. Kedem refused to have it removed and returned.
Kedem said in response, “The question is Halachic, certainly not a commercial one.” They added that it is the responsibility of the family to prove their ownership.
The family called on the public not to purchase that letter or any similar item. They asked that anyone with information can contact attorney Sharon Goshen, promising full confidentiality ([email protected]).
There’s nothing holy or chassidish about it. You are playing with fire. Fire burns.
And if you get your hands on it, return it.
You will spare so much agmas nefesh from those it was stolen from.
Strange that they can’t have the police stop the auction and find who is the thief that is selling it.
THIS KEDEM AUCTION HOUSE OUGHT TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR THE NEFARIOUS METHODS THEY EMPLOY TO CONCEAL THE PROVENANCE OF THESE ITEMS AND FAILURE TO REMOVE THEM FOR SALE IMMEDIATELY DESPITE THE EVIDENCE.
Kedem Auctions also sold things that were stolen from my father in law. They refused to return it when my brother un law spoke to them about it
Can you tell us more about this?