Jubilee year book of the Talmud Torah School for Girls Alef in Jerusalem, 1918-1943, published by the Jubilee committee. Accompanied by pictures depicting the school and portraits of those involved in it. 115 pages. Printed binding, overall good condition.
The blank first leaf has a dedication from the founder, Mrs. Channah Schpitzer (see below): “for the honor of Rabbi Y. Eliezer HaLevi Novick, honored guest in Jerusalem the holy city, given in recognition, Channah Schpitzer 3rd Tishrei 1948.
Background: The Schpitzer school was founded in 1918 by the educator Channah Miriam Schpitzer, who saw the lack of basic education among girls in the Old Yishuv of Jerusalem, and her fears regarding the spiritual and practical advancement of the girls led her to establish the “Talmud Torah for Girls Alef”, first in her home and then in the Beit Yehudiyof in the Bukharim neighborhood of Jerusalem.
She tried to recruit other organizations to establish a school but suffered great opposition from male leaders of the Old Yishuv. She approached the Agudas Yisrael, since her father Rabbi Shmuel Zenovil Schpitzer was one of its important activists in the city, but she was refused since she insisted on teaching the girls Hebrew. Around a year after establishing the program the Mizrahi movement responded to her request and supported the school, with Schpitzer’s condition that the movement not be mentioned in any way so as not to prejudice members of the Old Yishuv against sending their girls to the institute. However, as a result a herem was placed on the school.
Despite the herem, many great leaders of Jerusalem Jewry sent their daughters, which saved many from needing to rebel against their parents.
Rabbi Eliezer HaLevi Novik was Chief Chazzan of Washington, was active in the Mizrahi movement, and his home was a residence for many rabbis who came to visit in the United States, including Rabbi Avraham Dov Kahane Shapir and the Rabbi of Ponevezh, Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahneman. He moved to Israel after the state was established. He and his son became rosh yeshivot of Beer Sheva and Beit Yehiel for their great Torah labour, and his son was first Ram in Yeshivat HaSharon and mashgiach at Knesset Yitzhak.
