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Avihail, Eliyahu

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Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail (1932-2015) was a researcher of the lost Jewish tribes and an activist on their behalf. Throughout his life he endeavoured to find the descendants of the ten lost tribes. In 1975, at the urging of his mentor, Rabbi Zevi Yehuda Kook, he founded the organization "Amishav" – to help Bnei Menashe communities in India, Myanmar (Burma), Afghanistan, Peru, Israel and other countries. He assisted in their Aliyah, conversion, and authored many articles and books on their history and fate. The collection contains materials connected with Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail's public activities in various countries. It includes: correspondence with Israeli leaders, organizations, Israeli government offices; politicians, rabbis and public activists; extensive correspondence with community leaders and members in various countries; records concerning Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail's meetings with members of the Bnei Menashe community in the states of Manipur and Mizoram in India; articles, reviews and other data on the Ten Tribes and their history. An important part of the collection is journey summaries of Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail’s expeditions to various countries, travel diaries, interviews with potential olim, and photographs documenting life in their communities. The collection also contains: Rabbi Avihail's autobiography and memories; documents related to the absorption and conversion difficulties of Mizoram immigrants; press clippings, interviews with the Rabbi Avihail, and transcripts from radio programs; halachic and legal materials about Ethiopian Jews and the Falash Mura; records regarding the anusim (Jews who were forced to abandon Judaism) in Spain and Portugal; records on the Karaites; materials on the communities in Japan and China; data on the Jews in Bukhara and Central Asia; protocols of meetings and other documents related to the activities of "Amishav"; and contents of Rabbi Avihail’s lectures. Many documents and press clippings in the collection refer to the origins of the Pathans in Afghanistan and Pakistan --

Reference Code
P324
Dates
1920-2013
Consists of
140 files..
Languages
Hebrew; English; hin; Spanish ; jpn; French; Russian;
Description
Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail's private collection consists of his correspondence and numerous records connected with his activities on behalf of the lost and dispersed ten Jewish tribes, to research the origins of these communities, their fate and history. The collection includes journey summaries of Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail’s expeditions to various countries, the expeditions’ reports, travel diaries, interviews with potential olim, and photographs documenting the life in these communities. For instance, there are records on Rabbi Avichail’s delegation to meet with members of the Bnei Menashe community in the states of Manipur and Mizoram in India. There are also photographs documenting life in these communities: photographs taken at weddings, Jewish festivals, and events (for example of the Ramos family in Rio de Janeiro participating in Purim activities at the Colégio Eliezer Steinberg - Max Nordau primary school). The correspondence consists of letters to Israeli leaders, organizations, Israeli government offices, politicians, rabbis and public activists: Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, and more. The collection includes summaries of meetings with Rabbi Avihail with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. There is also extensive correspondence with community leaders and members in various countries. For instance, the collection contains letters from people in India from 1978-2006. One such especially detailed letter from 30/06/1982 sheds light on the Jewish customs preserved in India. An important part of the collection is a memorandum from 1977, detailing the procedures for bringing the descendants of the ten tribes to Israel. The collection contain: Rabbi Avihail's autobiography memories; documents related to the absorption and conversion difficulties of immigrants; alphabetical lists of Bnei Menashe; articles, reviews and other data on the Ten Tribes and their history; press clippings, interviews with the rabbi, and transcripts from radio programs; halachic and legal materials about Ethiopian Jews and the Falash Mura. The collection holds: records regarding the anusim (Jews who were forced to abandon Judaism) in Spain and Portugal; records on Karaites; materials on the communities in Japan and China; data on Caucasus, the Jews in Bukhara and Central Asia; many documents and press clippings on the origins of the Pathans’ tribe in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The collection includes interviews with the Pathans. There are also protocols of “Amishav” meetings, the organization’s reports and other documents related to its activities. The collection also contains the contents of Rabbi Avihail’s lectures.
Title Avihail, Eliyahu.
Contributors Menachem,Begin 1913-1992
ShlomoGoren
Ẓevi Judah ben Abraham Isaac,Kook ha-Kohen, 1891-1982
OvadiaYosef
Yeshivat merkaz ha-Rav (Jerusalem)
Yeshivat "Kerem be-Yavneh"
Amishav (Organization)
Jewish Agency for Israel
Israel. ha-Miśrad li-ḳeliṭat ha-ʻaliyah
Notes A collection of video cassettes documenting the travels of Rabbi Avihail was given to Beth Hatefutsoth (ANU - Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv)
Host Item Avihail, Eliyahu - Private Collection
Level of Description Fonds Record
Biographical summary Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail was born in 1932 in Jerusalem. He studied at Kerem beYavneh and Mercaz Harav Kook, and received the equivalent of a Doctorate in Jewish Studies for his rabbinical studies and publications. In 1975, at the urging of his mentor, Rabbi Zevi Yehuda Kook, he founded the organization "Amishav" – an organization whose purpose was to help the lost and dispersed ten Jewish tribes. The organization researched the origins, the fate and the history of these communities. For many years Rabbi Eliyahu Avihail was the chairman of "Amishav”. He has lectured widely on the lost tribes, published numerous works, and assisted in the aliyah and conversion of people from dispersed communities. Rabbi Avihail has traveled to India, Burma, China, Thailand and Japan in order to research and guide members of these communities.
Language Note Hebrew
English
Hindi
Spanish
Japanese
French
Russian
National Library system number 990043423930205171
Links פרטים על מיקום החומר/Location&access
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