Hevra Linat HaTsedek uBikur Homim in Suwalk. Suwalk, Thursday 24 Nisan
{5}686 {1926}
In honour of the vice-president of the Hevra Linat HaTsedek UBikur Homim in Suwalk, Mr. Naphtali Leventin a letter of gratitude and blessing:
And he said to Naphtali: O Naphtali, satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 33,23)[6].
Dear and honoured and esteemed colleague:
We, the members of the committee of Linat HaTsedek uBikur Holim, are gathered today to bless you upon your departure from us. We are honoured to express our feelings of thanks and praise for you, dear friend, for your great work for the poor and sick of our city who depend upon the help of our organization, of which you were the first and the leading founder. From its foundation, you have been the most active member of the committee. You did not spare time or labour; you did not tire in your fruitful and dedicated work; your heart and soul were devoted to helping all who were depressed. Naphtali is a hind let loose [7]. You rushed to help all those whose hearts were broken and every poor and sick person you nurtured on his sick bed and sought to find help doctors medicine, nourishing food and money. Without exaggeration, we can state that you have saved many souls from death and established many worlds during the days of your work for the committee[8]. These fruits of your labours have left a lasting and deep impression on our hearts and we shall try very hard to learn from you to do like you. Thus, in our opinion, this will be the most fitting tribute that we can give you, dear friend, and may God recompense you in His fashion!
It is very difficult for us to part from you, honoured friend, and it is even more difficult for the poor and sick people to whom you were like a compassionate father!
With a heart full of gratitude and blessing, we wish you that God may grant that your going out will be in peace and your arrival at your destination will be in peace. That you and your household may be blessed with the blessing that Moses, the man of God, blessed Naphtali as is written at the head of this letter. And we pray: {Aramaic}. May it be His will to prolongue your life and that of your family in happiness. May you be counted among the righteous for life and peace. Amen.
(There follow the signatures of the members of the committee which I shall attempt to deciper):
Mordekhay Vaysberg, Naphtali Aronson, Moshe Yosef Grayever, Gershon Eliahu Bernstein, Yitshal Yelinevski, R'Moshe Raphalzohn, A. Stutsenski, Moynester Yosef
Eliahu Bernstein, Ahron David Kahanovitz, Nisan Yehuda
liazman, Elkanah Glatshteyn, Nathan HaKohen, Secretary.
Expression of recognition and blessing from Suwalk Hevra Bikur Holim veLinat HaTzedek {sic!} given to one of its first founders and leaders, R'Naphtali Barukh, son of R'Zvi Hirsh Leventin, on the day he left Suwalk for Antwerp, Belgium.
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