Rev Noah Blaser's Letter

LETTER FROM REV NOAH BLASER

Rev Noah Blaser was clearly a friend of Hillel Tarakhovskii when he lived in Southport, from about 1893 until at least 1903. After Hillel's wife died in 1903, he remarried in Manchester, only a few months later. At some time after that, he and his children moved to Liverpool, which seems to have been where the family was living at the time of his son David's Bar Mitzvah in 1913. Rev Blaser's response to Hillel's invitation is written in a rich, poetic style, using beautiful phrases that identify its author as a devout man.

61 Windsor Rd

Southport

Yom Chamishi, Parshat Yitro, 5673 ¹

To my friend Hillel Tarachovsky, shalom and mazeltov!

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for honouring me and my wife (may she have a long life) with an invitation to take part in your simcha, the Bar Mitzvah of your only son, which will take place, G-d willing, this Holy Shabbat.

I regret that we will not be able to take part in your simcha; as you know, I have an obligation to my congregation here and I cannot leave them.

Enclosed is a small gift I am sending for the Bar Mitzvah boy, with our blessings that G-d will grant him a long life of peace, blessings and success throughout his days. May it be His will that he grow to be a good Jew who follows the ways of our Holy Torah, and may he find favour and wisdom in the eyes of G-d and man.

May you take much nachas from him and from your good daughters; may you bring them to the chuppah with wealth and honour, as to your wishes and the wishes of your friend.²

(Illegible signature) ³

1	This equates to Thursday 23 January 1913.
2	Hillel's second wife may have died by this point and this could be a reference to Esther Winer, who would become his third wife.
3	Although the signature is illegible, Rev Blaser's identity was established using Southport street directories for the period.

See this family's listing on the 1901 census

Letter donated by Hillel Harris. This translation from the Hebrew is a combination of translations provided by Sara Mages, Esriel Sternbuch, Jeff Geizhals and an anonymous fourth contributor.