Chabad Gets Unearthed Book From Disputed Schneerson Trove
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(JTA) — Rabbis of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement were able to obtain in Israel a book that is part of the the Schneerson collection, which they are fighting to receive from Russia.
The volume was recently discovered at Kedem Auction House in Israel and returned to the Chabad rabbis in the United States, according to a statement Thursday from the office of Senator Charles E. Schumer, who celebrated the book’s return with the rabbis.
“The discovery of this sacred text in Israel is a simcha for Chabad and the entire Jewish community,” wrote Schumer, who is Jewish, using the Hebrew-language word for “joy.” Schumer added that he is “grateful to have been a part of this joyous occasion,” adding he will “not rest until the entire Schneerson collection is returned to Chabad and I will continue to fight for its return from Russia.”
In 2013, a US judge ordered Russia to pay $50,000 a day in fines for failing to honor a 2010 ruling by the US District Court in Washington to hand over the historic collection of 12,000 books and 50,000 documents to the New York-based movement.
Since 1991, leaders of the group have been trying to regain possession of the library of Rabbi Joseph I. Schneerson, who led the Chabad-Lubavitch movement before his death in 1950.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the texts are part of Russian heritage and will not leave Russia.
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