The generous Gunzburgs supported a wide array of Jewish institutions, religious, social, and educational organizations
Whenever Baron Horace Gunzburg would travel out of the country to [what he termed] “chutz l’Aretz,” and again upon his return, he customarily would notify Rabbeinu Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor, the Kovno Rav, of his travel plans. The baron would set up an appointment to meet the rav in Kovno as he was passing through. They then would meet and travel together for several hours discussing urgent matters of public interest facing Russian Jewry.
During one of these meetings with the Kovno Rav, Baron Gunzburg presented the challenges then currently facing the Russian Jewish community and sought Rav Yitzchok Elchonon’s advice on various issues. He mentioned his grievances with the inaction and lack of initiative demonstrated by some of his tycoon friends in St. Petersburg.
“There’s a well-known saying — ‘The world stands on three pillars, money, money and money.’ I can’t personally fund every project through my own means. Despite it being beneath my dignity to personally request funds from others, I’d gladly forgo my own honor in order to advance the cause. The issue, however, is one of caution and danger. My actions in St. Petersburg are under close surveillance, and any false move or careless remark by someone else has the potential to jeopardize the entire venture as well as endanger both myself and my people.
“But you, Rabbi, can perhaps take it upon yourself to fundraise among the general Jewish population across Russia. Your actions aren’t under the same governmental scrutiny as mine, and everyone looks up to you as our holy leader. It would therefore be possible for you to undertake this initiative. A mass fundraising project would generate more funds than a thousand Gunzburgs could provide. I can’t carry the entire financial burden of Russian Jewry on my own.”
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