Collection of Items from the Estate of Eliyahu Berligne – Letter from Menachem Sheinkin, Letters concerning ...

Collection of Items from the Estate of Eliyahu Berligne – Letter from Menachem Sheinkin, Letters concerning Industry in Eretz Israel, and more
Collection of documents and letters from the estate of Eliyahu Berligne. [early 20th century through ca. 1917]. Most documents are in Russian.
Eliyahu (Ilya) Berligne (1886-1959), industrialist and Zionist activist, served as member in the Provisional State Council, and is one of the signatories of the Independence Scroll.
Born in Mogilev, Berligne established a wood factory in Tsaritsyn (Volgograd) and worked as a construction contractor for the Russian government. Later on, was a member of the Duma (Russian Parliament). Was a member of "Hovevei Zion" and participated in the first Zionist Congresses. Visited Eretz Israel in 1905, and upon returning to Russia established "Atid" company – an investment company for development of industry in Eretz Israel. Immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1907 and settled in Jaffa. Established factories for production of olive oil and soap, was involved in developing agriculture and took an active part in the organization of Yishuv institutes. Was a member of Va'ad HaKehilah in Tel-Aviv, chairman of the executive committee of "Herzliya" Gymnasium and the first director of Bank Hapoalim.
The collection includes:
Handwritten letters to Eliyahu Berligne. Among the letters:
· Letter from Menachem Sheinkin (1871-1924), Zionist leader, one of the founders of Tel-Aviv. Sent from the island of Chios, Greece, in November 1911. The letter concerns mainly "Herzlia" Gymnasium and Sheinkin's plan to establish an agricultural school:
"I intend to talk to others about the Gymnasium and think about all that we have not done about this matter…..I am concerned about an agricultural school…" Finally, he urges Berligne to participate in "Va'ad HaIr" meetings.
· Letter from Jacob Bernstein-Kogan (1859-1929), member of the Zionist Actions Committee and head of the information center of the Zionist movement called the “post pffice” (“lishkat hadoar”). Kharkov, 1917. Bernstein-Kogan reports his economic situation and asks to raise money among his Zionist friends to enable him to immigrate, with his family, to Eretz Israel. Bernstein-Kogan mentions that he lost much of his money while managing the "post office", and claims that the Zionist movement will benefit from his immigration to Eretz Israel.
· Letters concerning plants and factories in Eretz Israel: a long letter sent to Eliyahu Berligne in Tsaritsyn about "'Hadid' oil and soap factory in Jaffa" (written on official letterhead of the factory); a letter from a candidate asking to work in a factory owned by Berligne in Eretz Israel; and more.
Letters and documents handwritten by Berligne: · accounting notebook, handwritten, November 1908. · Some 55 postcards sent by Berligne to his daughter Nina. · and more. · Enclosed is Nina Berligne's British Passport.
Total of about 75 items. Size and condition vary.