Letter from Salonika

This Hebrew letter serves as an introduction from the community of Salonika on behalf of an indigent youth from Russia who was traveling to Jerusalem. These types of letters were commonly sent to aid Jewish travelers in finding safe passage and hospitality along their journeys. This text has very little identifiable information and, in any case, is a copy used as a form letter, and the copy can be dated only on the basis of its handwriting. The people mentioned in the letter are referred to by their initials only; it is likely that the letter was used as a template that stayed in the communal file at Salonika, to be filled in individually by each writer. The last paragraph is from the margin of the manuscript and may not have been written by the same person as the original letter. Ellipses indicate lacunae in the manuscript.