Ramsgate, England – Family Of Sir Moses Montefiore Wants Him Re-Interred In Israel

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    The Montefiore Mausoleum, Ramsgate. Photo: Pam FrayRamsgate, England – A major dispute over the final resting place of Sir Moses Montefiore and his wife, Lady Judith has erupted between Ramsgate Mayor Counsellor David Green and Montefiore’s distant relatives, historian Simon Sebag Montefiore and his wine expert brother, Adam Montefiore, according to a report in Kentnews (http://bit.ly/Upmll0). Montefiore died in 1885 just before his 101st birthday.

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    Sir Moses Montefiore, a renowned financier and philanthropist, built a mausoleum in Ramsgate some 127 years ago as the site of his and his wife’s remains. But now, some Montefiore family members claim it was Sir Moses “dearest wish” to be moved and buried in Israel.

    Ramsgate Mayor Green, who also chairs the Ramsgate Montefiore Heritage organization, denies that Sir Moses wanted to be buried in Israel. “The Ramsgate Montefiore Heritage protests most strongly against any proposal concerning the removal of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore from their last resting place in Ramsgate, the place they chose to be buried,” he said. “Sir Moses frequently visited Palestine but never attempted to live there and nor did he state he wanted to be buried there. If Sir Moses had wanted to be buried in what was then Palestine, this presumably would have been arranged.”

    Mayor Green also noted that Sir Moses contributed greatly to both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities, particularly in Ramsgate. He is credited with building a synagogue and rabbinical college. “Throughout his long-life Sir Moses gave generously to local Ramsgate charitable causes and his centenary was celebrated throughout Ramsgate with processions, a banquet, fireworks, special religious services as well as donations by Sir Moses to the poorest of the town,” Mayor Green said.

    Sir Moses’ family wants him interred next to the Jerusalem Windmill which Montefiore built in order to end the Arab control over flour and to provide work for Jews outside of the Old City. “Moses Montefiore loved Jerusalem, lived for Jerusalem, and even made it our family motto,” Simon Sebag Montefiore said, “A Zionist before the word was invented, he believed in the sacred idea of Jewish return as a religious Jew’s duty, and in Jewish statehood. He came seven times and I think he should return an eighth and final time.”


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    20 Comments
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    hey_you_never_know
    hey_you_never_know
    11 years ago

    A person is never safe, even after his 120 some family member might just dig him up…go figure

    11 years ago

    They are trying to sell the property for profit
    So they came up with this garbage

    zooog
    zooog
    11 years ago

    Where is RAMSGATE?

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    11 years ago

    Gosh, let those old bones rest.

    Yitzchok
    Yitzchok
    11 years ago

    The eighth and final time, should be very soon with the coming of Moshiach. Along with all the “shochnei offor” of all time..

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    11 years ago

    I am surprised that Sir Moses left nothing in writing. He was not a careless person to my knowledge according to what I have read.

    11 years ago

    I hope they bury this tzadik alongside the remains of Rav Nachman of Breslev in Jerusalem.

    sefarditahor
    sefarditahor
    11 years ago

    see the teshuva of HaGaon HaRav Ovadiah Yosef – permitting moving the grave to Eretz Yisrael.
    תשובת הרב עובדיה יוסף
    “ילקוט יוסף”, חלק שביעי, סימן לב, הערה ה, עמ’ רסט

    שאלה
    בתשובה לשאלה מיום א’ שבט תשל”ח, כתב מרן אאמו”ר שליט”א בזה הלשון: בעניין מה שפנו משפחת המנוח, השר הצדיק, ר’ משה מונטפיורי ז”ל, בבקשה להעלות עצמותיו של השר המנוח מחוץ לארץ ולהטמינם בהר הזיתים בעיר הקודש ירושלים, ת”ו, האם מותר דבר זה על פי ההלכה?

    תשובה
    הנה שאלה זו נשאלתי מכבר מידידנו החכם, שלמה גאון שליט”א, הרב הראשי לקהילות הספרדים בלונדון, והשבתי לו להתיר בזה, ואמרתי שאדרבה, מצווה נמי איכא.

    וטעמי ונימוקי בזה על פי מאמר חז”ל בתוספתא (עבודה זרה, פרק ה) ובגמרא (כתובות קיא,א), שכל הקבור בארץ ישראל כאילו קבור תחת המזבח. נאמר כאן “מזבח אדמה תעשה לי”, ונאמר שם “וכפר אדמתו עמו”. וכן כתב הרמב”ם בהלכות מלכים (פ”ה, הלכה יא), וסיים: “וגדולי החכמים היו מוליכים מתיהם בארץ ישראל; צא ולמד מיעקב אבינו ויוסף הצדיק.” וראה עוד בשו”ת הרמב”ם (ירושלים, התרצ”ד, סימן שעב). וכן כתב הרמב”ן בספר “תורת האדם” (שער הקבורה, דף לח, ע”ד), שמותר לפנות המת מקברו שבחוץ לארץ ולהעלותו לקברו בארץ ישראל ובירושלים, או לקברו אצל אבותיו. וכן כתב בספר “אורחות חיים” חלק ב (עמוד תקצו). וכן פסק מרן ה”שולחן ערוך” ביורה דעה (סימן שסג, סעיף א), שמותר לפנו

    ShalomCon
    ShalomCon
    11 years ago

    Sounds like a ridiculous idea. If Sir Moses wanted to be buried in Yerushalayim, he wouldn’t have built such an impressive mausoleum for Lady Judith and himself in Ramsgate. He was a man who had the money to do whatever he wanted. I suppose if he wanted to be buried in E”Y, he would’ve made arrangements to do so by the time he passed away at nearly 101.