Photograph by Tzadok Bassan depicting Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld receiving the president of Czechoslovakia, Tomáš Masaryk, who visited Jerusalem in 1927. Stamped on the reverse with the photographer’s stamp.
Masaryk was a friend of the Jewish people; he opposed all antisemitic phenomena in his country. Jews enjoyed full equal rights during his period, by his decision taken as president of the Republic of Czechoslovakia. He was famous in the Jewish world for his struggle on behalf of the accused Leopold Hilsner during the blood libel of Polná. Kfar Masaryk and Masaryk squares in Tel Aviv and Haifa are named for him. A boulevard with his name is in Tel Aviv, and streets are named for him in Bat Yam, Jerusalem, Netanya and Petach Tikvah. In 2018, a forest plot was prepared (part of the Balfour forest) near Kibbutz Sarid called “Masaryk Forest.”
15×20 cm. Tear with lack in the upper left corner.