Rabbi Hillel haKohen Klein was born 1844 in Baracska, Bars County, Hungary (now Bardonovo, Slovakia), to son of Zeev Tzvi, who was Talmid of Maran the Chatam Sofer of Pressburg.
Rabbi Hillel was Talmid of Maran the Ktav Sofer, Rabbi Naphtali Sofer of Petshi-Neudorf & Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer of Berlin. He was son-in-law of Rabbi Mendel Hirsch, the director of Orth. Jewish school in Frankfurt, Germany, grandson of Frankfurt Rav Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch.
From 1874 to 1891 he was in Russia, first at Kieff then at Libau, where he held an important position as rabbi. With the increase of anti-Semitism in Russia, he was forced to leave the country, accepting the invitation of the late Rabbi Jacob Joseph to come to the Congregation Ohab Zedeck, then in Norfolk Street. He began his long service as a rabbi of this synagogue in 1891 and continued in charge after the merger in May 1923, with Pincus Elijah Congregation.
Rav Klein was one of the most influential Rabbanim in prewar America. In addition, he was a member of Chief Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Joseph’s Bias Din. In February 1923, 300 friends of Dr. Klein gave a dinner in his honor at the Broadway Central Hotel.
Rabbi Hillel was highly esteemed and renowned for his righteousness, earning the title "The Chasam Sofer of America."
At the time of his death, Rav Klein was the honorary president of the Agudas Ha-Rabbonim, president of the newly formed Agudath Israel of America, treasurer of the Ezras Torah fund, and Nasi of Kolel Shomrei Hachomos in Jerusalem. Although a member of all these organizations Rav Klein once remarked: “there is but one title that I bear with a conscious pride, and that is Hillel HaKohen”. He passed away in 1926.
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Lot #130