From Safed to Jerusalem

Rabbi Israel Bek, was a man of many talents. He immigrated to Safed from Berditchev, Ukraine in 1831.

He established a printing house and published the first Hebrew book in the Holy Land in 246 years. He continued to print many other Hebrew books including the Book of Leviticus which can be found at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C.

His printing press was destroyed in the 1834 revolt headed by Mohammed Ali.

Around the same time, the local Arab Ottoman Governor fell ill. Among his many talents, Rabbi Bek had a good reputation for his medical cures. He successfully treated the Governor and was paid
in kind with the deed to Mount Meron!”

Rabbi Bek set up a new printing press and continued to publish in Safed. Times were really tough back then. On January 1, 1837 there was a terrible earthquake that caused a lot of damage in Israel and the following year, the Druze Revolt (in Safed) made it impossible to run the business in the town. So Rabbi Bek moved his family and his printing press to the countryside in Meron. Together with his son, Rabbi Nisan Bek, he established the first modern Jewish farm in the Holy Land.

After further pogroms, Rabbi Bek and his family moved to Jerusalem in 1841 and he set up the first printing press to publish Hebrew books in Jerusalem.

Crazy coincidence or fate? Our Chairman Brian Sherr is a direct descendant of Rabbi Bek!