Einstein, Albert

Typed letter, signed. 1/2 page of text on a single 4to sheet of stationery, with embossed address "A. Einstein, 112 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A.; browned and stained, a few signs of cello tape residue. To Shepard Rifkin, Executive Director, American Friends of the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel. Princeton, 10 April 1948. With a recent typed and annotated letter from Rifkin, 4 March 2006, explaining the circumstances of the letter.

Einstein condemns the Lohamei Herut Yisrael (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel). "When a real and final catastrophe should befall us in Palestine the first responsible for it would be the British and the second responsible for it the Terrorist organizations build [sic] up from our own ranks. I am not willing to see anybody associated with those misled and criminal people."

According to the accompanying letter, the "American Friends of the Fighters for the Freedom of Israel" was formed for the purpose of promoting the anti-British ideas of the Stern Gang, and raising money in America to buy weapons to drive the British out of Palestine. Rifkin was appointed "executive director" or in Rifkin's words "what we call in American — the fall guy." He was asked by Benjamin Gepner, a commander visiting the United States, to ask Einstein for his help. This Rifkin did against his better judgement and the above letter is Einstein's response.