Legendary organized crime leader (1902-1983) who headed the notorious ‘enforcement’ syndicate Murder, Inc., which emerged in the early 1930s as successor to the warring Prohibition gangs and the old-line Mafia, and continued to operate into the 1950s. ALS signed “Meyer,” two pages, 7.5 x 10.5, September 9, 1977. Handwritten letter to his Israeli confidante, Joseph "Yushki" Sheiner, a member of the Israeli Security Agency and Prime Minister Ben-Gurion’s security director in the 1960s. In part: "You may wonder why I did request at this troublesome time in Israel. This was the reason: My Rabbi went to Israel he asked me if I want to send regards to [Israeli Journalist] David Landau of I. P. My Rabbi carried on with him about not being permitted to visit Israel. D. L. asked if I ever made an official request…I never made an official request. I have been asked the question by many Jewish people here so I went to a travel agent and made the request. The result doesn’t faze me a bit. I truthfully didn’t expect any different. Very few politicians have the courage to face up to the truth. Many people here resent the decision. They feel what was done to me can be done to them at some time.” In fine condition, with two file holes to the right edge. Lansky fled to Israel in 1970 to evade charges of federal tax evasion but was deported by the Israeli government in 1972. It was Sheiner who accompanied Lansky on his infamous flight from Israel to Switzerland and South America. Unable to secure asylum, Lansky ultimately returned to Miami, where he was promptly arrested by the FBI on an outstanding warrant. He was acquitted in 1974, though he was never allowed to return to his beloved Israel. Lansky passed away in Miami in 1983.
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