Draft

Nela Rubinstein

Mr Shimon Peres Prime Minister of the State of Israel JERUSALEM

Dear Prime Minister Peres,

My great concern for the future of the The Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Israel prompts me to appeal to you.

It was not an easy task to persuade my late husband to lend his name to a competition, but Mr J Bistritzky (well known to us from his work in the Frederic Chopin Institute in Warsaw) -with the help of the Ambassador to Paris, Mr A Ben-Nathan, I must admit, succeeded in convincing even both of us.

Arthur's condition, above all, was that the event would not be a burden on the Israeli Government. He accepted the idea of a world wide fund-raising appeal as suggested by the initiator of the Competition, Mr Bistritzky. To this end, he entrusted him with portraits of himself, drawn by Picasso, as well as his own facsimile signature, giving the sole right to use them for issuing commemorative gold medals of artistic and collectors value. Any royalties accruing therefrom would be used for the purpose of creating an International Competition Fund.

The first three competitions were, to our satisfaction, self-supporting. As we know, they were financed from the income of the distribution of 500 medals (worth over $600,000) of the First Competition and without any financial help from the Government.

The plan was to mint and present to the friends and supporters of the Contest with a limited number of the medals (1000 for each of the competitions, 1974, 1977, 1980), bearing different portraits of Arthur, (also by Picasso) with the aim of creating an endownment of about $2 million at least. The yearly interest from this endownment ($120,000-1150,000) would guarantee covering the expenses of the Piano Competitions, and allow the Rubinstein Society to develop its other activities, ranging from scholarships, master classes, summer courses, naming the Rubinstein Chair for Piano Studies at the Tel Aviv University, creating a Rubinstein Archive to other international master competitions. All this, with the aim of creating a world music centre which would attract young musicians as well as famous artists and teachers to come to Israel. - 2 -

When it came to our notice that the medals were being distributed commercially by the Israel Government Coin & Medal Corporation -without our knowledge and permission, at a standard price, thus upsetting the aims for which they were devised- Arthur strongly protested against this in his letter of April 12, 1976 (a copy attached hereto). He clearly asked that immediate steps be taken to ensure that this would cease and that the royalties accruing from all commercial sales thereof should be paid to the Competition Fund.

It is with deep regret that I realise that Arthur's wishes have not been respected. Furthermore, no authority -including former Prime Ministers, Finance Ministers, and even the Court (to which I submitted an authorised Power of Attorney, attached hereto)- has assisted the Competition Committee in its endeavours to correct the moral and legal injustice caused to the project.

In 1984 I was invited to represent my late husband at the Fourth Competition. I was then courteously received by the former Prime Minister, Mr. Menachem Begin. He was greatly surprised to hear that the wish of -as he described Arthur- "his friend, the great artist and pride of the Jewish Nation..." was so blatantly disrespected in Israel. He promptly promised to immediately correct this great injustice. To our deep sorrow and disappointment, we realise that to this day, this promise has not been fulfilled. The Competition is now under financial strain and difficulties, becoming a burden on the Israeli Government, which -especially in this critical time- cannot, and according to Arthur's will, should not finance it.

The Committee is trying to spare me its difficulties in raising funds for the Fifth Competition, scheduled for April 1986. Unfortunately, I received sad tidings from my other friends in Israel informing me that the Committee is appealing to people for money in an effort to save the Competition. This is precisely what Arthur felt so strongly against. The idea and the aim of the medals donated by him was, to ensure exclusively financial independance as a dignified source for a serious cultural, international event and not to become a commercial, speculative venture for gold coin dealers.

Dear Prime Minister, I hope you will forgive me for approaching you with this problem but I feel that it is my duty to express my opinion. The wish of my late husband was not respected; the promise of Mr Begin has not been fulfilled; and if as a result of the selling by the Israel Coin & Medals Corporation of over 5200 gold medals and many tens of thousands in silver and bronze (all of them bearing Arthur's portrait and the name:- "Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition"), the Endowment could not be created, or at least, a yearly interest from it could not be given, the Competition, I conclude, can no longer be held. - 3 -

I deeply hope that with your help and under your auspices a proper solution can be found to establish a dignified, independent and non-Governmental financial basis -as was wished by my late husband- which will enable the Rubinstein Society to contribute to the cultural life in your country by continuing the Competition and to enhance immensely Israel's image in the eyes of the world. All best wishes to you and your people.

Respectfully yours,

Nela Rubinstein