Meir Auerbach

Rabbi Meir Auerbach (1815–1878) was president of the Jewish court at Koło, and author of Imrei Bina (Words of Wisdom).

After his immigration to Ottoman Palestine in 1859, he headed the Poland Kollel and became the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

In 1866, Auerbach and Salant organized the first centralized committee to represent the interests of all the Ashkenazim, while the Sephardim managed their affairs under the leadership of the Hakham Bashi of Jerusalem.

Auerbach, who had been a successful merchant in Europe, lived off his personal wealth and refused to accept a salary.

[7] Auerbach and Salant considered the Balady citron, cultivated in the Arab village of Umm el-Fahm, as the most kosher species of etrog.