Now a never before seen photograph of the Chaftez Chaim, Rav Yisrael Meir Hakohen Kagan, just came to light.

Earlier this week, Rav Dan Schlesinger published a special booklet, with the picture, with stories about the Chofetz Chaim, including the story of his planned trip to settle in Eretz Yisrael, which has never been published before.

Rav Schlesinger discovered the anecdotes about the Chofetz Chaim when he received an inheritance which included documents and banknotes that the Chofetz Chaim sent to a Yerushalmi Jew named Rav Yosef Levi Chagiz. Rav Chagiz had sent 100 liras to the Chofetz Chaim in Radin to finance his trip to Eretz Yisrael. The trip never came to fruition and the Chofetz Chaim sent the money back to Rav Chagiz with a shaliach.

Among the documents was the rare photo of the Chofetz Chaim. There are very few existing pictures of the revered Gadol, especially a relatively close-up photo such as this one. The Chofetz Chaim is seen sitting at a table with two other Jews but as of now their identities are unknown.

sources: Behadrei and YWN