His face lighting up with welcome recognition, Prof. Einstein jumped toward Menachem Ussishkin, world president of the Jewish National Fund, as he saw him among the Jewish delegates received on the Belgenland on Friday morning. Their meeting in America was a coincidence, as they were here together in 1921 with Dr. Weizmann. This year it happened that Mr. Ussishkin came from Jerusalem to New York at the same time that Einstein came to America.
Mr. Ussishkin, on behalf of the Jewish National Fund, presented the great scientist with a copy of a special Einstein volume of the Golden Book in which are inscribed the names of the contributors to the funds for the redemption and reclamation of the land of Israel.
“Your labor is on the mountains,” said Mr. Ussishkin, “mine is on the earth. Through gaining the high heaven of science, you have helped us with our work on earth. We who work on the ground hope to help you to inscribe the results of your investigations not through the spirit of other nations, but through the Jewish spirit.”
WELCOMES CAPTAIN TULIN
“I thank you with all my heart,” said Prof. Einstein. “I had hoped that we would meet again. It is very good to see a face I know.” There were other faces he knew among the delegates. Mrs. Einstein cried out joyfully as she recognized Abraham Tulin, of the administrative committee of the Zionist Organization of America, in the group.
“Do you remember when we took that trip together!” she said, referring to their meeting in Palestine. Mr. Tulin remembered. So did Prof. Einstein, who spoke with him in French for some time, discussing the political Zionist situation.
Emanuel Neumann, president of the Jewish National Fund of America, heading their delegation, said, “When nearly two years ago the world was eager to celebrate the attainment of your fiftieth birthday, you in your unparalleled modesty declined to authorize any functions commemorating the event. However, you made one exception, in the interests of the Jewish National Fund. On that occasion our late lamented leader, Louis Marshall, at a public reception in the Metropolitan Opera House, inaugurated a special Einstein volume of the Golden Book. I am supremely glad of the opportunity that is now ours to present you herewith, through Mr. Menachem Ussishkin, with this volume.”
The great, elaborate book was presented.
ROBERT SZOLD SPEAKS
Robrt Szold, chairman of the administration of the Zionist Organization of America, said “Zionists throughout the world look upon you as the embodiment of the human qualities of Zionism, of its efficacy as a solvent for Jewish ills, of its power as a vitalizing factor in the spiritual and cultural life of the Jewish people everywhere.”
Then there arose a cry, “The women want to talk.”
Miss Henrietta Szold, recently returned from Palestine, said, for the delegation of Hadassah present, “We have been called sentimental in our Zionist efforts. But if you are with us, the world will see that the return to Palestine is more than a sentimental matter.”
“Where matters of the heart are concerned,” replied Prof. Einstein neatly, “there is no longer a question of logic. Sentiment is of the highest value.”
Among the delegates of the Jewish groups were Louis Lipsky, honorary vice-president of the Zionist Organization of America; Mrs. Edward Jacobs, president of Hadassah; Rabbi Wolf Gold of the Mizrachi; George M. Hyman of Avukah; Dr. David De Sola Pool, rabbi of the Spanish Portuguese congregation; Prof. Richard Gottheil of Columbia University and other Jewish leaders.
As Prof. Einstein turned to go back to his cabin, he was met by an excited, pleasant-faced Jewish boy named William Friedman, who requested an interview for the Newtown High School paper, The X-Ray. Prof. Einstein, with his usual fatherly geniality, consented. The boy, hardly believing his good fortune, whipped out a block of paper and began in a very efficient newspaper manner, to ask questions concerning problems of education. Prof. Einstein gave him a complete interview, and then signed the young reporter’s notes.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
