Hebrew University Board of Governors Opens Sessions in London

A proposal to form a World Academic Association of Jewish alumni of colleges and universities for the support of the Hebrew University, Jeriusalem, is on the agenda of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University, which began its meetings here today.

Twelve American members of the Board were included among the thirty-four to whom invitations were extended for the meetings, which will last until Tuesday. Dr. Nathan Ratnoff, chairman of the American Jewish Physicians’ Committee for the Hebrew University, Joseph C. Hyman of the Joint Distribution Committee, and Dr. Maurice B. Hexter of the Palestine Zionist Executive, are among the Americans attending the session. Dr. Judah L. Magnes, chancellor of the University, who has been in Europe in the interests of the Hebrew University for the past three months, will also be present.

The American members of the Board of Governors include: Dr. Cyrus Adler, Associate Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo, Dr. David J. Kaliski, Judge Irving Lehman, Dr. Emanuel Libman, Judge Julian W. Mack, Walter E. Meyer Charles J. Rosenberg, Roger W. Straus, Felix M. Warburg and Dr. Stephen S. Wise. Dr. Chaim Weizmann, former president of the World Zionist Organization, is president of the Board.

The Academic Council of the University, headed by Professor Leonard S. Ornstein, rector of the University of Utrecht, Holland, and Visiting Director of the Institute of Physics at the Hebrew University, will meet in conjunction with the Board. Fifteen members of the Academic Council, which consists of experts in various fields of science, are chosen from America, three of whom are on the Standing Committee of the Academic Council. Among the American members are Dr. Emanuel Libman and Professor Louis E. Ginzberg of New York City, and Dr. Cyrus Adler and Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo. Included among the European membership are Professors Sigmund Freud of Vienna, Rhoda Ehrmann of Berlin, Emil Landau of the University of Goettingen, and Selig Brodetsky of the University of Leeds. Plans for the development of the newly formed Division of Biological Studies at the Hebrew University will be discussed at the meetings.

Israel Levi, Grand Rabbi of France, has already accepted the Honorary Presidency of the World Academic Association for the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, as was announced by Dr. Magnes. Professor Emanuel Levi of Lyons University, France, was elected Chairman, and under his direction a society has been formed. A similar society is in the process of formation in Germany by the Jewish Academic Association and preliminary plans have been laid in Czecho-Slovakia and Hungary.

Plans for a network of societies in all European countries and in America will be discussed at the Board meetings in London. It has been decided that all members will receive a bulletin of the Association, the first number of which has already been published at Jerusalem in German. Articles on various phases of the Hebrew University, contributed by members of the faculty, form the first issue. The purpose of the World Academic Association is to unite Jewish alumni of universities throughout the world in support of the Hebrew University. It is proposed that a central federation for each country will be established with academic societies of Jewish alumni in all large cities.

A report to be presented at the Board meetings on behalf of the American Friends of the Hebrew University, of which Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach of New York and Philadelphia is president, indicates that approximately eighty-five percent of the support for the Hebrew University comes from America. The budget which has been accepted by the American Friends for the current academic year, according to Dr. Rosenbach, was £35,000.

Among the large contributors in America are Felix M. Warburg, Chairman of the Council, Roger W. Straus, Samuel Untermyer, Israel Unterberg, James Marshall, Walter E. Meyer, Hon. Irving Lehman and Lieutenant Governor Herbert Lehman, Dr. Emanuel Libman and Dr. Stephen S. Wise of New York City; Samuel S. Fels and Dr. Jacob Goldbaum of Philadelphia; A. Lincoln Filene and Louis Kirstein of Boston.

Dr. Max Schloessinger, member of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University and formerly on the faculty of the Hebrew Union College at Cincinnati, is Acting Chancellor during the absence of Dr. Magnes.