New York Friends of Hebrew University Society is Formed

A New York Society of Friends of the Hebrew University in Palestine was organized following a luncheon held Saturday at the Harmonie Club, attended by fifty New York Jewish leaders.

James Marshall was chosen chairman of the society, which will have for its purpose to enroll all those interested in Palestine as a Jewish cultural center and especially in furthering the developments of the Hebrew University. An effort will be made to enroll at least one thousand active Friends during the month of April, during which the fourth anniversary of the dedication of the University will be observed.

James Marshall, Dr. Leo Wolman, of the National Bureau of Economic Research and labor expert for the Palestine Joint Survey Commission, and Dr. Solomon Lowenstein, Director of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies, related their impressions of the University obtained during their visits to Palestine. They stressed its importance not only to Palestine but to Jews throughout the world.

Mr. Marshall outlined six needs which the University meets. “In the first place,” he said “the local demand for facilities for higher education is insistent. Scores of pioneers have come prepared for university instruction from secondary schools in countries of their origin. Furthermore, thousands of children are growing up in Palestine with Hebrew as their native tongue, and they will need a university to complete their education. Secondly, the introduction of modern agriculture and cattle breeding into a new region creates problems of soil and climate water supply, chemistry, and physics, which can best be solved on the spot, in the labor- (Continued on Page 4)

atories of a modern university. Third, a place to study must be provided for the hounded and disappointed youth of the countries of Eastern Europe, which limit the number of Jews who may enter their universities as students and give them no opportunity for intelligent scholarly research. Fourth, Palestine is a logical place for theological students to do post-graduate work. Fifth, the Jews who have benefited for centuries from the universities of the Western world ought in return to contribute to the world a place of higher learning. In fact, we are anxious that our new university become an agency for enriching all culture and benefiting all man-kind. The research which our scientists have already carried on in the field of public health and in Moslem history and civilization is an earnest of what we may accomplish in this direction.”

Dr. Wolman emphasized the importance of the University as a place for training leaders to grapple with the problems with which Palestine is rapidly becoming confronted.

Dr. Lowenstein expressed the hope that the University might so enrich the Jewish heritage that a new cultural renaissance will be ushered in.

In addition to New York, Societies of Friends of the University are being established throughout the country, under the auspices of the American Advisory Committee, of which Felix M. Warburg is chairman.

Celebration of the fourth anniversary of the establishment of the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus was inaugurated Sunday night by Judge Julian W. Mack of the United States Circuit Court, a member of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University, in a radio address he delivered over station WRNY.