Scientific Tasks Facing the Hebrew University

of the country, its produce, its soil, its vegetation, etc., furnishing the desired material. The most modern problems of our time in the field of soil-formation and soil-chemistry, of artificial fertilizers (potassium salts of the Dead Sea and phosphates), of protein chemistry, of enzymatic reactions, of respiration of plants.—all these problems of modern physical, biological and colloidal chemistry are the dominating objects of our activities, and it is they that afford the themes of specialization for advanced students at the Hebrew University.

During the few years of its existence, four theses were carried out by doctorands in the Department of Biological and Colloidal Chemistry, and these were submitted to foreign universities. Of them, one dealt with a problem in synthetical chemistry, one with soil-chemistry, and two with enzyme action. All the four candidates had studied in Europe and came to Jerusalem to prepare the theses. How much more pleasant it is to work in the laboratories of the Hebrew University as a welcome guest than in the institutes of anti-Semitic countries, where Jews, if tolerated at all, are on sufferance! Many foreign professors—not the greatest, it is true—think it meritorious not to accept Jewish doctorands, and where it is not the Professor, there are unfriendly assistants or fellow-students.

To our deep regret we were compelled last year to reject the applications of several candidates because the budgetary means at the disposal of the Department had been cut down to such an extent as to preclude us from assuming full responsibility for their work. And yet such activity on the part of a Department in the Natural Sciences is almost as important as is the teaching of regular students, because the issue at stake is to enable young, gifted persons to complete their studies in a dignified way. Such a man remains attached to Judaism all his life with unbreakable bonds.