(Communication to the Editor)
Greeting the attainment of the $4,000,000 stage in the $5,000,000 Endowment Fund Campagin for the Hebrew Union College as “the sign of an awakening spirit in American Israel,” Dr. Julian Morgenstern, president of the College, warned that “only Mr. Rosenwald’s challenge has been redeemed.”
“Mr. Ochs’s original challenge is still unfulfilled.” Dr. Morgenstern pointed out. “One million dollars remain to be raised. Until then we may not rest content.”
Dr. Morgenstern in his statement declared: “Two years ago Adolph S. Ochs, eminent and loyal Jew, undertook to provide an Endowment Fund of five million dollars for the Hebrew Union College. He inaugurated this task with a personal gift of $200,000. He did this because, on the one hand, he appreciated the service of the Hebrew Union College to Judaism and also to the cause of all modern, progressive religion. He realized that what Reform Judaism is in America today, and still more what it will be tomorrow, are due largely to the Hebrew Union College. He realized too that much of the respect which the Jew has for himself, and which his fellow-citizens have for him as a Jew, results in no small measure from the influence of the Hebrew Union College.
“On the other hand, Mr. Ochs felt keenly the Jack of appreciation of the College by the Jews of America. They seemed willing to accept everything from it and to give little in return. After over a half-century of invaluable, constructive service the College had accumulated a pitiful endowment of less than seven hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Ochs felt personally humiliated and saddened. Therefore this undertaking and this gift.
“They constituted a challenge to the Jews of America.
“A year ago, Mr. Julius Rosenwald, prince of living Jewish philanthropists, responded with a pledge of five
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hundred thousand dollars, provided, among other conditions, that four million dollars, four-fifths of the contemplated total endowment, be secured by July 1st, 1929. Mr. Rosenwald’s gift, by no means his first to the Hebrew Union College, was a counter-challenge and a renewed challenge – a counter-challenge to Mr. Ochs to complete his undertaking by a definite time, a renewed challenge to the Jews of America to contribute to the Fund with corresponding loyalty and generosity. It voiced convincingly Mr. Rosenwald’s faith in the Hebrew. Union College.
“July 1st, 1929 is come. The four million dollars have been subscribed With pride and gratitude we announce this-pride in the achievement itself, but even more in our interpretation of it as the sign of an awakening spirit in American Israel-and gratitude to Mr. Ochs, Mr. Rosenwald, and all their loyal co-workers, and to the many generous contributors to this Endowment Fund, gratitude deep, almost inexpressible.
“But in our rejoicing we must not forget that only Mr. Rosenwald’s challenge has been redeemed. Mr. Ochs’ original challenge is still unfulfilled. One million dollars remain to be raised. Until then we may not rest content.”
EXPLAINS HIS PART AT ADMIRAL JOSEPH THAT’S FUNERAL
Sir:
Being Chaplain of the First Battalion, Naval Militia, New York, I was asked to take part in the funeral of our late Admiral Josephthal, which was held on the U.S.S. Illinois. The part assigned to me, however, was simply the reading of a lesson from the Holy Bible. I made no address.
“The Jewish Guardian” is in error in stating that the Rev. Gilbert Darlington is an Episcopal Bishop. His father is but not he.
Undoubtedly our personal friendship for the Admiral and his family, together with the fact that we served as Chaplains under him, had much to do with our being selected to conduct his funeral service, which was free from all sectarian bias. In fact it was thoughtfully and carefully planned and arranged with a view to avoid hurting the feelings of his Hebrew friends.
The Admiral attended our annual Battalion church service here in St. Stephen’s and we looked upon him as being one of God’s good men.
Yours very sincerely,
Nathan A. Seagle,
Rector of St. Stephen’s Church.
New York, June 25, 1929.
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.
