The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1925-04-23
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY
A LIVING DEFINITION
ny DR MoRDEcAI NJ. KAr1AN

Eitor's Note: American Jews will
be particularly Interested In the Views
Of this brilliant scholar and leader, on
the significance Of the Hebrew Uni
vcrsity, because DR. kaplan is the Of.
fcial representative Of the Zionist Or.
rnnizntion Of America. He will make
one OF the principal addresses Mt the
dedication exercises on Mount Scopus
DR.. kaplnn Is the leader Of the Society
for the Advancement OF Judaism. which
he established three years ago as
movement TO revitnllze Judaism by
making II function as civilization In
the everyday activities OF its adher-
cnts. This article Is published thru
the courtesy Of Tho New Palestine.
We can forgive Titus for having re.
enrdcd the establishment Of an acad.
envy AT Jabnch ms too inconseducntlal
to be forbidden His was the unimngn-
alive soul OF Roman soldier. His
world consisted Of well-drlllcd lcgions
and battcring rams How could he sus-
poet that, ut the very moment his
forces were hammerng at the walls Of
Jerusalem. the invisible battallons Of
the Almighty were beginning to lay
siege to Rome? How could he con.
cciyc that when the Roman Empire
would he but a pale memory, Zlon's
children would return TO that same
Mt. scopus upon which he and Rabbi
Johanan met, and there lay the foun.
dntion OF new spiritual kingdom?
But there is no excuse for the Jew
today failing to grasp the significance
Of an event like the opening of the
Hebrew University Mt Jerusalem. A
Jew whose nerves do not Jingle to the
event must have either the blood of n
fish or the brain of molusc. If we
can discern any meaning In the history
of the Jewish People, we cannot avoid
the conclusion that, like the Academy
is bound 10 inlugurate new era of
spiritual productivity surprising all
Jewish achievement in the past When
the Academy of Jabneh was opened,
Israel's sky was overcast and the pros
rect was wrapped in gloom. Now, thank
God. we stand nj the dawn of n new
day. This is all the more reason why
we should behold in the establishment
of the Hebrew University infinite
promise of good for Israel and the rest
Of mankind.
The Hebrew University is not prema-
tGre by single day. More than any
thing else in Palestine, it will render
the Jewish Renaissance articulate and
understood. Some take the Jewish
Renaissance as gesture of despair,
evoked by the failure of Jewish as
| similatiOn. Others consider it rs n
phase of the universal outbreak or
ChnuviniSm, and ms little more than
Il reaction to nineteenth century cos
mopolitnnism. The truth is that the
rebirth of the Jewish People is due
which is harbOrs. The reawakening
of the Jewish People is lsraers She
kinah demanding it to be given n place
in human life. In establishing the
University, The Jews are yielding once
more to the spiritual urge expressed
in the divine command. let them
make me sanctuary that | may
dwell among Them
Judged by the Western standards of
practically, to build n University when
every ounce of energy ought to be con
contracted upon irrigating aud clcctrify-
ing the land, upon farming and in
duStry, is bound to appear impractical
and QuiXotic But in taking this step
we Jews feel that we are obeying one
of those intuitions which have proved
more dependable than the accepted
| standards of practicality. Even the
Jewish masses who are at present flee
ing To Palestine 10 escape boycott and
persecution would not be content with
| merely finding n haven Of refuge, N
place where to rest their weary homes,
and an opportunity to make living.
The most callous jew, when he comes to
Palestine, acquires soul hunger that
he would never experience in Argentine.
or even in America. The child who j.
driven back to his parental roof looks
for something more than mere safety
and shelter. lie begins to yearn after
| thar nurputuI 1.-Two which during his