The Denver Jewish news., 1925-07-23

| New York Evening Post tells why
] American colleges should provide for th,
teaching Of jewish history und literature
/ In an article in recent issue OF
the New York Evening POST DR. II
G. Enelow, Rabbi of Temple Emanu.
FL of New York City, and chairman
Of the Committee on Adult and Uni.
yersity Education of the Commission
on Jewish Education, appointed
Jointly by the Union of American He.
brew Congregations and the Central
Conference of American Rabbis
stated his reasons explaining why
American colleges should include in
their curricula courses in Jewish his
tory and literature.
At meeting recently held at Har-
ward of Representatives of various ma
tional Jewish organizations inter.
ested in welfare and religious work
among Jewish students at univer-
sites, DR.. Enelow proposed that q
campaign be inaugurated for the
raising of funds with which to create
academic chairs on Jewish subjects at
the various colleges and universities
in this country.
In his article he stated at is
strange that in our American univer-
sites so little provision is made for
the study of the thought and history
of the Jewish people. President Coo
lidge recently quoted Leeky to the eff
feet that Hebraic mortar had ce.
mented the foundations of American
democracy. But every historian
knows that Jewish thought has influ,
enced all of Western civilization, to
say nothing Of Mohammedan coun.
tries. Yet our colleges offer courses
on every conceivable subject except
the literature and history of the Jew.
ish people.
'Of course, one may study the
Bible at our universities. But the
Bible does not cover the whole fielC
of Jewish history. 1t is an error t.
assume, as some still do, that tn,
Jews role came to an end when tn,
Bible was compiled. The jew no
only produced the Bible, but pre-
served it, and in various ways h,
helped to spread it among men.
at was Jews who translated tn,
Bible into Greek and who later OIL
had hand, directly, in the process o
turning it into other languages, anC
thus making it a force in the intel
lectual and political evolution o
mankind. Moreover, Jews hav,
played an important part in the vari
Gus phases of human activity, eco
nomic as well as spiritual. Even il
the Middle Ages they produced vas
number of scientists, philosopher
and poets. How is it possible to ig
more them at university, the aim o
which, in the words of Maimonides
should be to try to know all that i!
fit to know?
"There is a growing realization
among non-Jewish scholars Of tn,
Importance of this subject. Ever!
American university, | think, woull
welcome the opportunity of offering
courses in Jewish history, literature
and philosophy if it had the means t,
do so, and such courses would b.
taken not only by Jewish students
but by non-Jews as we'll
This has proved to be the case a
Harvard, where such studies hav
been carried on for several years, an,
at various other universities where TN
Jewish Chatauqua Society has givel
desultory courses by rabbis durinl
the summer sessions. At the A. +
, F. University at Beaune, France
where | gave two courses on JEWS
: literature and history, most of m
. students were non-Jews, some o
whom planned to enter the Christia
ministry, and from some of them
still hear to this day.
: Here | believe, the Jewish com
, munity of America has great op
portunity as well as duty. 1t woul
t mean a far-reaching service to tn
cause of education if Jews endowe
) chairs for the study of Jewish histor
sites.
First, it would mean contribu
ton to general enlightenment; sec
ond, it would enhance respect fo
Judaism, or Hebraism, and third,
would increase the sef-reSpect {
Jewish students at our universitie
who, as things are now, often fec
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