The Maccabaean

Sir: The other day I had occasion to step into the office of the Zionist Society of Engineers and Agriculturists. Mr. Haines was diligently working over an architectural plan. Jestingly, I remarked: "Are you working on the plan of the University of Jerusalem?" He nodded and smiled, and I laughed at my own joke. Well, it turned out that it was no joke, and the next moment I was feasting my greedy eyes on the ground plan of a spacious structure on Mt. Scopus, remodeled by Prof. Geddes to make it serve as the first building of the great Hebrew University. The future functions of the different sections were distinctly indicated, and my eyes eagerly passed from one label to the other until they found what they were looking for, and rested on the word HASIFRIAH. This is a word that Hebrew scholars will seek in vain either in Bible or Talmud or even in later Hebrew literature; therefore, for the better understanding of such as I, who cannot boast of having kept their Hebrew up to the minute, the word was accompanied by its English equivalent: LIBRARY. And thereby hangs my tale. It's that library I want to talk about.

For over a year, the committee designated for the purpose, has waged a vigorous campaign for the collection of books in America for the Library of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In this campaign probably everyone of your readers has been reached in one way or another. And I suppose the results in actual acquisition of books may fairly be termed gratifying. But they are not nearly commensurate with what we had a right to expect after the tremendous enthusiasm evinced wherever it was possible to ascertain the reaction to our appeal, as in public meetings or personal solicitations. Now, Mr. Editor, from the three million Jews in this country do you think a quota of one-half a million books too much to expect? One-sixth of a book per capita? I think that is a very modest expectation, and I don't doubt but that mark will eventually be left far behind.

The reasons why we are still far from that mark I conceive to be two. First, natural, innocent inertia. Second, the prevailing feeling that there was still plenty of time. For it must be admitted that in view of the manifold character of the huge task before the Zionist Commission the most sanguine among us did not dare hope that the University would be opened in less than a number of years. When New York high school students would ask me whether I thought the University of Jerusalem would open in time for them to do their collegiate work there, I couldn't give them an encouraging reply. But now comes the news that the Commission is actively preparing shortly to launch a number of definite courses; and as palpable evidence comes that diagram that I found Mr. Haines working over so diligently. If this isn't inspiring and stimulating I don't know what is.

Reason number two, therefore, goes promptly into the discard. Indeed, along with this startling news, comes a pressing call for books. Of course the books must be there before the University can be opened; for they are one of the two essentials of the University—the other being the students. Faculty and buildings are decidedly of secondary importance. One can even conceive these dispensed with altogether (but I don't want to be understood as obstinately recommending such a policy). However, no time can now be lost in collecting the books, that's certain. Now how about reason one? That also must be promptly relegated to the discard. But that's more easily said than done. How to get it there—that is the question. All must agree that it requires a good deal of moral courage to break in upon your daily routine sufficiently to step over to your more or less familiar book shelves, withdraw therefrom such volumes as you deem more useful to aspiring hosts beyond the seas and centuries than to your own immediate self, pack said volumes in a manner suitable for transportation, and finally get them transported. All this, I say,

requires a good deal of moral courage. But without moral courage the Jews will never rebuild Palestine. So we may as well make up our minds to exercise it right now. And here is an opportunity.

Now, Mr. Editor, will you please step aside and let me have a direct word with your multitudinous reader? Thank you.

DEAR READER: I know that you have taken to heart the words admonition uttered above, and that what you desire now is just a word of advice and information. You have a book (on any subject and in any language) that you want to give to the Library of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. How shall you go about it? The mode of procedure is very simple. Wrap up the book in strong paper. Then write this address: Library Committee Palestine Supplies Department, 74 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Then slap on enough stamps to cover postage. Then drop the parcel into the post-box—and Uncle Sam will do the rest. Could anything be simpler? And this simple method works even if you have more than one book to give; for the parcel post will convey as much as fifty pounds for you from anywhere in the United States, and Uncle Sam is a reliable carrier. (Of course if you want to give a car-load of books that's another matter.) You see how much simpler that is than to have us come to you. You are so many and we are so few. Figure out how many ages it would take us to do what you can accomplish in one day. I can understand, however, that there may be circumstances that would render it unavoidable for us to come to you. If you have a special problem communicate with us and we will help you solve it.

Once the book reaches the Palestine Supplies Department it is acknowledged, recorded, stamped, labeled, catalogued, and in other ways got ready for a journey to Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem.

And don't forget to send your name along, for the Bezalel School of Arts in Jerusalem is going to design a beautiful bookplate, which, with your name inscribed on it, is going to be pasted into your book.

One word more—Do it now!

Now Mr. Editor, thank you again.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID KLEIN,

Clark University, Worcester, Mass. December 20, 1919.

D. de Sola Pool,Zionist Commission,Jerusalem, Palestine.

in BE he nn It is a long time since any educational scheme has interested me more than yours outlined in your letter and in various clippings. The very conception of a really new modern University itself is an inspiration and vividly recalls my year in Europe, thirty years ago preparing for the foundations of our own institution, at the time when we expected an endowment of some eighteen million dollars. I visited nearly every country in Europe, interviewing personally and getting the ideals of many of the greatest scientists—Lord Kelvin, Pasteur, Helmholtz, and scores of others. I was amazed at the interest everyone showed, and some wrote me letters setting forth rather elaborately their own ideals. We then planned to bring a few carefully chosen savants from Europe here. It was a day of vision and great conception, alas! not realized when our Board found out that their ultimate resources were to be only a small fraction of what we had hoped for. We planned for the only purely sraduate and research institution in the country.

I mention this to suggest, if you have not already done so, that you could not possibly do better than to send one or two men to Europe and have another survey the best things in this country, to collect plans, suggestions and ideals from leaders, which can then be so compiled as to build into your institutions the best tendencies of our far more advanced day, and especially the new ideals of edu-