— 43
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Mount Scopus—and the Hebrew University
The temporary crisis that arose over an Israeli transport of
gasoline to Mount Scopus serves to revive an interest in the isolated
area where the original buildings of the Hebrew University and
Hadassah Hospital still stand.
Mount Scopus is Israeli territory. It flies the White and Blue
Flag with the Star of David. But access to it is cut off at the so-called
Mandelbaum Gate, at which United Nations representatives supervise
the change of guard, composed of Israelis, that continue to occupy the
Jewish buildings. Every two weeks, the guard is changed, and each
contingent brings with it supplies necessary for those occupying the
buildings.
In addition to the Hadassah installations, there are, on Mount
Scopus, these Hebrew University premises: Einstein Institute of
Physics, Institute of Jewish Studies, Jewish National and University
Library, Chaim Weizmann School of Chemistry, Museum of Jewish
Antiquities, Medical School for Postgraduate Study, Botany Build-
ing, Einstein Institute of Mathematics, Moshe Laboratory of Meteor-
ology and Climatology, Open Air Theater, Gymnasium, Balf our
Park Club Playing Field and Administration Building.
With the establishment of Israel, and the isolation of the Hadassah
and Hebrew University installations on Mount Scopus, Hadassah pro-
ceeded to construct new hospitals and to convert existing buildings
in the New City of Jerusalem into hospital units. Together with the
Hebrew University, Hadassah is setting up a modern new medical
center. The Hebrew University at first converted scores of existing ■
Jerusalem buildings into school departments, and now the. Hebrew
University is in the process of expanding a new university campus
at Givath Ram on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Israel's higher educational institutions lend credit to the cultural
and spiritual aims and aspirations of the reyived Jewish nation.
Technion—whose campus also delights all who have the privilege
of visiting the great school on Mount Carmel, at Haifa—is the out-
standing technical and engineering school in the entire Middle East.
Bar-Ilan University, established by Mizrachi at Ramat Gan, already
is a credit to the vision of the Orthodox Jewish leaders who, within
the last three years, have set up a creditable school of higher
learning near ,Tel Aviv. The Weizmann Institute of Science stands
as a monument to its founder and to the great scientists whose
research adds to the wisdom of Israel.
These schools, in all their glory, are adjuncts to the parent
institution, the Hebrew University. It is worth a trip to Israel to be
heartened by the sight of the great campus near Jerusalem, where
more than 4,000 students have enrolled this year for specialized
courses in the Humanities, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, the
Sciences, Agriculture, and Law.
Jews from many lands are represented on this campus in the
form of contributions for entire buildings, for laboratories and
libraries. It is to their credit that they have helped rescue a great
university whose existence was threatened by Arab intransigence
and by their having blocked the road to the existing buildings on
Mount Scopus.
Israel's spiritual values are
being enhanced by the work of
great educational and research
institutions—Hebrew University,
Technion, Bar-Ilan, Weizmann
Institute. Indeed, "out of Zion
shall go forth the Law and the
word of the Lord from Jerusa-
lem."
In the"photo on the bottom,
Dr. Danon is seen with the Jew-
ish News commentator and
Julian Meltzer, noted foreign
correspondent, now the Weiz-
mann Institute's public relations
director (left) and the promi-
nent Zurich (Switzerland) bank-
er, Walter Baer (right), at a
recent luncheon at the Weiz-
mann Institute at Rehovot, given
in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Baer
and Mr. and Mrs. Philip Slomo-
vitz. In the upper photo, are
Mrs. Philip Slomovitz and Meyer
Weisgal, chairman of the execu-
tive board of the Weizmann In-
stitute, who was host at the
luncheon.
There are 65 Arab students in
the Hebrew University. This is
a splendid representation for a
component part of Israel's popu-
lation that had been kept in sub-
jection and ignorance by Arab
effendis. The 65 Arab students
seem to point the way to a
better understanding between
Israelis and Arabs and to a bet-
ter future for all concerned in
Israel.
The road to Mount Scopus is
blocked, but the avenues to cul-
See Weizmann Institute Report on Page 46
Friday, N ovemb er 29, 1957—TH E DETROIT JEWISH N EWS-2
Purely Commentary
ture in Israel are being paved
anew, by a determined people that
builds cultural edifices while it
creates industrial plants.
Those who plan to go .to Israel
during the Tenth Anniversary
Year—and there should be hun-
dreds of Detroiters among the pil-
grims to Medinat Israel during the
coming year—will especially re-
joice at the sight of the new He-
brew University campus, in the
knowledge that Hadassah, together
with the Hebrew University, is
building a great Medical Center.