ROIT CELEBRAT

The Tie That Binds

Thanks to the fervent help of religious Detroiters,
Bar-Ilan University grew into a thriving college.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN

StaffWriter

S

tho Imiewbulk

5/1
1998

COLD FUR STORAGE
Spring Prepaid Special: $27

181 S. Old Woodward Ave.

(248) 642 1690

-

Mon.-Sat. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

ometimes, connections come
from the most unusual places.
Take Bar-Ilan University,
Israel's only university that
requires academic and religious stud-
ies. It began as casual conversation at a
Motor City bar mitzvah in 1951.
When Dr. Pinchus Churgin, then
chancellor of Yeshiva University in
New York, came to Detroit for Gerald
Stollman's bar mitzvah, he shared a
dream with Gerald's father, Phillip
Stollman. Churgin and Stollman knew
each other from religious Zionist caus-
es, including membership in Mizrachi.
"At that time, there weren't too
many Orthodox Jews who were
Zionists, too," recalled the bar mitz-
vah, now Dr. Gerald Stollman.
Just a few years after the birth of
Israeli statehood, Churgin felt that
there was "something missing — no
college in Israel that provided a reli-
gious education," said Stollman. "He
told Dad of his dream — in New
York, he was not able to get the
financing. Dad was very interested,
thought it was a great idea. He was
able to sell this idea to various people
here in Detroit who really were

important in the Jewish community
Detroit alone for the building of
at that time — my father, Uncle Max
Bar-Ilan.
[Stollman], Mr. Temchen, the
Today, about one-third of Bar-Ilan's
Schlussel family, and also the
student population is Orthodox in
[Abraham and Laura] Nusbaum fam-
practice, whereas about 20 years ago,
ily. [All these families] helped
the ratio of religious to secular stu-
finance" the building of Bar-Ilan
dents was 50-50, Rackman said.
University.
Support from Detroit has been
Today, Bar-Ilan, which is located in
consistent through the years, Stollman
Ramat-Gan, serves 23,000 students
said. In fact, a Detroiter by the name
from secular and traditional back-
of Abe Celesnie was a student in Bar-
grounds. The faculty is comprised of
Ilan's first class; today, another genera-
1,300 academicians.
tion of the Stollman family — includ-
But it began modestly. Bar-
ing Dr. Gerald Stollman and
Ilan was established in 1955
his sister-in-law, Barbara
The Bar-Ilan
with a single building. Now it
Stollman — are committed
campus in
sits on a 70-acre campus outside Ramat-Gan
to supporting the university.
Tel Aviv, with five regional sites
Phillip
Stollman, who will
serves 23,000
throughout Israel. Soon, it will
.
turn
93
this month and lives
students.
offer satellite and Internet classes
at the Fleischman Residence,
to other countries.
was raised in a religious envi-
Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, the
ronment. He spent much of his life
chancellor of Bar-Ilan, said one of
committed to various Jewish causes.
the college's original goals was to
"He had a tremendous respect for
"acculturate many Jews who still
education, and the idea of having a
lived in the European shtetl, ideo-
university that would combine the
logically."
study of science plus the study of reli-
It took five years to raise the seed
gion really appealed to him," said Dr.
money, most of which came from
Stollman.
Detroit, to start Bar-Ilan, Rackman
"He felt that there was a real need
said. In 1955, they laid the first cor-
for that in Israel, particularly at that
nerstone. Stollman does not know
time. When Israel was very, very secu-
how much money was raised in
lar, he was convinced there was really