Israel Beat

Hebrew University of Jerusalem was founded amid a history of Jews being banned from attending academic institutes in other lands. Learn about how Israel’s first public university was established by Chaim Weizmann, Albert Einstein and others to be a beacon of education for a persecuted people and for students of all backgrounds.

Hear excerpts from Rabbi Hermann Schapira, a mathematician who first proposed a “Jewish university” at the World Zionist Congress and excerpts from Martin Buber’s Eine Jüdische Hochschule. From the cornerstone laying ceremony in 1918 on what was then called the Gray Hill Estate on Mount Scopus, to the dramatic grand opening in 1925 attended by Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Lord Balfour, General Allenby, Judah Magnes and others who celebrated the establishment of what was to become a leading institute with Nobel Prize winning professors.

Plus learn about the founding of the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, the Wissotzky tea company, Harvard University’s numerus clausus and other fun facts along the path to higher education in the State of Israel.

NOTES:

* From the Heights of Mount Scopus - The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

* The inauguration of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

* VIDEO: Hebrew University opening 1925

* VIDEO: Lord Balfour opens new Jewish University

* Arthur Ruppin Purchases Land for Hebrew University

* Eine Jüdische Hochschule by Martin Buber, 1902 (full text)

* Technion - 100 Years of Research and Education

* From Technion to Tech Nation

* History of Jews and Universities

* Dr. Hermann Schapira letter proposing a Jewish university 1882

* Hebrew University Opens 1925

* First Stone of Einstein Institute at Hebrew University Opening, The Jewish Independent 1925

* Palestine Moslems Will Not Be Able to Withstand the Lure of the Jerusalem Hebrew University - JTA 1924

* Impressive Ceremonies Mark Opening of Institute for Jewish Studies at Hebrew University - JTA 1924

* Dr. Judah L. Magnes speech at Hebrew University 1925

* Chaim Nachman Bialik speech at Hebrew University 1925

* Hebrew University and the Zionist Dream

* The Opening of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem

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In 2004 I had the opportunity to interview King Django who discusses his album Roots and Culture which include a song about his grandfather’s experiences during the Holocaust and original Yiddish compositions. He discusses his youth in Brooklyn, getting into reggae and ska, and how a trip to KlezKamp, the Klezmatics, novelist Michael Wex and more inspired his music. This interview is one of the many oldies I am uploading for posterity.

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Nobel Prize winning physicist Albert Einstein, famous for his Theory of Relativity, helped found Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was an ardent supporter of the Zionist movement.

Learn how he was befriended by fellow scientist Dr. Chaim Weizmann and was tapped to be Israel’s president. Hear rare audio from Einstein on his stance on Israel, the Nazis, the Holocaust and more.

Today, visitors to Jerusalem can see the official Albert Einstein Archive and in the Technion in Haifa, a tree still stands planted by Einstein in 1923.

In the second row, fr. A. Sertillanges; Norman Bentwich, Attorney General of Mandatory Palestine; Ernest T. Richmond, architect, political advisor; one step lower, his wife, Margaret Richmond; further right, fr. Gaudence Orfali, Franciscan archaeologist.

NOTES:

* Albert Einstein Archives at Hebrew University

* About Zionism: Speeches and Letters by Albert Einstein - full text

* Einstein Speech for 1955 Israel Independence Day - JTA

* Weizmann And Einstein Greeted On Arrival Here - The Sentinel⁩, 1921⁩

* Einstein Honorary Citizen of Tel-Aviv - JTA, 1923

* Einstein Lecture a Success, Despite Arab Boycott - JTA, 1923

* Einstein Discusses Zionism with Judah Magnes - 1942

* Einstein on Zionism: He is for a Jewish Homeland - 1946

* 100 Years Ago, Einstein Given Hero’s Welcome by America’s Jews - Smithsonian

* Offering the Presidency of Israel to Albert Einstein - 1952

* How Einstein Helped Shape Hebrew University - Huffington Post

* Centenary of Albert Einstein’s visit to Jerusalem

* Einstein trip to the Holy Land

* Einstein visits Technion Institute - 100th Anniversary

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In 2005 I had the opportunity to interview the late, great Arnie Lawrence, teacher to countless musicians in Jerusalem. I met him at the Artel jazz club where he regularly performed, thinking this would be a simple interview about his days in Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show band, founding the New School jazz program in New York and how he ended up in Israel. It turned into a 2-hour live performance in which he brought ten musicians into the studio, from Russian immigrants to yeshiva students.

He and his diverse students crammed into the studio with sax, flute, violin, piano, drums, guitar, bass, harmonica and a candelabra which they lit live on air as they jammed.

Thank you to Nevo Castel, Meron, Elad Omer, Gil Asayas, Bob, Isaac Rosenbaum, Ben Simons, Ronit, Malkah Fleisher, Anna Immanuel, and all the people from 20 years ago who made this a memorial evening. To this day I still bump into people telling me what an influence Arnie had on their lives and I am glad I burned this on CD and can now upload it as a podcast.

For jazz fans, you may enjoy stories of Archie Shepp, Chico Hamilton, Roy Haynes, Larry Coryell, Carline Ray, Yang Jing, John Garcia Gensel and more. Hear how Arnie’s Judaism, spirituality and appreciation for humanity inspired countless youth in Israel and around the world in a conversation that ranges from Anne Frank to China, to Beit El and more.

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Born in a small Russian shtetel, Chaim Weizmann grew up to develop important scientific breakthroughs, defended the Jewish people at the United Nations, and led the Zionist movement. Learn about the creation of the Weizmann Institute of Science and the development of acetone–butanol–ethanol fermentation (the Weizmann Process). This week marks the 76 anniversary of his inauguration as the first president of the State of Israel.

Hear Dr. Weizmann in his own words with rare audio and recordings.

NOTES:

* Trial and error: The Autobiography of Chaim Weizmann

* The Impossible Takes Longer: The Memoirs of Vera Weizmann

* Research paper on Weizmann Method and Biotechnol Biofuels, 2020 - National Library of Medicine - National Center for Biotechnology Information

* Reviving the Weizmann process for commercial n-butanol production - 2018

* Chaim Weizmann’s acetone patent turns 100 A centennial of entrepreneurship - Weizmann Institute

* Presentation of the Jewish case by representatives of the Jewish Agency, Chaim Weizmann - 1947

* History of Beit Kay in Nahariya founded by Vera Weizmann

* Weizmann Institute of Science official website

* Weizmann House - Yad Chaim Weizmann

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Award-winning architect David Kroyanker talks about his new book Jerusalem That Once Was: A Personal Perspective and discusses the historic gems that once stood in Israel’s capital city. Learn how he helped save the iconic clock tower of the Talitha Kumi orphanage which stood from 1873 until it was demolished in 1980 to build a department store.

And what does this author of over 30 books on architecture think of modern Jerusalem? The new high-rise towers? The light-rail construction? The Zionist pioneers who built the suburbs? Did David Ben-Gurion really want the Old City walls torn down after the Six Day War? Find out as this 86-year-old Jerusalem native talks about the city he loves.

NOTES:

* David Kroyanker, Jerusalem Architecture official website

* Jerusalem That Once Was by David Kroyanker (Porat Books)

* 'Jerusalem That Once Was': An architect's look at the history of Israel's capital - review - Jerusalem Post

* David Kroyanker books on Amazon.com

* Talitha Kumi monument serves as warning against demolition of historical buildings

* Jerusalem Post interview with David Kroyanker on Architecture of the State in the Making

*

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The stories of how Rabbi Yisroel Zev Gustman survived World War II and reestablished the Netzach Yisrael yeshiva in Jerusalem have inspired the new generation of Israeli rabbis. Meet Rabbi Kalman Flaks of the Simcha Center who teaches at Netzach as he shares stories of Rabbi Gutman’s miraculous and inspiring life.

A licensed tour-guide and IDF reserve soldier, Rabbi Kalman (Keith) Flaks explains the history of the Ramailes Yeshiva in the once thriving Jewish community of Vilna. Rabbi Yisroel Zev Gustman was the last great rabbi of Vilna before the Holocaust. He was helped Jews escape the Nazis, was severely injured, and became a partisan fighter. After the war, he headed the Chabad – Lubavitch yeshiva in New York. He then made aliyah to Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood and reestablished the Ramailes Yeshiva in the historic Havatzelet House, an architectural gem built in 1925 for Gad Frumkin, one of the only Jews allowed to served on the Supreme Court during the British Mandate period.

Today Rabbi Kalman Flaks teaches at the yeshiva and hosts tours and Shabbat events. For more information visit https://www.tourstoinspire.com/

NOTES:

* Rav Gustman: The youngest Dayan of Vilna and illustrious Rosh Yeshivah in New York and Yerushalayim by David Page, Artscroll Publications

* Rabbi Gustman's Astounding Survival - Aish HaTorah

* Kalman Flaks tour guide

* Simcha Center Facebook page

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Israel once honored the United Nations resolution of 1947 which was seen as a victory for the Zionist Movement. But in 1975, led by the Soviet Union and the Arab League, the UN voted to condemn Zionism as a form of racism. It resulted in rallies, protests and the renaming of UN Street to Zionism Street.

Hear the voices of those who defended Zionism as a Jewish liberation movement including:

* Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, who renamed Rehov HaUm as Rehov HaZionut.

* Israeli Ambassador to the UN Chaim Herzog, who tore up a copy of the resolution in a dramatic speech.

* US Ambassador to the UN Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who defended Israel as a country in which any Jewish person of any ethnic background, including converts can become citizens.

* US President George Bush, who initiated rescinding the resolution in 1991.

* News reels from the 1947 UN Palestine Partition Plan

NOTES:

* Huge Rally Here Condemns U.N. Anti‐Zionism Move - New York Times, 1975

* UNITED NATIONS: Shock Waves from an Infamous Act - Time Magazine, 1975

* U.N. Rescinds Its Zionism Censure - LA Times, 1991

* Fighting the ‘Zionism is Racism’ Lie: Moynihan’s Historic U.N. Speech

* Chaim Herzog Speech to the UN on ‘Zionism is Racism’ - UN Watch

* UN Honored with United Nations Street sign, 1951 - JTA

* Teddy Kollek removes UN Street sign in Jerusalem, 1975 - British Pathe

* The 1975 “Zionism Is Racism” Resolution: The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of a Libel - Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs

* President Bush Calls for Repeal of UN 'Zionism is Racism' Resolution, 1991

* UN vote on Palestine Partition, 1947 - British Pathe

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Every day Meir Eisenman would watch the reconstruction of the Hurva Synagogue which his great-great grandfather Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Zoref helped fund over 200 years ago.

A licensed tour guide, Meir explains the history of the Perushim, the students of the Vilna Gaon, who left Lithuania to rebuild the Jewish community of Jerusalem.

They sought to reconstruct the Hurva, or ruined courtyard, where once stood the grand synagogue of Judah HeHasid which was destroyed in 1720.

In 1864 it was rebuilt to be an iconic community center for the Jews of Jerusalem. It was destroyed in the War of Independence in 1948 and rebuilt in 2010.

Find out the inside story from a personal perspective.

NOTES:

* Meir Eisenman tour guide

* Family of Avraham Shlomo Zalman (Salomon) Zoref hold a conference in his memory

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The story of Operation Magic Carpet / Operation Wings of Eagles which airlifted tens of thousands of Jews from Yemen to Israel during the War of Independence.

Hear from journalist Ruth Gruber about the dedication of the ancient Jewish community of Yemen who faced starvation and persecution and trekked across the desert to be airlifted to the promised land.

Learn about the American pilots such as Warren Metzger and Elgen Long who flew non-stop over enemy territory to rescue the refugees who had never before seen an airplane. Find out how they modified the aircraft to carry hundreds of starving refugees to a new life in Israel.

NOTES:

* Alaska Jewish Museum - On the Wings of Eagles: Alaska's Contribution to Operation Magic Carpet

* Witness: One of the Great Correspondents of the Twentieth Century Tells Her Story by Ruth Gruber

* Elgen Long interview - Toldot Yisrael

* On Eagles' Wings: An Untold Story of the Magic Carpet by Captain Elgen M. Long

* Alaska Over Israel: Operation Magic Carpet, the Men and Women Who Made it Fly, and the Little Airline That Could by Darragh Metzger

* Interview with Warren Metzger’s daughter - Toldot Yisrael

* Alaska Airlines role in Operation Magic Carpet

* Yemenite Jews Mark Anniversary of ‘operation Magic Carpet’ - JTA

* JDCs “operation Magic Carpet” Ends As Last Yemenite Jews Land at Israel Airport - JTA

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