Few know the amazing history of the founding of Hebrew University in 1925, and the vision of a “house of learning” for all Humanity, based upon the prophetic vision of Jerusalem in the last days.Albert Einstein had a significant role in its founding and the ceremony on April 1, 1925 brought together dignitaries, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian to celebrate its beginning, including Lord Balfour, General Allenby, Chaim Weitzman, and Rav Kook, the chief Rabbi of that time.
I was appointed a Distinguished Fellow in Humanities at Hebrew University last Fall, so I was doubly proud to be in Jerusalem on the Centinneal anniversary of its founding. This position has begun to open some important doors for me in doing the archaeological research I want to accomplish in Israel.
I also have a personal connection to that day–April 1, 1925. The late David Horowitz, Dean of the United Nations foreign correspondents,, who died at age 99 in 2002, was present at this founding ceremony. He and I became very close friends from the time I met him in 1990 until his death. His firsthand description of being in that crowd that day was very inspiring to me. He traveled to “old Palestine” as it was called then, in July 1924 and stayed until 1927. He was on of the Halutzim or “pioneers” and lived on the famous early settlement of Mikve Israel. In those days a host of notable authors, philosophers, and historians, such as Arthur Koestler, spent time in the land. Horowitz also tells of visiting Masada during that time, riding on horseback with armed Bedouin for protection. It was an amazing time intellectually for the thriving Jewish communities who had lived there for centuries, along with the new refugees from Russia and eastern Europe. April 9th was David’s birthday and United Israel World Union editor Ross Nichols produced a lovely Bulletin in tribute to his life and the research of his modern biographer, Ralph Buntyn. I wrote the forward to both of Buntyn’s books and highly recommend them as a rare inside record of what went on in the early post-WW II decades through the eyes of the brilliant UN correspondent David Horowitz. You can access this link to the Bulletin if you would like to read more, including a biography of David that I wrote shortly after his death:
United Israel Bulletin, April 9, 2025
BTW, Hebrew University stands at the summit of Mt Scopus where the Roman general Titus had his camp overlooking the horrible siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. You have perhaps seen the famous painting of David Roberts capturing this scene. How ironic that Jews, Christians, and Muslims, now study side-by-side in peace, at this premier world-class university, drawn together by their commitment to a search for truth in every areas of human endeavor.
More later on my extraordinary two weeks in Israel…
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