Bidspirit auction | The Opening of the Hebrew

The Opening of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, ”the Spiritual Center in the Land of Israel” - an Important Letter by the Historian Shimon Dubnov to his Friend ”Echad Ha'Am”, the Advocate of the Idea of the University - Berlin, 1925 - Extremely Rare! - An important, interesting letter handwritten and signed by the well-known historian Shimon Dubnov, to his friend Asher Ginsberg (”Echad Ha'Am”). The letter was sent from Berlin in Adar 1925, several days before the opening ceremony of the Hebrew University of Mount Scopus, a ceremony that had excited many Jews in Israel and around the world. The founding of the University was a most significant historical step of the Zionist and national enterprise. In his letter, Dubnov calls the opening of the University: ”Simchat Torah”(!). Echad Ha'Am laid the foundation of the Hebrew University (as of the other institutions of higher education in Israel). He was also the advocate and founder of the ”Cultural Zionism” movement, according to which the Land of Israel could not economically absorb the millions of the Dispora Jews and should therefore be a national-cultural center for them. Dubnov was an active partner to this approach. In the letter before us, Dubnov asks Echad Ha'Am, ”the creator of the doctrine of the cultural center in the Land of Israel”, to give his warm greetings to the members of ”committee in charge of the University” - one of whom was Echad Ha'Am himself - ”who realize your great idea”. ”I regret that I could not be there to celebrate the Simchat Torah with you, but from afar, I am so happy for you”, writes Dubnov. Then he congratulates the new institution. Among others, he wishes that ”The Jerusalemite University shall not be inferior to its sisters in other countries and will be superior in the subject of Jewish studies”. Dubnov's enthusiasm for the Hebrew University derived from his worldview regarding the relationship between the Jewish Nation and the Land of Israel. Dubnov saw the Land of Israel as a spiritual center and did not assign special significance to Zionism or a Zionist state in the Land of Israel. He believed that the Jewish nation is a nation even without land. He did not believe in the idea of the Jewish nation's return to its land. Rather, he thought that one of the many spiritual centers of the Jewish nation should be in the Land of Israel. Therefore, he strongly supported the foundation of the Hebrew University. Dubnov believed that the Jewish worldwide center should be located in the territories of Russia-Poland. There, most of the Jews strived for autonomy and national unity. He hoped that the new center will be less religious and open to general, non-religious cultural influence, with Yiddish its official language. Dubnov objected to the claim that the Jews were foreigners in Europe. He believed the Jews were part and parcel of Europe and its culture. Therefore, he rejected the demand of Zionism that the Jews leave Europe and return to the Land of Israel to renew their nationality. However, Dubnov's beliefs shattered in face of bitter reality, duringthe terrible Holocaust. In 1941, Dubnov was murdered by a Gestapo officer, who was a former student of his (!). His burial place is unknown. Retroactively, it became clear that there is no hope for the Jewish nation in foreign countries, only on its own land. The huge Jewish centers of Germany, Poland, Russia and Ukraine were destroyed almost totally. Dubnov descendants live peacefully in the State of Israel, which is the center of the Jewish nation. Shimon Dubnov (1860-1941), a writer, historian and activist, lived and was active in Russia, Germany and the Baltic countries. He was one of the founders of Jewish Autonomism, which involved a form of self-rule in the Jewish diaspora, which Dubnov called ”the Jewish world-nation”. According to this perspective of his, he wrote the eleven volumes of his comprehensive composition ”Divrei Yemei Am Olam”, which received wide publicity. Echad Ha'Am, the advocate of the idea of the university Asher Zvi Ginsberg, primarily known by his Hebrew name and pen name, Echad Ha'am‎‎, was a Hebrew essayist, and one of the foremost pre-state Zionist thinkers. He is known as the founder of cultural Zionism. In a booklet in honor of the inauguration of the Hebrew University it was written that ”Echad Ha'Am” thought of the idea of the university already in 1891, during a visit to Jerusalem. In 1922, he immigrated to the Land of Israel and joined the committee planning the building of the university, which operated during the years 1922-1925. He served as chairman of the sub-committee planning the institute for oriental studies. He took part in the opening ceremony of the university, sitting at the central stage. Important, interesting, historical item! Dubnov's handwriting is extremely rare! For many years, his handwriting has not been seen in auctions! 14x22 cm. Condition: Good. A restored tear.