“Wednesday, the fifteenth day of the fifth month, the month of _Menachem-Ab_, being in the year Five Thousand six hundred and seventy-eight from the creation of the World, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine from the destruction of our second Temple, and the twenty-first year after the first Zionist Congress called by Dr. Benjamin Zeeb _ben_ Jacob Herzl, the first year of the Declaration of the British Government issued through the Rt. Hon. Arthur James Balfour promising to grant a National Home to the Jewish People in the land of _Israel_,――the day on which was laid the first stone of the building which shall become the first _Hebrew_ University in _Jerusalem_. In testimony of which we add our signatures.” The signatures included that of the _Sephardi_ Chief _Rabbi_ Nissim Elyashar, the _Ashkenazi_ Chief _Rabbi_ Zerach Epstein, the _Mufti_ of _Jerusalem_, Bishop MacInnes, Chief _Rabbi_ Uziel of _Jaffa_ in the name of Baron Edmond _de_ Rothschild, _M._ Libowitz, one of the last of the heroic band of _Bilu_, Dr. Thon, Mr. D. Levontin, and some boys and girls in the name of the future generation. The signed scroll was buried under the first stone. Dr. Weizmann then delivered an address. He said:―― “We have to-day laid the foundation-stone of the first Jewish University, which is to be erected on this hill, overlooking the city of _Jerusalem_. Many of us will have had their thoughts cast back to the great historic scenes associated with _Jerusalem_, scenes that have become part of the heritage of mankind. It is not too fanciful to picture the souls of those who have made our history here with us to-day inspiring us, urging us onwards, to greater and ever greater tasks. Many again will have had their attention riveted on the apparent contrast between to-day’s ceremony and the scenes of warfare within a few miles of us. For only a brief moment we are allowing ourselves to indulge in a mental armistice, and in laying aside all thoughts of strife we try to pierce the veil of war and glance into the future. A week ago we were keeping the Fast of _Ab_, reminding us that the Temple had been utterly destroyed and the Jewish national political existence extinguished apparently for ever. But throughout the long centuries we, the stiff-necked people, have refused to acknowledge defeat, and ‘_Judæa Capta_’ is once more on the eve of triumph. Here, out of the misery and the desolation of war, is being created the first germ of a new life. Hitherto we have been content to speak of Reconstruction and Restoration. We know that ravished Belgium, devastated France, Poland and Russia must and will be restored. In this University, however, we have gone beyond Restoration and Reconstruction, we are creating during the period of war something which is to serve as a symbol of a better future.