Jews -- Periodicals; Jews -- United States -- Periodicals
For right appreciation, which shall be neither over-appreciation nor
under-appreciation, but true appreciation, based upon a correct
estimation of all essentials, the first requisite is knowledge,
thorough knowledge of all conditions, forces and influences. And the
second requisite is pride, pride in this knowledge and in the object
of this knowledge. And this, translated into the Menorah language,
means, as I understand it, correct knowledge of Judaism, of our Jewish
history, our Jewish past, our Jewish heritage, our Jewish religion,
and pride in all this Judaism--a knowledge and pride that alone can
enable us to know what Judaism truly is, and what its work and its
mission for the present and the future must be, that alone can enable
us to live positively and constructively as Jews and perpetuate our
Judaism for the blessing of ourselves, our children, and all mankind.
So I interpret the Menorah movement. And I heartily welcome such a
movement, whose aim is the awakening of our Jewish college young men
and women to a wholesome and genuine appreciation of themselves, of
the Jewish side of their lives, of their Jewish consciousness and
Jewish obligations, of the full meaning and responsibility imposed
upon them by their subscribing to the name Jew, and their adherence to
the religion of our fathers. We must look to our college-bred Jewish
men and women to become the guiding spirits in our Judaism of
to-morrow and of all the future. And I say, "Thank God for any
movement that must surely lead to this goal."
DR. H. M. KALLEN
Since this seems to be the occasion for reminiscence, I want to take
the liberty of recalling for you an episode of the formation of the
Menorah Society at Harvard. It turned on the question of the right
form of stating the object of the Society and you will remember
perhaps that the object is stated in these terms: "The Harvard Menorah
Society for the study and advancement of Hebraic culture and
ideals"--not Jewish, not Judaistic, but Hebraic. The persons who
agitated the use of the term Hebraic had certain very definite
literary and historic and social relationships in mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account