D O C U M E N T 3 9 4 D E C E M B E R 1 9 2 4 3 9 1
tinent, and regarding which I would like to make an especially large claim on your
kind interest, which I am confident you have. Both institutions are now going to be-
gin operations during the course of the next few months. The two chemistry depart-
ments are already running. The Microbiology Institute has engaged a talented
young assistant, and if I succeed in persuading an important Jewish microbiologist
at the Pasteur
Institute,[8]
with whom we have been negotiating for some time al-
ready, to assume the director’s position, which I am going to try to achieve over the
course of the next weeks during a visit to Paris, then this institute should start op-
erations definitively by the beginning of next year, too. The institute for Jewish and
oriental studies, which is supposed to constitute the first department of the faculty
of the humanities, will begin its teaching and research work already at the end of
December under the direction of some important Jewish scholars who have already
arrived in
Palestine.[9]
The long-neglected technical college is now finally also be-
ginning to move. We succeeded in getting a very able Jewish
engineer[10]
for the
inauguration of the institute, and if we can collect enough funding to cover the run-
ning budget, the daytime courses as well as the evening ones will be able to start
operations very shortly. We now want to try to initiate over the course of the coming
months a publicity campaign for these two institutions among restricted circles and
have decided to send for this purpose Mr. Leo Kohn, the secretary of the managing
committees of both institutions, to the most important continental centers. The pur-
pose of this campaign will be to open ties with academic institutes, academies, and
libraries, particularly to pave the way for book and periodical exchanges with our
university library, which is very much in need of support; furthermore, also to or-
ganize support for both institutions by Jewish scholars, medical doctors, academi-
cians, and technicians, as we did with such good success in
America;[12]
and final-
ly, to approach individual Jewish philanthropists, particularly those who cannot
otherwise be won over to Palestine causes. You are personally acquainted with Mr.
Kohn, and so I can spare myself lengthy words of introduction. For three years he
has familiarized himself down to the smallest detail with all phases of this work, to
which he has enthusiastically and indefatigably applied his energy. I think that he
will succeed in arousing lively interest in our issues of higher education in Pales-
tine, which, of course, concern not just the Palestine Jewry. I myself, insofar as it
is possible for me during my visits to the different continental centers, will promote
the furtherance of this work which, according to my deepest conviction, constitutes
an extraordinarily essential part of our entire organizational work and precisely at
the present stage of development also addresses a very current need.
I certainly hope that we may count on your active support in this endeavor.
Most cordial regards, yours,
Ch. Weizmann.