=University of Pennsylvania=
OUR Menorah at Pennsylvania has passed through a crisis which for a
time threatened its welfare, but happily the present internal
condition is healthy and assures the new administration the hearty
support of the entire membership. Despite difficulties our work has
been successful and varied. Last year fourteen regular meetings were
held, some devoted to programs by our own members, others to outside
speakers.
Among those who addressed us last year were Dr. Cyrus Adler, '83,
President of the Dropsie College; Rabbi Henry Berkowitz, Chancellor of
the Jewish Chautauqua Society, on the "New Teaching of Religion"; Dr.
Henry M. Speaker, Principal of Gratz College, on "Jewish Literature";
Rabbi Haas of the Baron de Hirsch School, on "Woodbine, a Jewish
Town"; Dr. Isaac Husik of the Semitic Faculty, on "Philosophic
Movements of Medieval Jewry"; and Dr. Henry Malter of the Dropsie
College, on "The Written and the Oral Law."
In addition to the regular meetings we have been for the past three
years conducting a Jewish Discussion Group, led by Rabbi Marvin Nathan
of this city, which has proved very popular. The group meets at the
noon hour and attracts also non-Menorah men, women students, and
liberal-minded non-Jews. This year in order to accommodate the
students whose schedules prevent their attending this group, we expect
to institute another to be conducted either like the present or in
such a way as to utilize the services of the Rabbis and other
prominent Jews of Philadelphia.
Our policy this year concerning new members differs decidedly from
that of the past. While we are by no means more restrictive or
exclusive than heretofore, we feel that the method of "rushing" men
into membership is psychologically wrong. It cheapens the organization
in the eyes of non-members and thereby defeats its own end. Instead of
attempting to cajole freshmen into joining, we shall endeavor to
attract the serious-minded men on the campus by the quality of our
programs and the variety of our activities. With the strong men in,
the others will follow, and in this way our membership will be one of
both quality and quantity.
Another innovation this year will be the acceptance of women students
as members. The attitude of the University toward mixed membership in
organizations that meet on the campus has been unfavorable and as a
result women students have been admitted only to the Discussion Group
and to public meetings. Their wholesale application for admission into
the Society, however, prompted us to intervene in their behalf, and in
view of the seriousness of our purpose the authorities consented to
make the exception. Hereafter, therefore, we shall be able to offer
membership, on an equal footing, to all students.
Although our attention this year will be directed mainly to intensive
work, the Menorah will continue to act unofficially as the medium
between the Jewish students here and local communal activities. In a
quiet way, also, we intend to exert our influence upon local Jewish
organizations so as to induce them to take a more active interest in
Jewish affairs. They will be invited to attend our public meetings and
assistance will be offered them in arranging programs along Jewish
lines. We shall further offer to furnish them with speakers from among
our members.
A real need of our Menorah, and probably of other Menorahs, is some
extra incentive to induce the writing of Jewish papers. The
establishment here of a Menorah Prize would, we feel confident, work
wonders in stimulating interest in Jewish problems. We look forward to
the early filling of this need.
Of our work this year we are very optimistic. Several papers have
already been prepared by members and others are promised. A number of
notable men, including Provost Edgar F. Smith, of our University, and
Professor David W. Amram, '87, of the Law Faculty, will give us
addresses. We are in addition organizing a Menorah Orchestra with the
idea primarily of presenting to the public the best Jewish music, and
we hope in this way to combine business with pleasure.