The need of some organization based on ideals that would tend to
promote a closer relationship among the Jewish students at Brown
University had long been felt on the campus. To meet this need there
has even been an attempt at uniting the Jewish men by ties not
necessarily Jewish in spirit; happily this attempt failed. Early in
this college year the Menorah movement was brought to the attention of
the Jewish students and its aims at once appealed as very worthy of
the serious consideration of Brown men.
An informal meeting was held and almost unanimous favor was exhibited
for the establishment of a Menorah Society at Brown. Whereupon a
committee was elected to interview the authorities of the University
concerning this matter, and their attitude was found to be all that
could be desired. Steps were then taken for formal organization, and
on the evening of January 6, 1915, a dedicatory meeting was held, and
the Brown Menorah Society was launched on its career. (For an account
of this meeting, see the April MENORAH JOURNAL, page 140.)
Shortly afterwards the Executive Council formulated a program of
activities for the rest of the year, a program which has now been
successfully carried through. On February 17, Prof. Richard Gottheil
of Columbia University gave a very interesting lecture on Zionism.
Several members of the Faculty were present and took part in the
general discussion that followed the lecture. At the meeting of March
17, Prof. A. T. Fowler of the Biblical Department of the University
and a member of the Advisory Board of the Society, spoke on "The Bible
as a Literary Document." On April 21, Prof. David G. Lyon of Harvard
University gave an illustrated lecture on "The Samarian Excavations."
This lecture was given in one of the largest halls of the University
and was open to the public.
The other meetings of the year were either business meetings or study
councils. At the study councils topics of Jewish interest were
discussed. An informal supper on the evening of May 20, with election
of officers for the following year, completed the activities of this
year.