The Jews of Columbia University

Aug. 29 2024

There are academic anti-Zionists far more poisonous than Shaul Magid, and this newsletter will continue to cover their activities. But it’s also worth considering how often universities have been a welcoming place to American Jewry, something Michelle Margolis considers in her investigation into the history of Jews at Columbia:

The [school’s] 1784 charter had an interesting requirement, that there should be regents from among the clergy representing all “respective religious denominations in this State.” Chosen to represent the Jewish religion was Gershom Mendes Seixas of Shearith Israel Congregation, the oldest Jewish congregation in New York. Seixas remained on as a trustee when Columbia received its own board of trustees in 1787, and would continue serving as a trustee until he resigned in 1814 due to “infirmities.”

Jonathan Nathan received his A.B. in 1826 and his Master in Chancery (a kind of law degree) from 1840–1845. He maintained a close relationship with his college classmate, Hamilton Fish, Sr., [later the governor of New York], and the library has a collection of letters written from 1843–1857 to his school friend. One particularly interesting letter in the collection addresses his Jewish practice: “I am anxious to come up now as our Passover commences on Wednesday when our system of dietetics will keep me home for a week.”

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More about: American Jewish History, Columbia University

A Jewish Obligation to Vote

On October 3, 1984, Rabbi Moses Feinstein—a leading figure among American Orthodox Jews, whose halakhic opinions are obeyed and studied today—wrote a letter encouraging Jews to vote in the upcoming elections. Feinstein, a talmudist of the old school, was born in a shtetl in the vicinity of Minsk, then in the Russian empire, before elections were known in that country. He came to the U.S. in 1937, at the age of forty-one, to escape the ever-worsening persecution of devout Jews in the Soviet Union. That experience no doubt shaped his view of democracy. Herewith, the letter in full:

On reaching the shores of the United States, Jews found a safe haven. The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference and to live in this republic in safety.

A fundamental principle of Judaism is hakaras hatov—recognizing benefits afforded us and giving expression to our appreciation. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which safeguards the freedoms we enjoy. The most fundamental responsibility incumbent on each individual is to register and to vote.

Therefore, I urge all members of the Jewish community to fulfill their obligations by registering as soon as possible and by voting. By this, we can express our appreciation and contribute to the continued security of our community.

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More about: 2024 Election, American Jewry, Democracy, Halakhah