1894.] PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

ANNUAL REPORTOF THE

3337

President of the }Iebrew Union Eollege,EMBRAOING THE REPORTS OF THE

PROFESSORS AND PRECEPTORS,

OF STUDIES DURING THE SCHOLASTIC YEAR 1893-94,

CINCINNATI, August 19, 1894-5654.

To the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union Oollege:

MR. PREsIDENr AND GEN rLEMEN - It if'! with thanks to theAlmighty and reverence to your honorable body that I present toyou this annual report for the scholastic year 1893-94, the nine­teenth annual report from the Hebrew Union Cellege to its honorarycurators, the Board of Governors, and by them to the Union ofAmerican Hebrew Congregations.

'Vhat twenty years ago had been considered impossible by most ofour friends, and twelve years ago very doubtful by many-prior tothe first graduation of rabbis-stands now before the world as afinished, living, demon~trated fact, viz: this popular seat of Israel­Hish learning, with its rich library; thiR alma mater of the American

3338 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. [AUGUST,

teachers and expounders of .Judaiem, held in high esteem by itssister institutions abroad and the enlightened congregations athome, as the hope and promising future of Israel and its literarytreasures in this new and progressive world. Thanks to the Unionof American Hebrew Congregations for its generous and consistentsupport, and the benefactors, both ladies and gentlemen, in allparts of the land, for their gifts and bequests; thanks to the disin­terested faithfulness, assiduity, and wisdom of the Board of Govern­ors; thanks to the fidelity, conscientiousness, and distinguishedlearning of our Faculty, second to none, the manful, veracious, andenthusiastic conduct of our graduated rabbis; thanks to the excel­lent work in our cause by the High Schools and University ofCincinnati, this college overcame all obstacles in its way, and wentforth triumphantly from its struggle against the prophets of dis­aster and the champions of retrogression, and captured the esteemand confidence of our best men. The magnitude of this work forthe American Israel is incalculable. Future generations will,appreciate it, and show honor to every man connected with theupbuilding of this grea.t temple of Israel in America.

TEXT-BOOKS.

One of the greatest difficulties which this college had to over­come was the English terminology and English text-books for thecourse of studies, with which it was started and is still in practice.Aside of the Bible the literature of the Hebrews, rabbinical, philo­sophical, or historical, had been sparsely cultivated by Englishscholars, both here and in England. The same naturally was thecase with text-books. There was none in the English langnage,except some Hebrew grammars and a translation of Gesenius'Hebrew lexicon, till the late Rabbi Goldammer translated Luz­zatto's Aramaic grammar. A rabbinical dictionary did not existtill Dr. J astrow published his work, which appeared but half to thisday. This deficiency was but partly remedied by two books whichI wrote, viz: The History of the Hebrews' Second Commonw~a1th

and Pronaos to Holy \Vrit, and Dr. Mielziner's book on the Rab­binical laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance; and th3,t is so

1894.J PRESIDENT'S REPORT. 3339

much more than all the other English-speaking colleges did, exceptthe English translation of Moreh Nebur:him by Dr. Friedlander, ofLondon, En?;land. Last year, I am happy to report, brought usthree new text-books, viz: Dr .Mielziner's excellent introduction tothe Talmud, Dr. Margolis' practical Hebrew Grammar, and myIntroduction to the Theology of Judaism, so that the college nowpossesses' six original text-books produced by the members of itsown Faculty. \Ve may justly consider this fact an evidence ofsuperiority of the Hebrew Union College over all its sister institu­tions.

FACULTY, STUDENTS, GRADUA'J'ES, DEGREES.

The scholastic year 1893-94 was opened in September, 1893, withfour professors, four precepters, and fifty-six students in its eightclasses, and closed, after the annual examination, June 22, 1894.*

There was no change of the Faculty during thc year. Dr. A.l\foses, of Louisville, delivered a course of lectures before the classeson the origin of Mosaism, and Dr. Louis Grossman, of Detroit, lec­tured before the classes on comparative theology. Extra lectureswere delivered 8aturday afternoon from May 15th to June 15thbefore the classes by the Faculty. The members of the Senior andJunior classes preached alternately Sabbath afternoon in the col­lege synagogue, some of them also in the temples of Cincinnatt andin other cities. At the graduation and ordination exercises Dr.Moses, of Louisville. delivered the laureate oration.

Three of the fifty-six students left the institute during the year,seven of them graduated, and forty-six are left in the followinggrades and classes:

C Grade, 5; B Grade, 11; A Grade, 13; I. Collegiate Class, 5;II. Collegiate Class, 6 ; Juniors, 3; Seniors, 4; D Grade to beformed of freshmen to come in September. The prizes distributedamong students were donated by our former colleague, Rev. Dr.Davidson, of Montgomery, Ala.

Degrees were conferred as follows: The B. H. degree (i~n) onthe five graduates from the Prepara\ory Department; the degree of

*Particulars in the Program.

3340 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. [AUGUST,

Rabbi was conferred on the seven graduates from the Collegiate. Department; the degree of Bachelor of Divinity was conferred onPreceptor Feldman, of our Faculty; the degree of Doctor ofDivinity was conferred on Rabbi Rudolph Grossman, B. L., of NewYork.

The Pensa of the Scholastic Year.

The quantity of literature elaborated during the last year is speci­fied in the following annual report of the professors:

Prof Dr. Mielziner reports to have taught this:

IN SENIOR CLAS'3.

1. Talmud, with Rashi and select Tosaphoth; a. Maccoth, thewhole Massechta, with the exception of some pages in the thirdTerek. b. Selections from various Massechtoth, as Succah, Sanhe­dri n, Shebuoth, and Yebamoth; also some selections from Abothd'R. Nathan and Massecheth Sopherim.

2. Oode Shulcnan Aruch. a. Orach Chayim, Hilchoth, Tesach.b. Yore Dea, Hilchoth Talmud Tora, Tzedaka, Milah, Gerim andAbeloth. ,

3. ilfidrnsh, fourteen chapters of Vayikra Rabba, besides someparts of Midrash Esther.

4. Lectl1res. a. On Marriage and Divorce. In connection withthese lectures select passages from Shulchan Aruch Eben Ha-ezerwere read. b. Lectures on the Talmudical laws and rules concern·ing oath.

THE JUNIOR AND THE SECOND COLLEGIATE CLASSES COMBINED.

1. Talmud Chullin, with Rashi, the third Terek from folio 42a to50a and from 54a to 64b; besides some passages of Rosh Hashana.

2. Lectures on principles of the civil and criminal law of theTalmud.

3. MidraBh BereshHh Rabba, Selections, Remark. Only thetwo members of the Junior Class participated in these Midrashreadings.

1894.] PRESIDE\T'S nEPOHT.

THE FIRST COLLEGIA'rE CLASS.

33-11

Exod US, with Targum and Rashi (chapters i to xxii).Respectfully submitted,

DR. M. MIELZINER.

PROF. DR. DEUTSCH REPORTS.

I taught history in two divisions, for which purpose the secondCollegiate, Junior and Senior Classes were combined. The lowerclass was composed of the members of the first Collegiate Class.The course of this class comprised both the political and literaryhistory of the Jews from the destruction of the temple until thecompletion of the Mishna.

In the higher class I taught the history of the Jews from the riseof Islam, including the history of the pre-Mohammedan era, untilthe time of Saadjah. Besides I devoted one hour weekly to a gen­eral survey of Jewish history from the year 10 A. C. up to theMendelssohnian era.

Philosophy was taught by me in three grades, the first comprisingthe first Collegiate Class~ the second the combined second Colle­giate and Junior Classes, the third the members of the Senior Class.

In the first. grade I limited myself to the reading of MorehNebuchim, Part 1., Chapters 31-48, my chief aim being to make thestudents familiar with the technical terms of medimval Hebrewphilosophy.

In the second grade I read Moreh Nebuchim, Part IlL, Chapters2H-42, and gave a series of lectures on the various philosophicaldefinitions of religion.

In the third grade I read of Saadjah's Emunot w'death, the firstchapter on creation, and selected chapters from Alba's Iqarim,Parts II. and IV. In connection with the reading of Saadjah Igave lectures on Plato's Cosmogony, and during the last month Ilectured on the introduction into the science of religion.

In the Junior and second Collegiate Classes I read two hoursweekly; selected passages from Ibn Ezra '8 and Nachman's com­mentaries to Exodus.

3342 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. tAUGUST,

In the first Collegiate Class I read Talmud Sabbath f. 21a-23b,U5a-11ob, 'faanith f. 15a-18h, Mishna Baba Oama and Baba Mezia,Chapters 1-4, Tur Drach Chajim, §§ 472. 480, 670, 696.

Respectfully submitted,G. DEUTSCH.

PROFESSOR DR. PHILIPSON'S REPORT.

I beg leave to submit the following report of the work done byme during the past scholastic year.

In the senior class I instructed in Arabic, taking Sociu's grammarand chrestomathy as text book. The class has read in the chrest­omathy, has learned the elementary principles of Arabic grammarand has persued the language with regard to comparative SemiticPhilology in as far as this was possibl8. In Homiletics I delivereda course of lectures; the class also studied some chapters in thehistory of Jesuit Preaching in Zunz "Gottesdienstliche Vortraege del'Juden." A sermon was delivered weekly in the chapel by a memberof the cla~s. Respectfully yours,

DAVID PUILIPSOX.

PRESIDENT DR. 'VISE'S REPORT.

I read in the Senior class the first j}[aamar (on principles) from.roseph Albo's lkkarim, comparing with Maimonides, Kreshas andAbarbanel; in junior and second collegiate class combined, fromMaimonides Moreh Nebuchim, Part IU, chapters eleven to twenty­five on optimism, thelology, cause of evil, omniscience and provi­dence, comparing with modern philosophers on the same subjects;in Collegiate class from Moreh Nebuchim, Part II, the introductorypremises and subsequent evidence on the existance of Deity.

In lectures I discussed in the three upper classes Introduction tothe Theology of J uclaism according to my pamphlet before the Par­liament of Religion in Chicago; in Senior class alone lectures onthe ethics of Judaism, and the standard to distinguish in the lawsof Moses the eternal from the temporary matter; in 1st CollegiateClass I lectured on Introduction to Holy 'Vrit according to my

18U4.] PRESIDENT'S REPOWf. 3348

Pronaos to Holy \Vrit, in connection therewith I read with the classsuch portions of Scripture to which the lectures referred.

PRECEPTOR REV. S. J\IANNHEIMER'S REPORT.

During the scholastic year 1893-4 the following branches weretaught by me :

Grade B.-Leviticus, with Rashi to Chapters 19 and 25 and someselect passages. (Three hours weekly).

Pso.Jms:-The third and fourth books, i. e. Psalms' 73 to 106; thefollowing Psalmes we memorized: 84, 85, 90, 91, 92, 93, 104, 113,118. (One hour weekly).

Mishna: -Sanhedrin with seleet passages of Bertinoro. (Twohours weekly).

Proverbs:-Chapters 21-31. (One hour weekly).To six students of Grade C, I taught Mishna, Taanith and Me­

gillah.Grade A.-The Books of Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah: the rudi­

ments of Aramaic grammar with exercises of translation from Ara­maic into Hebrew. (Two hours weekly).

p1 irst Collegiate Class. lsaiah:-Chapters 40-60, 13, 14, 34, 35 ;21, v. 1-10. The students committed to memory chapters 40, 53, 55,.53. (Two hours weekly).

Junior and Second Collegiate Classes.-The books ,of Joel, Amos,Hosea and Micha. (Two hours weekly).

Respectfully submitted,S. MANNHEIMER.

PR.ECEPTOR FELDMAN'S B. D. REPOR'r.

I have the honor to report to your honorable body that duringthe past scholastic year I have taught the following in the HebrewUnion College:

Bible and Hebrew Grammar :-ii~'tV ",t:'~ (selections) chaptersx to xxvii read and rememorized by A Grade. LectureR on the Ac­centuation of the twenty-one s. c. prose books of the Bible to AGrade. Lessons in the Hebrew noun and a review of the verb withexercises in B Grade.

3344 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL ImpORT. [AUGUST,

lIIishna and Talmud.-Mishna Berakhoth complete with selectreadings in Talmud to Perek I in C Grade. Mishna Tesachimnearly complete, with select readings in Talmud to Perek X in BGrade. Mishna Rosh Ha-Shona complete with select readings inGemara to Perek I in A Grade. Lectures 011 the Principles of.Jewish Calendation in A Grade.

Philosophic Literature.-Marmonides: J)'~ii i~O all except thepurely halaklin portions. Bachya Ibn-Pakuda: 1i'~:J'ii 1i'~'ii.

Eight sections in i1:'t:'1iii iJ)ir:' in A Grade.Respectfully submitted,

E. Fl~LDMA~.

PRECEPTOR MARGOLIS' REPORT.

I beg leave to submit to your kind attention the following annualreport of the work of my classes during the last academic year:

Grade D.-Six hours: (a) Exodus, chapters 1-24, 31,1:2-34, 28read with especial reference to matterB 0 f accidence and the ele­ments of syntax; (b) Psalms 1, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 33, 120-132 readwith due regard to the verbal meaning; Psalms 1, 23, 24, 27, 30, 121committed to memory; (c) Grammar, lessons I-L; (d) Twen ty­two grammatical tests, partly from the books of Exodus and Joshua.

The written examination consisted of four papers: (a) sight~

vocalisation of Dt. 5, 19-28 (selected); (b) five gramatical topics;(c) thirty nominal and verbal forms to be translat~d from theEnglish; (d) a test adopted from II Samuel, 20, 16-22.

Grade C.-Five hours (one in combination with D): (a) Num­bers, the entire book with the main stress laid on the verbal mean­ing; (b) Grammar, lessons L-LXXVI; previous lessons reviewed;(c) sight-reading of various prose parts of the Bible, occasionallywith a grammatical analysis of interesting forms; (d) a series of16 graded tests, taken from Genesis, Judges, Samuel, .Jeremiah,Ruth, and containing specimens of can versational (hence idiomatic)Hebrew, all prepared in the class-room; (f) Selections from IbnEzra's commentary on Numbers; the elements of method.ical exe­gesis.

1894. ] PRESIDENT'S REPOHT, 334G

The following essays were written by members of the class: 1.The effect of the shifting of the present accent in Hebrew on the vo­calisation, (Emil Leipziger.) 2, A glossary to the tests, togetherwith a list of important instructions, (George Zepin); 3. Thestructure of the Hebrew verb, (Benton Oppenheimer.) 4. A glos­sary containing all verbal forms occurring in Judges 13-17, withreferences to the grammar, ( Pizer Jacobs.) 5. Ibn Ezra's grammat­ical notes on Numbers selected, alphabetically arranged and com­mented upon, (Abe Brill.) 6. The portions of Numbers: text,translation, notes, (Leon Volmer.) 7. The consecutive tenses inNumbers, 30-36, (Wm: Feinschreiber.) 8. The legal portions ofNumbers, (Abr. Anspacher.) 9. A glossary of nouns occurring inJudges 13-17 with reference to the Grammar, (Moise Bergman.)10. The historical portions of Numbers, (JacobMielziner).

The written examination consisted of five papers: (a) sight vo­calisation of Dt. 8, 11-20; (b) five grammatical topics; (c) fivepoints of exegesis; (d) fifty nominal and verhal forms to be trans­lated fmm the English; (e) test, containing the conversationalparts in II Kings, 4, 19-36.

Grade A.-rrwo hours: (a.) Deuteronomy, the entire book; thepoetibal parts elucidated in the form of a running commentary; (b)Part of the Targum to Dt. 32 (in Merx's chrestomathy;) the Ara­maic noun.

The following essays were prepared by members of the class: 2.The phraseology of Deuteronomy, ( Abe Hirschberg.} 1. The legalparts of Deuteronomy, (Louis Dreeben.) 3. The contents of Deut­eronomy, (Joseph Kornfeld.) 4. The ethical and religious con­ception::;: of Deuteronomy, (Leon Nelson.)

\Vritten examination consisted of 5 questions covering the groundof study.

Syriac, Beginners' Course' (1 st Collegiate Class. )-One hour: (a)the elements of Syriac accidence; (b) reading of Matthew, chap­ter 26, I Samuel 28, Isaiah 5 and Bar Hebracus pp. 415-417 in Roed­iget"~ Chl'estomathia Syriaca. The written examination consistedin part of sight vocalization of I Corinthians, 13,1-2.

3346 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. [AUGUST,

Syriac Advanced Course (1st Collegiate Class and Juniors. )-Onehour; Psalms 1, 23, 24, 26,27,30, 33, 120-124; 121 committed tomemory; topics of a comparative character discussed. An accountof the various Syriac versions of the Bible was given to the class.The written examination consisted in part of sight-vocalization ofPsalm 96. (The text used that of E. Nestle, Psalterium Syria~um,

Tubingae 1879.)

Advanced Hebrew Grammar and Bible Course (Seniors and IICollegiate Class.-One hour (since February two hours additionallyin special' session); (a) Grammar, lessons I-L with occasionalreference to the cognate languages; (b) A history of the Biblicaltext and the Massora; (c) Job, chs. 1-3. During the year twoessays were prepared by members of the class: 1. The alphabet,(Fred Cohn;) 2. The Hebrew language and literature, (Abe Mes­sing.) The written examination was mainly intended to cover thegrammatical ground. Respectfully submitted.

MAX MARGOLIS.

PRECEPTOR RABBI CHARLES LEVI REPORTS.

I have the honor to submIt to your esteemed body the followingannual summary of studies taken during the academic year 1893-4in the A, B, C and D Grades, under my instruction. D Grade His­tory (two hours weekly) Text Book, Wise's "Hebrew's SecondCommonwealth." FrLlm 536-107, 1:. e., from the return of the Baby­lonian exiles to the death of John Hyrcan, this being the Medo­Persian, the Grecian, the Revolutionary and Independence periodsof Jewish ~listory.

C Grade; History (two hours weekly) Text Book, vVise's "He­brew's Second Commonwealth." From 134 B. C. to 37 A. C. Fromthe reign of John Hyrcan to the banishment of Pontius PIlate andthe recall of Votellius by Caligula, being those epochs of Jewishhistory known as the Period of Independence, 134-63 B. C. Pales­tine under Roman Vassal Rulers 63 B. C. to 7 A. C. The rule ofthe Roman Procnrators, 7 A. C. to 37 A. C.

18~H,J PRESIDENT'S REPOR'r. 3347

C Grade; Bible Reading, (two hours weekly.) This class wastaught during six months by Mr. Abram Gideon, who, on accountof sickness was obliged to cease his instructions, whereupon I as­sumed charge of the class and have given them but ten lessons. ISamuel, chapter i-xxxi.

B Grade.; History, (two hours; amounting to but 1 hour and 20minutes weekly.) Text Book, \Vise's "Hebrew's Second Common­wealth" From 7 A. C. to 70 A. C. From the banishment of Arche­lans and the Rule of the ProcurJ.tors to the destruction of Jerusa­lem and the capture of Massada. Literature and culture of thesecond commonwealth were taken in a general manner, but notstudied in detail.

A Grade; History, (two hours weekly.) Text Book "Cassel'sOlltlines of Jewish History," " Graetz' English Edition. From 220A. C. to 1050. From the reconstructed Persian Empire to the closeof the Babylonian schools and the decline and fall of the Gaonaite,heing the epochs of the Amorian 220-500; the Sabc)rian 500-650 ;the Gaonim 650-1060 A. C.

History of Jew8 in Spain. Text Book, Ninety-third Edition ofBaeck"s History. From 712-1204 A. C. From the conquest ofSpain by the Saracens under the Tarik and the overthrow of theVisigoths, to Don Pedro II, and the Papacy under Innocent theThird. History of Jewish Culture and Literature from Sadia andChasdia, to the death of Maimonides, 942-1204. As Ardinarius ofthe D Grade I consulted with the other teachers of the class end ampriviliged to recommend each member for promotion with the fol­lowing record:

Elias Margolis, 88.7.David Alexander, 85.8.Henry Englander, 85Morris Feuerlicht, 84.7.•Joseph Blatt, 78.

The deportment of the students of this class is excellent.Katie Pilhashy withdrew from the class at the beginning of May.

Respectfully submittecl,RABBI OHABLEB LEVI.

3348 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. [AUGUST,

The teachers from the Senior Class taught with best success in thePreparatory department as follows:

In D Grade: Isidore Rosenthal taught Mishnah, viz: Aboth andBerachoth complete; and Abraham Simon taught the book of Joshuaand Judges complete except the three closing chapters.

In C Grade: I and II Samuel, Abraham Gideon did not finishthe pensum ; in B Grade Morris Newfield completed I and II Kings.

In the month of June I have personally examined almost everysubject of the curriculum, and found thai teachers and studentsalmost without exception have done well in this scholastic year,although this is the largest curriculum of any college of this kind.

And now may I be permittted to submit the foHowing proposi­tions to your honorable body:

1. To order no less than 500 phamphlets of the enclosed programwhich is the only advertisement of this college and contains the de­tails of this report; to be freely distributed to the press, colleges,universities, seminaries here and abroad, and to be used as informa.tion to inquirers whose letters I must answer almost daily.

2. To change the title of Preceptor to "Assistant Professor."The title of preceptor is antiquated, is used no longer in anyacademic institution, and our preceptors are members of the facultyanyhow, and are called professors by their acquaintances.

3. To establish a prize for the most proficient Hebrew writeramong the students of the college, to be awarded annually to theone who has ben a student in this college no less than six years.

4. To fix the salary of the following assistant teachers whicht

have been selected in obedience to your resolution: .Morris New-field to teach Mishnah in Grade D from September 1 to J'\.lly 1, at asalary of $18 per month. As this gentleman has done exceedinglywell in teaching last term in B Grade, Rabbi Mandel, the officiatingminister of the Ahavath Achim congregation (John Street Temple)to teach Former Prophets in D, C and B Grades and Psalms in oneGrade, from September 1 to July 1, at a salary of $50 per month.Rabbi Mandel finished his theological education at the HochschvleFuer die .Tued1:8che Wissenshaft, in Berlin, his classical and philosph-

tl

1894.] PRESIDENT'S REPORT. 3340

ical education he finished at the University of Berlin, as his papersshow, and for the last scholastic year attended both the Universityof Cinc{nnati and this college as a post graduate Hospitant.

Please, gentlemen, accept my thanks for the courteous treat­ment you have accorded to me at all times, and the confidenceJOu have placed in me. May these kind relations and hearty c(;­operation never be disturbed and the blessing of the Lord rest uponthis institute and all connected with it, -and upon each of you il ­dividually.

Yours most obedient servant,ISAAC M. WISE,

'President Hebrew Union Collei e.