British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 913

CHAPTER XXII.
was energetically fostered by Dr. Weizmann, with the support of the late Lord Balfour. Dr. Weizmann laid the foundation stone on the 24th July, 1918. The University was formally opened on the 1st April, 1925. Dr. Weizmann, as the President of the Zionist Organisation, presided over the ceremonies. The dedication was celebrated by the late Lord (Mr. A. J.) Balfour in the presence of Sir Herbert (now Viscount) Samuel, the late Lord Allen by, representatives of many governments, scholars representing universities and academies in all parts of the world and delegates from worldwide Jewish Organisations. The establishment of the University was stated by Dr. Weizmann to be necessary as the intellectual centre of the Jewish people and to provide the cultural element required for the preservation of the national energies. Institutes of chemistry, microbiology and Jewish studies were already established by 1925; a faculty of humanities in 1928; a division of biological studies in 1931. The latter was incorporated in 1935 into the newly created Faculty of Science. In 1937-38 a Pre-Faculty of Medicine for post-graduate study and research was instituted, jointly with the Hadassah Medical Organisation. In 1940 a school of agriculture was established in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Station of the Jewish Agency at Rehovotb. The members of the Board of Governors are appointed for life. They include representatives of the Zionist Organisation and of the Societies of Friends of the Hebrew University in Palestine and the Diaspora, eminent Jewish scholars, and large donors to the University. Dr. Weizmann is the Chairman of the Board. From 1925 to 1944 some £P.l,900,000 had been expended by the University authorities for educational and cultural purposes, of which £P.l,700,000 was collected by way of voluntary contributions.

92. Emergency Funds (including Youth Ali'ya). From 1929 to 1944 contributions amounting to some £P.3,000,000 were collected by Zionist bodies in Palestine for various emergency purposes, including child immigration from Europe (Youth Ali'ya) from 1930 to 1944 under schemes of the Palestine Orphans Committee, the Hadassah and other institutions for the salvation of Jewish children from Europe. During this period at least 12,000 children were brought to Palestine and settled in the country. The main expenditure from these funds was in respect of settlement (£P.l,000,000 including £P. 732,000 on agricultural settlement) and education (£P.l,664,000), and the remainder for emergency services arising out of conditions engendered by the disturbances in Palestine from 1936 to 1940.

93. A statement of the revenue and expenditure of the organisations described above is on the next page.

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