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History

"Some years ago, a small number of American Jewish Scholars recognizing the great need of such co-operative work, banded together and founded the Academy for Jewish Research. While fully aware of the fact that it is a task requiring the co-operation of Jewish scholars all over the world, they felt that a start would have to be made in our country with the hope that future developments would make possibe co-operation withe the leading Jewish scholars abroad. So far we have kept too much within our own circle and have in general refrained from appearing in public. We feel now that in order to begin to carry out our plans we must appeal to the public and try to strengthen our organization by adding to it a large number of members and patrons who can appreciate the work in which it is engaged. It is our earnest hope that we may be able to do so, and that this evening will mark the beginning of fruitful activity in the history of our organization"

"On June 15, 1920, a small group of American scholars in the Judaic disciplines met in New York to found the American Academy for Jewish Research. The goals which these founders set for their new academy included: to organize periodic meetings for the presentation and discussion of learned papers; to issue publications of various kinds; to promote fellowship and cooperation between scholars and learned societies in America and other countries; and to furnish opinions on scholarly projects submitted to the Academy for evaluation. When the Academy was founded, the major centers of Jewish learning were still in Europe, and little did this small group of scholars envisage that in less than a quarter of a century, the European centers would exist no more, the Judaic disciplines would flourish in the United States, and this country would develop into one of the great centers of Judaic learning of all times."

"During the initial years, the meetings of the Academy were limited to its scholarly members, but on December 27, 1928 the Academy held its first public meeting, a sign that a wider American audience was ready for serious scholarly presentations on Judaic topics. Shortly before, the Academy was officially incorporated as a nonprofit educational organization. The high goals which the Academy had set for itself became apparent from the stature of the three speakers at the first meeting: Professors Margolis, Wolfson, and Baron. The latter two subsequently became presidents of the Academy."

"In his brief address, the acting president, Professor Alexander Marx, outlined some of the purposes of the Academy. Professor Marx's remarks (Proceedings I, 3-6 [see above]) are most instructive for their account of the state of Judaic scholarship at the time and for the specific projects which the Academy hoped to undertake. Pointing to the remarkable progress of research and publication in the humanities which, since the nineteenth century, had been supported by such great European academies as those of Berlin, Paris, and Vienna, he noted - with some sadness, one imagines - that no such support existed for Judaic studies. To be sure there existed the Berlin Akademie für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, the Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Judentums, and the Societé des Études Juives, but, on the whole, Jewish scholars shifted for themselves, cooperative projects were lacking, adequate principles for editing Hebrew texts had not been established, and financial support was woefully inadequate. The state of Judaic scholarship, Professor Marx summarized in his observations, was similar to that of classical scholarship in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Only an academy, he concluded his address, could meet the needs of Judaic scholarship, and he expressed the hope that the new Academy would play a significant role in the development and growth of Judaic learning."

"What was only a program and a hope in the 1920s has grown into a full-fledged reality since then. The Academy has held regular annual meetings as well as occasional special meetings for the presentation of scholarly papers, has published annual Proceedings, has issued or participated in scholarly publications, which have included volumes commemorating Rashi and Saadia as well as sizable volumes on honor of three of its presidents, Professors Ginzberg, Wolfson, and Baron. Besides this tangible evidence of its activities, the Academy has, perhaps, been equally important for serving as an example of the highest standards of Judaic scholarship and as the guardian of these standards. Among its fellows and corresponding fellows, both elected by previous fellows, have been numbered the outstanding Judaic scholars throughout the world."

"The American Academy for Jewish Research was organized on June 15, 1920. Its purposes are:

• The furtherance of Jewish learning through periodical meetings at which learned papers shall be presented and discussed.
• The formulation and carrying into effect of scholarly undertakings of a co-operatinve character.
• The issuance of publications.
• The promotion of relations of fellowship and co-operation between scholars and learned organizations in America and those in other countries.
• Furnishing opinions upon scholarly projects submitted to the Academy.
• And through such other means as may, from time to time, be determined by the Academy."

"The original officers were: Professor Louis Ginzberg, President; Professor Gotthard Deutsch, Vice-President; Professor Henry Malter, Secretary; Professor Jacob Z. Lauterbach, Treasurer.

The Academy was incorporated under the laws of Maryland, on December 20th, 1929. The officers were: President - Professor Louis Ginzberg; Vice-President - Professor Alexander Marx; Recording Secretary - Reverend Dr. Leo Jung; Corresponding Secretary - Professor D. S. Blondheim; Treasurer - Professor J. Z. Lauterbach."

"The membership of the Academy is made up as follows:

• Fellows, scholars who are active in the field of Jewish Learning.
• Patrons and Contributing members, persons interested in Jewish learning.
• Members, persons actively or sympathetically interested in Jewish learning."