President Albert Einstein?!
- Gedaliah Borvick
- Nov 17, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 4
In October 2022, Israel approved plans for a museum honoring Albert Einstein - one of the most iconic Jews of the modern era - on The Hebrew University’s Safra Campus in Givat Ram, Jerusalem. In addition to the new museum, Einstein’s name appears on street signs across Israel, including Jerusalem, Lod, Petach Tikva, and Haifa. These cities have honored him because, beyond being arguably the most brilliant scientific mind of the twentieth century and a proud Jew, he was also deeply committed to the State of Israel.
Einstein spoke out forcefully against rising antisemitism in post–World War I Europe. Despite being a pacifist, he was drawn to Zionism, understanding that the Jewish people needed a safe haven from persecution. He also believed that a homeland would help restore the collective self-confidence of a people worn down by centuries of oppression.
Although Einstein was associated with many Israeli institutions and organizations, The Hebrew University was closest to his heart, as it reflected values he saw as deeply Jewish. In a 1934 essay, Einstein described aspects of Jewish identity that resonated with him: “The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice and the desire for personal independence — these are the features of the Jewish tradition which make me thank my stars that I belong to it.” For Einstein, the academic setting, with its focus on learning and discovery, was the most natural environment to express his vision of Judaism.
Einstein’s relationship with The Hebrew University began in 1921, when he accompanied Chaim Weizmann, later Israel’s first president, on a fundraising tour in the United States on behalf of the future university. That relationship deepened over the next three decades. Einstein was a founder and member of its Board of Governors, and he even delivered the university’s first lecture. In his will, he bequeathed the literary rights to his writings to The Hebrew University. Today, many of the photos and original documents housed in the university’s Albert Einstein Archives will be displayed in the new museum.
Throughout his lifetime, Einstein remained deeply committed to the State of Israel while also seeking peace, believing the two were not in conflict. When President Chaim Weizmann died in 1952, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion asked Einstein to become Israel’s second president. Einstein declined, but his response reflected his profound connection to the Jewish people: “I am deeply moved by the offer from our State of Israel, and at once saddened and ashamed that I cannot accept it... I am the more distressed over these circumstances because my relationship to the Jewish people has become my strongest human bond, ever since I became fully aware of our precarious situation among the nations of the world.”
More than seventy years later, despite Israel’s remarkable growth and global contributions, his words about the Jewish people’s “precarious situation among the nations” remain, unfortunately, as relevant as ever.
In 1955, Einstein was scheduled to deliver a speech in support of Israel on its seventh Independence Day, to be broadcast on all of the United States’ major networks. Days before the address, he reviewed the draft with an Israeli consul. Shortly thereafter, he suffered internal bleeding, was hospitalized, and passed away a few days later.
Einstein’s passing brings to mind a timeless teaching from Pirkei Avot (2:16): “It is not up to you to finish the task, but you are not free to avoid it.” The final speech that Albert Einstein wrote was never delivered. Yet the fact that his last written words were in support of the State of Israel highlights his lifelong sense of responsibility and his enduring contributions to the Jewish nation.
Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at gborvick@gmail.com.
