TLS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, blind-stamped personal letterhead, Princeton, New Jersey, December 31, 1938. Letter to Rabbi Salomon Goldman, president of the Zionist Organization of America. In full (translated): “I have just read your book with the greatest interest. It contains the true fire of a prophet; it mercilessly holds a mirror up to the contemporaries, Jews and Goyim alike. Your upright courage and optimism are a pleasure to behold in a man to whom nothing human remains foreign, not in scripture and not in world otherwise. Almost everything is spoken from my soul. I admit that I entertain lesser hopes for salvation through a union of the majority of Jews in a single country or even a state; no matter how we may think about this, the necessity of earnest striving for such a solution today is unavoidable. One must not deliberate whether our people in concentration would perhaps develop those dangerous and hideous weaknesses which we despise in our enemies today.
I feel you do not afford the Greeks the friendliness and veneration which they deserve. I believe that we Jews have been strongly and continuously influenced by them in a positive sense due to our common love for the spiritual world, for independence in life and in thought. Your hymn to ‘Romance of a People’ is also good for those who have not witnessed that kitsch on stage; ‘Eternal Road’ was worse still, in spite of Werfel’s fine text. It is dangerous to transfer this great matter to the stage – especially as a whole. I particularly enjoyed the polemical articles ‘Jews and Christians,’ ‘The Function of the Rabbi,’ ‘Rabbis and Rabbis’; of immediate importance were ‘The Goal of Judaism’ and ‘Can Religion Change!’” Einstein also adds a brief unsigned postscript, “P. S. I beg an answer regarding the excellent Max Brod.” Intersecting folds, one affecting the tops of a couple letters of signature, paperclip impressions to top edges, and some light edge wrinkling and soiling, otherwise fine condition.
The phrase ‘Renaissance man’ may be a cliche, applied casually to anyone with an interest in a number of areas, but when used to describe Goldman the terminology is highly appropriate. Viewed by his contemporaries as ‘he most towering intellectual personality in American Judaism in his time,’ Goldman was a scholar, translator, communal leader, patron of up-and-coming writers, author, innovator, and orator. Among his countless admirers was Einstein, who sent Goldman this letter the same year the rabbi was chosen president of the Zionist Organization of America—making him the leader of the Zionist movement in the United States.
Here, Einstein shares his opinions on several topics with Goldman, including a possible Jewish state: “I admit that I entertain lesser hopes for salvation through a union of the majority of Jews in a single country or even a state; no matter how we may think about this, the necessity of earnest striving for such a solution today is unavoidable. One must not deliberate whether our people in concentration would perhaps develop those dangerous and hideous weaknesses which we despise in our enemies today.” Interestingly, only a man as renowned as Einstein could could offer a ‘criticism’ of the Jewish leader regarding the Greeks influence on Judaism, as he does here: “I feel you do not afford the Greeks the friendliness and veneration which they deserve. I believe that we Jews have been strongly and continuously influenced by them in a positive sense due to our common love for the spiritual world.” Outstanding correspondence between two towering intellectuals. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
