Remarks on the Dedication of the Bachman Rare Book Room

Event Categories: Tuttleman Library

PA 

By Jay M. Starr, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Governors

One of the most rewarding things about representing Gratz's lay leadership is to have a chance to say a few words at events and special occasions. I think of all of the events so far this year, for me personally, this dedication is the happiest. And for it, I'm profoundly grateful to Martin and Lois Bachman for the chance to say a few words tonight about the heart and soul of the Jewish people and the Jewish faith. I'm talking about our books.

Jay M. Starr, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Governors, delivers his opening remarks at the Dedication.

Tonight isn't so much about this wonderful room. At the heart of things, it's about books. When I was growing up, books -- all kinds of books -- had a special place of honor in my home. I don't think I'm unique. I think it's probably true of many of us here

We Jews are famously called the People of the Book. It's not really accurate. More properly, we are the People of many books.

After all, we've been writing books since the beginning of our history, literally since the very invention of writing and the beginning of civilization. We've carried our books with us into nearly every land on the face of this earth. Where we go, they go.

Eli Wise, Director of the Tuttleman Library, addresses the gathering.

We've cared for them, protected them, sometimes died to save them from destruction.

We're certainly the only people among all peoples past and present in our world who treat our books like living, breathing members of our family.

When they're new we bless them; when they fall, we kiss them as we would a child; and when they start to crumble, we bury them with our prayers.

It's been a two way street: we've made our books; but more than that, our books have made us. Our books -- and the discipline of their study -- have shaped our thought, culture and persona for thirty centuries.

But there's something else. For books to really hum with the life inside the words, they have to be used. They have to be engaged. They have to teach us. And, to teach us best, our books need teachers.

From left to right: Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum, President of Gratz College; Lois Bachman; Martin Bachman; Eli Wise, Director of the Tuttleman Library; Jay M. Starr, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Governors.

From our schools and academies in ancient times to the Yeshivot of Europe to our digital age, our books and our teachers have been inseparable. Together, they’re the source of our common memory, our historical consciousness and our ethical imperatives. Each is only a shadow without the other. Teachers with books; books with teachers: for us Jews both are central to everything we have been, all we are now and everything we can hope to be.

For 110 years Gratz College has been a teacher of teachers in the Jewish Community.

We call ourselves "trans-denominational". It's a clumsy word which means, very simply, that we are resolutely Jewish, but we are not part of any denomination or sect or particular theological worldview within our people.

We are a community of learning, dedicated to the study of our books, our faith, our history and our culture. Gratz was founded in 1895 to teach Jewish history on the basis of objective research and academic rigor. We have never let ourselves be limited or edited by any theological agenda.

Lois Bachman with Lee Rosenfield, Director of Development

But, saying that, we are, have always been and ever will be, unshakeable in our commitment to preserve and enlarge Jewish life, culture, values and memory. We love and honor the variety and richness and humanity of our people; we are faithful to our common bond of both blood and community. But we require no litmus test of belief or ritual observance for those who would join us. Rather, we are committed to open and free dialogue with all men and women of good will who wish to join with us here, in our community of learning.

In the end, the great gift of Martin and Lois Bachman isn't just this room; their honor isn't just their plaque and this small ceremony. Their gift is to us is the preservation of our oldest and rarest books -- the richest treasure we Jews have. Their great honor is that these books, alive long before we were, can live on, and teach, long after we're all gone.

Musical entertainment was provided by harpist, Andre

What they've done is quite wonderful. We are in their debt. We can only repay that debt by loving, preserving and protecting our common heritage as long and as strongly as we are can.

Thank you, Marty; Thank you, Lois. We are deeply and profoundly grateful for this splendid gift.

Cost: Free

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