Bernard Cherrick joined the Hebrew University on the eve of the conclusion of the Mandate era, during the difficult period of the War of Independence, the isolation of the university, and the establishment of the State. He was entrusted with running the Department of Information and Public Affairs, and transformed it, through his rhetorical talents, interpersonal relations, sense of humor and managerial capabilities, into a most important factor in ensuring the financial stability of the university. Cherrick succeeded in strengthening the involvement of groups of “Friends” in the activities of the institution.
Bernard Cherrick was born in 1914 in Dublin, Ireland. He graduated from Manchester University and began studies for his Masters’ degree at the London School of Economics, combining them with studying for the Rabbinate at a yeshiva in Liverpool. Following his ordination he was appointed rabbi at the Stamford Hill Synagogue in London, the oldest and largest synagogue in the city. In addition to his official duties in the community he assisted in various fund-raising enterprises, and participated in the venture to aid Polish and Austrian Jews in 1938. At this time he was involved in Zionist activities, especially in the Habonim movement, which he had already encountered as a student. In 1939 he enlisted in the British Army as Chaplain, and served in France, with the rank of Captain. After the war he directed the Jewish Agricultural School in Whittingham, whose students were refugees who had arrived in England. During the years 1942–1947 he served as Director of the Keren Kayemet Le’Israel (Jewish National Fund, JNF) in England and Director of Keren HaYesod (later the United Israel Appeal), and was among the founders of the United Palestine Appeal in Britain. Cherrick made Aliyah in 1947, and began his involvement with the university.
Because of his rich experience in fund-raising and organization, Cherrick was approached by Leon Simon, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the university, to join it as Director of the Organization and Information Department, in 1947. This department had been founded as early as 1934 by Salman Schocken, then Chairman of the Executive Committee, with the aim of establishing a world-wide network of supporters whom one could approach for resources for the university. Cherrick accepted the position and filled it for about forty years. He intensified the department’s activities and appeals for donations, particularly in Canada, Australia and the USA. Many envoys, some of them faculty members, were dispatched, and their activities enhanced the involvement of the Friends’ Associations in the university’s affairs. As early as 1948, a few months after his appointment, Cherrick was sent to Australia to manage the Jewish State Appeal of Keren Hayesod. He addressed groups of Friends as they were formed, and was interviewed by the media, thus spreading the word about the university. His rhetorical talents and powers of persuasion enabled him to accomplish missions on behalf of the university too, even though he was not yet familiar with the institution. Cherrick established the link between activity for the country in general and that for the university:during a visit to Australia by the President of the University, Prof. Selig Brodetzky in 1949, the State and the university were presented as common and worthy objectives.
Cherrick was very successful in Canada too. Although the Friends’ Association was founded back in 1944, Alan Bronfman, who was Chairman of the association, had not been very active. Cherrick arrived in Canada in December 1948 and succeeded in enlisting Bronfman into the activities, and subsequently also the ladies of Hadassah-WIZO. He set in motion the decision that the university would receive a certain percentage of the income of the United Palestine Appeal. Cherrick’s talents and the cooperation of the local leaders transformed the Canadian Friends’ Association into a most important support group for the university. Its activities reached a climax during the establishment of the Giv’at Ram Campus (from 1954), and it implemented numerous projects there, relative to its size. After the declaration of the State and the cessation of activity of the campus on Mount Scopus, Cherrick had promoted the establishment of the campus at Giv’at Ram, guided by the Rector, Prof. Benjamin Mazar (later the President). In 1968 Cherrick was appointed one of three Deputies to the President of the University, Eliyahu Elath
Cherrick died in Jerusalem in 1988.
To commemorate him, the Friends of the University founded the Bernard Cherrick Fund, thanks to which an interdisciplinary center was set up within the Institute for Contemporary Jewry in the Faculty of Humanities. This center was named the Cherrick Center for the Study of Zionism, the Yishuv and the State of Israel. The History of the University Project is conducted in this Center. A Chair for the History of the Jewish People bears Cherrick’s name.
Reference:
Honig, Eliyahu. “The Societies of Friends of the Hebrew University, 1925–1948,” in The History of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem: A Period of Consolidation and Growth, ed. Hagit Lavsky (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2005), 113–142; cited in Selzer, Assaf, The History of the Hebrew University of Jeuslaem: Who's who prior to statehood: founders, designers, and pioneers, trans. Jenni Tsafrir (Jerusalem: Magnes, 2015), 44-46.