Dr. Meir Klumel Is No More!
In Tel Aviv Dr. Meir Klumel died last week. Our studying youth knows very little about this faithful Hebraist, and perhaps there are among them some who have not even heard his name — for the man was modest, hiding among the baggage and working for the Hebrew movement for its own sake. He did not appear in his glory even among the pupils of the Hebrew school, for whom he devoted his strength, his energy and most of his great wealth.
Dr. Klumel was chairman of the Zionist Organisation in Poland and an ardent activist in all the Jewish public institutions in the country, but above all the deceased did great things for the Hebrew movement and the Hebrew school, for he loved our language with all his soul and all his might.
He was among the few and the first who understood that the revival of the Hebrew people would not arise unless our language too was revived in the mouth of the people. And he resolved to teach the children of Israel the Hebrew language and to found Hebrew schools so that a generation would arise speaking Hebrew and imbued with the treasures of our culture. He stood at the head of the Tarbut organisation in Poland and roused all the Jews in the Polish state to speak Hebrew and to send their children to the Hebrew school.
But Dr. Klumel knew that the Jewish masses in Poland are poor and cannot afford to maintain Hebrew schools, and therefore he demanded of the Zionist public, and above all of the wealthy of the people, that they lend a helping hand to the Hebrew movement. Dr. Klumel was a very rich man and one of the outstanding industrialists in Poland; he himself was among the first to give generously of his money for the benefit of Tarbut institutions — and once, when the Tarbut institutions were in danger of being closed, he took twenty-five thousand dollars from his own pocket and donated it to Tarbut. In the recent years of crisis Dr. Klumel lost much money in Poland and his fortunes declined. Four years ago he emigrated to the Land of Israel, his heart's desire, and hoped to find comfort there in the land being built and in the living Hebrew language, but cruel death plucked him away, and Dr. Klumel died in Tel Aviv at the age of 61. The Hebrew movement will not forget this fighting, faithful and devoted son. In all the Hebrew schools they spoke of Dr. Klumel and his deeds for the Hebrew movement. Many Hebrew schools in Poland were named after him — may his memory be blessed!
A.