Footnote
- The most difficult day in the life
of Prof. Shkolnik -
I'm going downstairs.
Are you coming?
Prof. Uriel Shkolnik, head of the
Mandel Institute of Jewish Studies
at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem,
as well as a colleague in the Max Copper
Cathedral of Jewish Thought,
a tenured professor for Talmud studies
and an international expert
in the study of the Talmud and Hazal Literature.
Among the prizes he has won are:
the Bialik Prize for Hebrew Studies,
the Jerusalem Prize for Rabbinical Literature,
the Kaplan Prize and the Orbach Prize.
To the Israel Museum, please.
He was elected as a member of the American Academy
for Jewish Studies in New York.
His research and innovations are
gathered in nine books
and dozens of articles,
discussing subjects such as marital relations
during the Hazal period,
law and morality in the world
of the scholars
and memory and identity during the
Babylon diaspora.
Prof. Shkolnik's scientific achievements
show the depth and courage
of his thought process,
his wide range of knowledge,
and his ability to view problems
in a new light
in the field of editing the Mishna,
Jewish culture,
and the history of intellectualism.
Because of all of the above, and more,
the Committee for Presenting Candidates
in the Dept. of Human Sciences has decided,
with the approval of the High Committee,
the president and vice-president of the Academy,
and by the decision of the General Assembly,
to accept Prof. Shkolnik
National Israeli Academy of Sciences.
Welcome, Prof. Shkolnik!
We are proud to have you join us, sir.
- Thank you.
His honor, President Shimon Peres,
the president of the National Israeli
Academy of Sciences, Prof. Yehuda Grossman,
my fellow members of the academy,
my father, my teacher, Prof. Eliezer Shkolnik,
who is here in the audience tonight.
My mother, Dr. Yehudit Shkolnik,
family members,
friends, esteemed colleagues.
I have learned a lot from my teachers,
and have stood on the shoulders of giants.
That is how I feel tonight,
as I stand in front of you on this stage,
somewhat embarrassed, grateful,
and mostly filled with appreciation
I want to tell you a story.
When I was a child, maybe 8 years old,
I came back from school one day
with a form I had to fill in
with my personal information,
which also included a field for
"Father's profession".
I knew that my father
worked at the university,
that he was very busy there, that he
studied the Talmud and old books
and that he's a professor,
but I didn't know if that
really was a profession...
If that's what they meant
by "Father's profession".
I should write as "Father's profession".
And he told me, without any doubts:
"Write down 'teacher'."
"Teacher?", I said. "You're no teacher.
I have teachers at school.
"You're not like them.
You're a professor!"
My mother, who was in the room next door
and listened to our conversation,
called out:
"Write down 'Talmud scholar'or 'Talmud lecturer'!
"I mean, write down 'Senior lecturer
of Talmud in the Hebrew University'".
But my father insisted
and made me
write down "teacher".
He also demanded to see the form,
as one would expect from a manuscripts expert.
To make sure I did not make a mistake,
or left a blank space to add something
after he went away.
I wrote "T E A C H E R" on the entire line.
"That's my profession, a teacher",
he said.
And I... I was disappointed.
I was ashamed.
What kid goes around school
bragging about his teacher father?
A lecturer, maybe... But a teacher?
Several years have passed since then,
and today I know two things
I didn't know at the time.
First, even a senior lecturer of Talmud
in the Hebrew University
is not something that children
brag about in school.
And the second thing, more seriously,
and now I'm being serious,
if we really have to define our profession,
accurately describe the nature
of what we do,
the "essence" of this vast entity
that takes over
every second of our professional lives,
and, to be honest,
our private lives,
our aspirations,
our social relations, our dreams...
We are teachers.
We give others knowledge,
we take from previous generations,
and give forward, to the next generation.
This is our duty.
So thank you, father,
for this insight,
for being a role model,
for the way of life you instilled in our house,
for the cultural fortress
When your grandchildren, my children,
ask me what is my profession
I tell them with great pride,
just like you did,
that I am a teacher.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
It's nothing. It's just one lecture.
a dinner, and some one-on-one conversations.
Beside that, I'm free.
I can't complain.
I'll be in New York
on February 6th,
No, a "fundraiser" of the friends of the university.
Sure, at the Pierre.
Otherwise, do you think Tzila
would have came with me?
Listen,
I'm at the Israel Museum,
and I can't talk inside,
so I went outside.
I have to go back.
Nothing, just some ceremony
of the National Academy of Sciences.
Where to, Sir?
I was inside earlier.
- Inside where?
Here, at the ceremony.
I just went out for a moment.
Can you fold your sleeve, please?
Why?
What's your name?
- Eliezer Shkolnik.
I beg your pardon?
- Please... - Thank you.
Which ceremony is taking place here?
I don't understand what's the problem.
I was inside earlier.
I didn't say there was a problem.
Just asked which ceremony this is.
Please, go inside.
What's the name of this event?
- Don't you know?
I do know.
- So why are you asking me?
Go ahead...
What did you say your name was?
Sir? - Explain to me what's the problem.
I'm already in the area,
I went through the security check
at the main enterance...
Sir, I'm just doing my job,
there's no need to become irate, Mr...
Prof. Eliezer Shkolnik.
Are you a member of the
National Academy of Sciences? - No.
So what is your relation with this event?
Is everything OK?
- Do you know him? - Of course.
Is there a problem? - No, sir.
Everything is fine. Thanks.
Are you sure?
- Yes, thank you.
Alright, sir. You can go inside.
There you go, sir.
- No.
Finish your procedure.
If you think I'm suspicious,
or that I shouldn't be here, then go ahead,
finish your procedure.
You can call one of your supervisors.
I'll wait here patiently.
Maybe you should call for backup,
just in case, or a robot...
Don't be upset, sir,
it's not something personal.
It's just that anyone who passes through the
main gate should have a blue bracelet...
and you don't have one.
So I just wanted to make sure.
I apologize if I caused you discomfort.
Go ahead...
So now you're an ideologue!
You're not talking like a researcher,
but like an ideologue.
He's studying manuscripts like a monk,
just like Boyarin.
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