Dvanaest godina Jevrejske čitaonice u Beogradu: 1929-1941

Abstract

Potreba da se osnuje jedna dobro opremljena čitaonica koja bi postala kulturni centar beogradskih Jevreja ukazala se kao hitna odmah posle Prvog svetskog rata. Za vreme predsedništva dr Solomona Alkalaja završena je izgradnja reprezentativnog Jevrejskog doma u kome je bilo predviđeno dovoljno mesta za biblioteku. Dobro postavljen plan jedne nove ustanove bio je prvi uslov za njen uspešan rad i napredak. Odmah u početku, u jesen 1929. godine, rukovodioci ove ustanove smatrali su da Jevrejska čitaonica ne može biti niti ostati starinsko „čitalište” knjiga i novina, već da to treba biti mesto u kome će uži jevrejski i širi beogradski krug, naročito jevrejska omladina, imati prilike da čuje i da se upozna sa trajnim vrednostima koje je jevrejski narod dao čovečanstvu; da to bude mesto gde će se govoriti o životu i radu znamenitih Jevreja zaslužnih svojim doprinosom nauci i umetnosti, književnosti i filozofiji; i najzad, mesto gde će se jevrejska omladina upoznati sa svetlim i tužnim stranicama jevrejske prošlosti.

The need to establish a well-equipped reading room that would become the cultural center of Belgrade's Jews was treated as an emergency after the First World War. During the presidency of Dr. Solomon Alkalaj, the construction of a representative Jewish home was completed, with sufficient space for the library. A well-established plan of a new institution was the first condition for its successful operation and progress. Right from the beginning, in the fall of 1929, the leaders of this institution felt that the Jewish Reading Room could not be or remain an old-fashioned "reading room" of books and newspapers, but that it should be a place where the Jewish and wider Belgrade circles, especially the Jewish youth, would be closer to have the opportunity to hear and learn about the lasting values that the Jewish people have given to humanity; make it a place to talk about the life and work of famous Jews who deserve their contributions to science and art, literature and philosophy; and finally, a place where Jewish youth will be introduced to the bright and sad pages of the Jewish past.