The room was hushed as Louis Brandeis came forward. It was an electric moment, the first time that this
exclusive Harvard Honor Society had ever accepted a Jew. For Brandeis it had
not been an easy road. For the past three years, the students -uninvited - had sat next to him as
he had his lunch each day, saying things to him like, “Brandeis, you’re
brilliant, could end up on the Supreme Court - except that you are a Jew. Why don’t you convert? Then all your problems
will be solved.” Brandeis had listened but had not responded.
Finally, in his senior year
of law school, his preeminence could not be denied. Jewish or not, he was
invited to join the exclusive Honor Society. On the evening of the official induction,
the atmosphere was thick. All eyes were on him as he walked to the lectern.
Slowly, he looked around the room. “I’m
sorry I was born a Jew,” he said. The room erupted in applause, an explosion of
shouting and cheers. They had prevailed upon him at last.
Brandeis waited. When the
silence was regained he began again, "I am sorry I was born a Jew, but only
because I wish I had the privilege of choosing Judaism on my own.”
This time there was no
shouting, no explosion, no cheers, this time that was the only respectful
silence. The members of the society awed by his conviction and strength of
character. When he finished they gave him a standing ovation.
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