Born in Olviopol,
Ukraine, he was taken to England in 1893 and grew up in London's
East End. In 1906 he won a scholarship to Cambridge University where
he attained high academic honors. In 1913 he obtained his doctorate
in mathematics in Leipzig University, Germany. In 1914 he was
appointed to the staff of Bristol University and from 1920 taught at
the University of Leeds (professor of mathematics from 1924).
Parallel to his academic career was his Zionist work and he served
on the executive council of the British Zionist Federation and was
involved in work in behalf of the Hebrew University. He attended all
Zionist Congresses and from 1928 was a member of the Zionist
Executive. For many years Brodetsky was president of the British
Zionist Federation and was also president of the World Maccabi
Federation. In 1939 he was elected president of British Jewry's
representative body, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the
first Zionist to hold this post and as such led British Jewry during
World War II. In 1949 he moved to Jerusalem, Israel, as president of
the Hebrew University but ill health forced his resignation in 1951
and he returned to London.
Bibliography:
BRODETSKY, Selig. The Jews in the post-war
settlement, by Professor S. Brodetsky. Foreword by the Right
Hon. the Earl of Harewood. Pp. 27, [1]. London: The Jewish
historical society of England, 1942.
BRODETSKY, Selig. Memoirs: from ghetto to
Israel. Pp. 323, illus. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson,
[1960]
BRODETSKY, Selig. The mechanical principles
of the aeroplane. Pp. vii, 272. London, J. & A. Churchill, 1921.
BRODETSKY, Selig. The meaning of
mathematics. Pp. 79, [1]. London: E. Benn limited, [1929]
BRODETSKY, Selig. Sir Isaac Newton: a brief
account of his life and work. Pp. xi, [1], 161. London: Methuen
& Co., ltd., 1927.
ROSENHEAD, Louis. Professor Selig
Brodetsky: scholar, dreamer, man of action. Pp. 20. [Leeds]:
Leeds University Press, 1963.
FISHER, Samuel. Brodetsky,
leader of the Anglo-Jewish community. Pp. 29. Leeds: Leeds
University Press, 1976.
Links:
Biography of Selig Brodetsky
