Fourteen Year-In-Israel Hebrew Union College (HUC) students are traveling to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus to conduct Passover seders and engage the renascent Jewish communities - from early childhood to the elderly - in Jewish learning, worship and heritage. In partnership with the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), the students lead Pesach celebrations in Reform congregations along with creating varied educational programs for community members. Funds for the program are raised by the participating students. … Continue Reading
Changes in American Jewish Identities Since 1948: From Norms to Aesthetics
by Dr. Steven M. Cohen Jews Within In the sixty plus years that have elapsed since the founding of the State of Israel, profound changes have taken place in Israel, in American Jews’ relationship with Israel, and in American Jews’ identities. With regard to the latter, two major changes are among the most salient and influential. One is the enormous change in the integration of Jews into the larger American society. As compared with just fifty years ago, today’s Jews have far fewer Jewish spouses, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Not only do most young American Jews have loving relationships with non-Jews, but hundreds of thousands of non-Jews love Jews - a very common circumstance now, and a fairly rare occurrence just a few decades ago. This increasing integration reflects … Continue Reading
Memo to HUC: What Are Non-Core Real Estate Holdings?
At a meeting earlier this week, the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion approved a plan for its future. Titled “A New Way Forward,” the plan charts a five-year process based on attaining financial sustainability, sustaining academic excellence and maintaining geographic presences in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles and New York. It provides a vision for the College-Institute as the intellectual, spiritual and professional leadership development center for Reform Judaism and the Jewish people. The plan projects cumulative structural changes of $7 million by FY 2014 in relation to a budget of $40 million in FY 2008 with no deficit by FY 2012. Additional plan highlights include: Enhanced cooperation with partner academic institutions for opportunities … Continue Reading
Celebrating our Past, Shaping the Future
The Summer/Fall 2009 issue of the Journal of Jewish Communal Service is now available. Published by the Jewish Communal Service Association of North America and titled, The HUC-JIR School of Jewish Communal Service: Celebrating the Past, Shaping the Future, the issue celebrates the 40th anniversary of the School and is filled with timely submissions of interest to all working in our community. Here is an excerpt from the first of several articles we will be bringing to you. You can also subscribe to The Journal and help support its continued growth. The Contribution of Prof. Daniel J. Elazar and Jewish Political Studies to the Training and Practice of the Jewish Communal Professional by Howard M. Weisband Whether for pragmatic reasons or institutional turf concerns, often there is little … Continue Reading
HUC Continues to Struggle With Budget Problems
Facing a $3 million budget deficit for the current year, Hebrew Union College is expected to continue belt-tightening when their Board of Governors meets later today. However, any decisions on campus closings will be deferred for at least two years. from Cincinnati.com: Hebrew Union gathers support Hebrew Union College’s board of governors is expected to vote Monday in Cincinnati, the college’s historic home, on a restructuring of the four-campus Jewish seminary. But before that, local Jewish leaders counted on 1,000 people flocking Sunday night to the Mayerson Jewish Community Center in Amberley Village to show their support for the college’s Clifton campus, which has been a powerful force in Reform Judaism since Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise founded the college there in 1875. The … Continue Reading
Layoffs Likely at Hebrew Union College
from The Cincinnati Enquirer: Hebrew Union layoffs likely Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion says it is keeping its Clifton campus open, but impending budget cuts have faculty and staffers on edge. The college plans to keep its four-year rabbinical program and its graduate studies program operating, plus continue with plans to open the renovated Klau Library this fall, President Rabbi David Ellenson said. But Ellenson said layoffs are likely and that continuing programs at the Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem campuses will depend largely on each community's ability to raise millions of dollars privately. "There may well be job reductions on all of the campuses," Ellenson said in a telephone interview, declining to give a number. "We will certainly … Continue Reading
NewsBits: Stories That Will Not Go Away
from The Forward: Sharansky Inherits a House Divided One of the stranger and nastier episodes of modern Israel-Diaspora mud wrestling was laid to rest in late June in Jerusalem when Natan Sharansky, the onetime Soviet political prisoner and human rights icon, was elected chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel. The episode was unusual because it broke new ground in the growth field of Israel-Diaspora mutual incomprehension. It was nasty because of the intense vitriol it generated. The mud was flying with a fury rarely seen in the chummy interaction between Israeli leaders and their big donors. You don’t often hear Israeli Cabinet ministers ridiculing the cream of Diaspora Jewish philanthropy. Nor do you expect to see Israel’s top Diaspora fundraisers telling the prime minister where to … Continue Reading
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: A Comedy in Three Acts
This is turning out to be quite a farcical week among the alphabet soup of Jewish organizations; consider: At the Jewish Agency, the nominating committee met yesterday to select a new chair of the executive. An open position with only one candidate. The meeting quickly turned unprofessional with voices raised and insults hurled. The result, no nominee. Hopefully a good night's sleep has calmed everyone down. At the Jewish National Fund, ghosts of Bush vs. Gore in the land-swap story. No hanging chads, just 'x' placed in the wrong box. Now, the courts are involved. Israeli politics at its best. Here's more from The Jerusalem Post. Finally, at Hebrew Union College, the story turns out to be 'Much Ado About Nothing'. From the big need in April to close a campus (or two), suspend programs, sell … Continue Reading
HUC’s School of Jewish Communal Service Survives
The Jewish Agency meetings in Jerusalem were not the only place in the Jewish world where major structural changes are being discussed this week. In New York, the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College met yesterday to discuss campus closings and reorganization. The only item we have been able to confirm at this point is the College's School of Jewish Communal Service in Los Angeles, will not be suspending admissions for the 2010-2111 academic year [as was being recommended]. We hope to have more information later in the day. … Continue Reading
Showdown Time at HUC
Jerusalem is not the only place where significant decisions will be made next week. In New York, the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College will be meeting to consider a significant re-organization of the school. Passions have been running high for months (you can find various articles here). The amount of official information available is basically nil. The College, like so many organizations, has still not realized the story does not disappear by putting ones head in the sand. And, they have certainly not paid attention to the fact this allows everyone else to frame the discussion for them. We understand that while there is a general understanding of the need to cut expenses, the feeling seems to be 'not in my backyard'. As a result, some 'tuned-in' observers expect deadlock with the … Continue Reading
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