Sue Neuman Hochberg (center) with Rabbi Ellenson and Barbara Friedman, Chair, at her induction onto the Board of Governors

Sue Neuman Hochberg, was inducted onto the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) on March 9, 2009 at HUC-JIR’s Los Angeles campus. 

“Sue Neuman Hochberg has a strong, long-standing relationship with the College-Institute, through years of devoted service to our Los Angeles School and her experiences at HUC-JIR during her children’s rabbinical studies at our Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York campuses.  Her commitment to Jewish learning and leadership is a source of inspiration, as we advance our mission of preparing rabbis, cantors, educators, communal professionals, and scholars for Jewish communities throughout North America and around the world,” said Rabbi David Ellenson, HUC-JIR President.  

A member of the HUC-JIR’s Los Angeles Board of Overseers for the past eight years, she has a long history in the philanthropic community.  She has served on the Board of Directors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and their Executive Committee for the past ten years, is past President (1992-1994) of the John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary, and has held numerous positions with the Jewish Federation in Los Angeles.

In her professional life, Hochberg worked as Comptroller for Demographic Research Company, which created software programs for the direct mail industry.  During that time, she served on the National Board of the Direct Mail Industry.

She is married to Larry Hochberg, the founder and developer of Sportmart store, who also has a long history of involvement in the Jewish philanthropic world. 

Sue Hochberg's daughter, Laurie Rice, and Laurie’s husband, Philip Rice, were ordained in 2001 at HUC-JIR in New York.  The Rice’s currently serve as co-Senior Rabbis of Congregation Micah in Nashville, Tennessee.   

Sue and Larry Hochberg divide their time bewteen Chicago and Los Angeles, and are members of Congregation Micah in Nashville, Tennessee.

HUC-JIR’s Board of Governors, comprised of distinguished communal and civic leaders and HUC-JIR alumni, is invested with the governance of the College-Institute’s four campuses in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York. 

Founded in 1875, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the nation's oldest institution of higher Jewish education and the academic, spiritual, and professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism.  HUC-JIR educates men and women for service to American and world Jewry as rabbis, cantors, educators, and communal service professionals, and offers graduate and post-graduate programs to scholars of all faiths.  With centers of learning in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York, HUC-JIR's scholarly resources comprise renowned library and museum collections, the American Jewish Archives, biblical archaeology excavations, research institutes and centers, and academic publications.  HUC-JIR invites the community to an array of cultural and educational programs which illuminate Jewish history, identity, and contemporary creativity and which foster interfaith and multiethnic understanding.   www.huc.edu