Rabbi Richard Levy Named New Director of
Los Angeles' School of Rabbinic Studies

Rabbi Richard Levy has been named the new Director of the School of Rabbinic Studies for Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's Los Angeles School, announced Dr. Lewis M. Barth, Dean, HUC-JIR Los Angeles School. Rabbi Levy's appointment is effective July 1, 1999.

"This is an exciting time for the Reform Movement in the Western United States. I am thrilled that Rabbi Richard Levy will serve as Director of the School of Rabbinic Studies. Rabbi Levy will work closely with the Dean and Directors of the Schools of Jewish Communal Service, Education, and Graduate Studies to complete our dream of having a full rabbinic program in Los Angeles that will also be linked to our schools in Cincinnati, New York and Jerusalem," stated Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, President and Rosh Yeshiva of HUC-JIR.

"Rabbi Richard Levy is a visionary and a mensch. Rabbinic education provides the foundation for a career of learning, teaching, counseling and spiritual leadership. Rabbi Levy's experience, expertise and guidance will be great additions as our Los Angeles School moves forward to be a full rabbinic program culminating in ordination. " said Dr. Barth. 

Rabbi Richard Levy has served as Executive Director of the Los Angeles Hillel Council and the Los Angeles Regional director of Hillel International since 1975 and has been a Lecturer in Rabbinics at HUC-JIR Los Angeles since 1974. He is the outgoing president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). As President of the CCAR, he organized and edited the drafting of "A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism." Rabbi Levy has been the Alumnus-in-Residence at the New York School and Cincinnati School of HUC-JIR, the Rabbi-in-Residence at the Jerusalem School of HUC-JIR and has served as Scholar-in-Residence at Brandeis Collegiate Institute and Brandeis-Bardin Institute. He has served as Assistant Rabbi of Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, Rabbi Temple Beth Am in Yorktown Heights, New York and Rabbi of "The Minyan" meeting at University Synagogue.

Additionally, he has authored many books including On Wings of Awe: A Machzor for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; On Wings of Freedom: The Hillel Haggadah for the Nights of Passover; and On Wings of Light: the Hillel Siddur for Shabbat and Festivals. He co-edited Bridges to a Holy Time and has written articles appearing in publications ranging from CCAR Journal and Davka to New York Times Book Review, National Institute for Campus Ministries and Contemporary Psychology.

Rabbi Levy will be succeeding Rabbi Sheldon Marder who will become the Rabbi for the San Francisco Jewish Home for the Aging. The Marder family is relocating to Los Altos, California where Rabbi Janet Marder, former Director of the Pacific Southwest Council of the UAHC will become the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Am.