Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, proudly announces the graduate degree and honorary degree recipients of the Class of 2002

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, will hold its graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 30, 2002 at Isaac M. Wise Temple in Amberley Village at 8:00 pm with Rabbi David Ellenson, president of HUC-JIR, conferring degrees. Dr. Bernard Reisman, founding director of the Brandeis Adult Learning Institute, the Hornstein Program in Jewish Communal Service, and the Fisher/Bernstein Institute for Leadership in Jewish Philanthropy at Brandeis University, will deliver the graduate address "Babylon and Jerusalem; Diaspora and Israel Today."

Doctor of Philosophy will be conferred upon H. Eldon Clem, Hélène M. Dallaire, John M. Engle, Robert M. Gerth, Joshua L. Moss, and Karla R. Suomala. Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters will be conferred upon Pamela W. Barr, Jeremy A. Barras, Karen N. Bodney, Alan S. Cook, Kari H. Field, Joshua D. Garroway, Eric S. Goldberg, Clauio J. Kogan, M.D., Anne Persin, Yair D. Robinson, Jonathan S. Siger, and Phyllis A. Sommer. Master of Arts will be conferred upon Stephen N. Self and David B. Smith. Master of Philosophy in Hebraic and Cognate Studies will be conferred upon Aurelian Botica, John D. Brolley, Jeffrey L. Cooley, N. Blake Hearson, and In Seh Lee.

The College-Institute will bestow Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, upon Dr. Bernard Reisman as well as Dr. Eric Friedland, Sanders Professor Emeritus of Judaic Studies with a joint appointment at University of Dayton, United Theological Seminary, Antioch College, and Wright State University, and Ms. Ruth Gay, researcher and author, whose works include The Jews of Germany: A Historical Portrait and Unfinished People: Jewish Immigrants to the United States: 1880-1914.

As part of the commencement activities of the College-Institute, Thomas L. Friedman will receive the 2002 Bernard Heller Prize on Wednesday, May 29, 2002 for his accurate coverage of the events in the Middle East through his three-time (1983, 1988, and 2002) Pulitzer Prize-winning international reporting and commentary as a correspondent for the New York Times and his National Book Award-winning book, From Beirut to Jerusalem.

The Dr. Bernard Heller Prize is an international award presented annually to an individual or organization whose work, writings, or research reflects the values and commitment to the betterment of humanity.