Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, proudly announces the ordination recipients of the Class of 2002

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, will hold its ordination ceremony on Saturday, June 1, 2002 at 9:30 am at Plum Street Temple with Rabbi David Ellenson, president of HUC-JIR, ordaining eleven rabbis. The ordination class has invited Anita Diamant, prize-winning journalist and author of The Red Tent and Good Harbor, to address them during the service.

The following students will be ordained as rabbis: Jeremy A. Barras, Michael Z. Birnholz, Karen N. Companez, Alan R. Freedman, David L. Levinsky, Daniel R. Plotkin, Jonathan S. Roos, Laura M. Sheinkopf Hoffman, Jonathan S. Siger, Lauren F. Werber, and Beth B. Wing.

This year, the College-Institute will ordain 31 rabbis (12 men, 19 women) in Cincinnati, New York, and, for the first time, in Los Angeles. The College-Institute will invest 9 cantors (1 man, 8 women) in New York. These new rabbis and cantors will be serving Reform Jewish congregations and community organizations around the country including such cities as Albany, NY; Austin, TX; Buffalo Grove, IL; Buffalo, NY; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Elkins Park, PA; Glencoe, IL; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; and Vero Beach, FL.

At the ordination and investiture ceremonies of HUC-JIR's New York Campus on May 12, 2002, the 2002 Roger E. Joseph Prize was awarded to Father Mychal Judge, posthumously, and the City of New York Fire Department. Judge, a Franciscan priest and New York Fire Department chaplain, died while ministering to New York fire fighters on September 11, 2001. The Roger E. Joseph Prize is presented annually to an individual or organization, which by virtue of religious and moral commitment has made a distinctive contribution to humanity.