Rabbi David Ellenson to Be Honored at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's 20th Annual Cincinnati Associates Tribute Dinner

Rabbi David Ellenson, President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, will be honored at the 20th Annual Cincinnati Associates Tribute Dinner to be held on Sunday, November 17, 2002 at the Hyatt Regency. This dinner, coming just one month after Rabbi Ellenson is inaugurated as the eight President in the history of HUC-JIR, will be a celebration of his inauguration as well as a special evening of tribute to his 25 years of service to the College-Institute, Reform Judaism, and academic scholarship worldwide. Rabbi Ellenson's inauguration will take place on October 13, 2002 at Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati.

Rabbi David Ellenson has been the president of HUC-JIR since June 2001. During Rabbi Ellenson's first year as president he has raised over $8 million for the annual and endowments funds at the College-Institute and welcomed the largest class of rabbinical students in 20 years, and faced the challenges of the escalating violence in Israel and its impact on HUC-JIR's Year-In-Israel Program, a requirement for all first year rabbinical, cantorial, and education students.

Rabbi Ellenson is the I.H. and Anna Grancell Professor of Jewish Religious Thought and has taught Jewish religious thought, ethics, and modern Jewish history at the Los Angeles campus of HUC-JIR since 1979. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1981 and was ordained a rabbi at HUC-JIR's New York School in 1977. He holds masters degrees from Columbia University, HUC-JIR, and the University of Virginia and received his bachelors degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 1969.

Karen M. Hoguet, chief financial officer and senior vice president of Federated Department Stores, Inc. and H. Jerome Lerner, chairman of Crane Contractors and owner of HJL Enterprises serve as co-chairs of the Tribute Dinner.

Hoguet joined Federated in 1982, was elected senior vice president in 1991 and chief financial officer in 1997. She is a Cincinnati native and currently serves on the boards of Broadwing Inc., the Walnut Hills High School Alumni Foundation, Cincinnati Arts Festival, Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, and the Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Foundation. She is a member of the Board of Overseers of the College-Institute.

Lerner, also a native of Cincinnati serves on the boards of Art Technologies, Inc., Loveland Pet Foods, Inc., Peerless Machinery Corp., as well as many community organizations including Cedar Village, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Presidents Organization. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the College-Institute and is the immediate past chair of the Cincinnati Board of Overseers.

The co-chairs of the Corporate Council for the 2002 Tribute Dinner are Thomas L. Neyer, Jr., Chairman of the Board, Al Neyer, Inc.; Charlotte R. Otto, Global External Relations Officer, Procter & Gamble; and James E. Schwab, Cincinnati Market President, U.S. Bank.

The Associates of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion are men and women whose commitment and annual support augment the College-Institute's educational and scholarly programs. The Cincinnati Associates enthusiastically welcome Rabbi David Ellenson as the eighth president of HUC-JIR and look forward to working with him in the years ahead. For additional information about the Tribute Dinner or becoming an Associate of HUC-JIR, contact Cathy F. Weinberger, director of development and public affairs, at (513) 221-1875, ext. 222.