Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, announces graduate degree and honorary degree recipients of the Class of 2003

Mr. Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. to receive The Dr. Bernard Heller Prize

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, will hold its graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29, 2003 at Isaac M. Wise Temple in Amberley Village at 8:00 pm with Rabbi David Ellenson, president of HUC-JIR, conferring degrees. Mr. Edgar M. Bronfman will receive The Dr. Bernard Heller Prize and Dr. C. Hassell Bullock, Franklin S. Dyrness Chair of Biblical Studies and Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois will deliver the graduate address.

Doctor of Philosophy will be conferred upon Ann Mann Millin, Larry J. Pechawer, and Ting Wang. Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters (leading to rabbinical ordination) will be conferred upon Andrea J. Cosnowsky, Shana R. Goldstein, Oren H. Hayon, Debra L. Kassoff, Neal A. Katz, John A. Linder, David L. Locketz, Randi Chudakoff Nagel, Geri Newburge, Frederick H. Reeves, Jody H. Riches, Adrienne P. Scott, Michael S. Shulman, Aaron L. Starr, Stephen J. Stein, Jennifer A. Tisdale, and Victoria S. Tuckman. Master of Arts will be conferred upon Daniel S. Dykstra. Master of Philosophy in Hebraic and Cognate Studies will be conferred upon Joel S. Allen, Scott A. Ashmon, Ronald L. Hardin, David Musgrave, and Angela R. Roskop.

In addition, four rabbinical students will be recognized for their achievement in pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Xavier University through the HUC-JIR and Xavier University Joint Program in Educational Administration.

The College-Institute will bestow Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, upon Dr. Geoffrey H. Hartman, Sterling Professor Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature, Yale University; Dr. Baruch A. Levine, Skirball Professor Emeritus of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, New York University; Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut, Senior Scholar, Holy Blossom Temple; and Dr. Colette Sirat, Professor of Hebrew and Hebraic Texts, Sorbonne, and Director of the Hebraic Department, Institut de Recherche et d’Histoire des Textes.

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. The 2003 Dr. Bernard Heller Prize will be awarded to Edgar M. Bronfman. The hallmark of Edgar M. Bronfman’s life is his abiding concern for the safety and well being of the Jewish people and Jewish communities worldwide. He demonstrates his commitment to human rights as President of the World Jewish Congress and helps ensure Jewish continuity through his philanthropic generosity to Jewish education. His landmark efforts in establishing justice and restitution to Holocaust survivors is testimony to his dedicated leadership; it is the fulfillment of the Biblical admonition, “Justice, justice, shall you pursue.”