Hebrew Union College in the Berkshires

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Join Hebrew Union College in the Berkshires for a shabbaton with College faculty, leadership, and alumni.

Hebrew Union College in the Berkshires is generously funded in part by the Goldner-Panken Symposium Fund at HUC, and is produced in collaboration with the American Jewish Archives, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, Temple Anshe Amunim, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, and the Schindler Family.

Host Committee

Rabbi Daniel Freelander ’79
Rabbi Elyse Frishman ’81
Rabbi Jodie Gordon ’14
Rabbi Rachel Hertzman ’85
Cantor Gail Hirschenfang ’81
Rabbi Howard Jaffe ’83
Rabbi Nancy Kasten ’89, ’90
Rabbi Valerie Lieber ’95
Daryl Messinger
Lisa Messinger
Rabbi Rex Perlmeter ’85
Rabbi Daniel Polish ’68
Mitchell Shames
Rabbi David Stern ’88, ’89
Richard L. Wasserman, M.D., Ph.D.
Tina Wasserman

Program of Events

Join us for one or more of these programs; open to all. Note that program location, date and times are subject to change.

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Friday, August 1

Knosh & Knowledge
Alexander Schindler: The Person, The Politician, The Rabbi (in his own words), with Michael Meyer, Ph.D., Adolph S. Ochs Emeritus Professor of Jewish History at Hebrew Union College
in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Rabbi Alexander Schindler, z”l, was among the most influential leaders of American Reform Judaism. He was also highly controversial, taking positions on subjects that are still relevant for Reform Judaism today, including patrilineal descent, outreach, and relations with the State of Israel. Drawing upon insights from his new book, Above All We are Jews: A Biography of Alexander Schindler, Professor Meyer will interpret key texts from his speeches and writings as well as probe his complex personality.

Location:

Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
270 State Road, Great Barrington, MA

Presenter:

Michael A. Meyer, Ph.D., born in Berlin and raised in Los Angeles, is a prominent scholar of Jewish history, currently the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Jewish History Emeritus at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He has taught at multiple institutions, including HUC’s campuses in Jerusalem and Cincinnati, University of Haifa, and Ben Gurion University; written numerous books and articles, winning three Jewish Book Awards; and served as president of the Association for Jewish Studies and international president of the Leo Baeck Institute.

Erev Shabbat Services and Oneg with Hebrew Union College in the Berkshires

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Welcome in Shabbat at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire with an uplifting and musical Friday night service led by Rabbi Jodie Gordon ’14, featuring guests from Hebrew Union College, including President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Golden Hanassi Fellow Rabbi Mori Lidar, and the music of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College.

Location:

Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
270 State Road, Great Barrington, MA

Presenters:

Rabbi Jodie Gordon ’14 has served Hevreh of Southern Berkshire since her ordination from Hebrew Union College. She grew up with strong connections in the Reform movement, especially through her time at URJ Eisner Camp, which instilled in her a lifelong love for Jewish learning and the Berkshires. Through original programming at Hevreh ike Community Shabbats, Intergenerational Women’s Seder, or Boker Tov Hevreh, Rabbi Gordon is always seeking ways to bring people together through music, learning, and shared stories that connect us to the story of the Jewish people.

Rabbi Mori Lidar, Hebrew Union College Golden Hanassi Fellow

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. is the 10th President of Hebrew Union College. A leading scholar of political representation and distinguished Jewish communal leader, Dr. Rehfeld’s career has bridged both the academic and professional worlds. He held the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in the Study and Practice of Federalism, McGill University, and had visiting faculty appointments at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, and Libera Universita Internazionale Degli Studi Sociali (LUISS Guido Carli), Rome. Rehfeld currently serves as a member of the board of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and on the national board of directors for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

Saturday, August 2

Shabbat Morning Services and Kiddush Luncheon in honor of the legacy of Rabbi Alexander Schindler

10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Join Hebrew Union College in the Berkshires for a special Shabbat morning service celebrating the memory of Rabbi Alexander Schindler, featuring reflections on his living legacy. A kiddush luncheon and panel discussion will follow, generously sponsored by the Schindler family.

Location:

Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
270 State Road, Great Barrington, MA

Presenters:

Dana Herman, Ph.D. is Associate Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received her doctorate in modern Jewish history from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She is editor of the AJA’s semi-annual periodical, The American Jewish Archives Journal and directs the institution’s prestigious fellowship program. She is a board member of Jewish Community Legacy Project (JCLP) and an honorary advisory board member of JewishGen’s USA Research Division. She is married to HUC faculty member, Dr. Jason Kalman, and together they have three children.

Lydia Kukoff received an MA in Judaic Studies from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She created the Reform Movement’s Outreach program and was its director for 13 years. She is a founder of the Chatham Synagogue, a thriving congregation in New York’s Upper Hudson Valley.

Michael A. Meyer, Ph.D., born in Berlin and raised in Los Angeles, is a prominent scholar of Jewish history, currently the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Jewish History Emeritus at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He has taught at multiple institutions, including HUC’s campuses in Jerusalem and Cincinnati, University of Haifa, and Ben Gurion University; written numerous books and articles, winning three Jewish Book Awards; and served as president of the Association for Jewish Studies and international president of the Leo Baeck Institute.

Paul J. Reichenbach had the wonderful opportunity of supervising many of the impactful youth programs of Reform Judaism including Kutz Camp, NFTY in Israel, and URJ camps across North America, during his more than 44 years at Union for Reform Judaism. Through his partnerships with deeply dedicated colleagues and dear friends, they helped to build Jewish pride, knowledge, identity, spirituality, meaningful skills, joyful friendships all in striving to transform lives of young people and building a future of Reform Judaism. In reflecting on this work, he believes that Alex Schindler was at the core of all they endeavored to accomplish.

Rabbi David Saperstein ’73 is director emeritus of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, where he served as director and counsel for 40 years, and is currently Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy to the Union for Reform Judaism. In 2015, he became the first rabbi and first non-Christian to serve as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, advocating globally for religious minorities and human rights.

Rabbi Judy Schindler ’95, DHL ’25 is an activist, author, professor, rabbi, mother, and wife. Rabbi Schindler is the Sklut Professor of Jewish Studies at Queens University of Charlotte. She served as founding Director of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University from 2016-2024. She was named Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth El in Charlotte, North Carolina, after serving as Senior Rabbi from 2003-2016 and as Associate Rabbi from 1998-2003.