Our priority has been the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our students and our entire HUC-JIR Jerusalem family during this difficult time of war.
Updates as of 1/22/24
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program resumed full in-person learning with the start of the second semester.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) has resumed with a modified hybrid schedule.
- Rikma began at the end of December in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted calendar. Students are meeting for supplemental sessions as well as volunteer opportunities in the meantime.
- Sugiyot Chayim has resumed a full-time schedule.
- Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice.
Updates as of 12/19/23
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program resumed full in-person learning with the start of the second semester.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) has resumed with a modified hybrid schedule.
- Rikma began at the end of December in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted calendar. Students are meeting for supplemental sessions as well as volunteer opportunities in the meantime.
- Sugiyot Chayim has resumed a full-time schedule.
- Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice.
Updates as of 12/4/23
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program is continuing in a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester to accommodate all YII students, including those who have remained in Israel and those who have temporarily left the country. We are planning for the YII program to resume full in-person learning at the start of the second semester. We will continue to monitor the situation and students will receive final confirmation of this decision in mid-December. The YII and Rikma students met last week over lunch and programming that was initiated and developed by students. The students learned about each other’s visions for pluralistic Jewish education, shared messages of support for each other, and began to forge new relationships bridging the North American and Israeli Jewish communities.
- The Rikma program is now scheduled to begin the week of December 25 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule. The students are meeting for supplemental sessions as well as volunteer opportunities in the meantime. The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) has resumed with a modified hybrid schedule. Sugiyot Chayim resumed a full-time schedule. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice.
- Jerusalem is at the “Green Level,” which means that there are no Home Front Command restrictions on daily activity. All staff members are back on the campus. Faculty are working from campus or remotely according to program needs. A therapist who specializes in trauma is providing personal counseling sessions to the staff on the Jerusalem campus.
Updates as of 11/28/23
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program is continuing in a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester to accommodate all YII students, including those who have remained in Israel and those who have temporarily left the country. We are planning for the YII program to resume full in-person learning at the start of the second semester. We will continue to monitor the situation and students will receive final confirmation of this decision in mid-December.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) has resumed with a modified hybrid schedule. Israel’s ordination took place on Thursday, November 16 in a small ceremony that was livestreamed and can be watched here. The Rikma program is now scheduled to begin the week of December 25 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule. The students are meeting for supplemental sessions as well as volunteer opportunities until this time. Sugiyot Chayim resumed a full-time schedule last week. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice.
- Jerusalem is at the “Green Level,” which means that there are no Home Front Command restrictions on daily activity. All staff members are back on the campus. Faculty are working from campus or remotely according to program needs.
Updates as of 11/20/23
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program will continue in a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester to accommodate students in multiple time zones. Some YII students have chosen to remain in Israel and others have temporarily returned to their home countries or other locations. We are planning to resume full in-person learning at the start of the second semester. All YII students continue to have a support system that includes the YII administration, their teachers, and access to on-call counseling.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) Ordination ceremony took place on Thursday, November 16 in a small ceremony that was livestreamed with English translation. If you missed it, please watch it here. The IRP has resumed with a modified hybrid schedule. Rikma is now scheduled to begin the week of December 25 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule. The students are meeting for supplemental sessions as well as volunteer opportunities until this time. Sugiyot Chayim resumed a full-time schedule last week. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice.
- Jerusalem is at the “Green Level,” which means that there are no Home Front Command restrictions on daily activity. All safe spaces on the Jerusalem campus are ready and all employees have received instruction on what should be done in an emergency. Some staff and faculty are working from campus and others are working remotely. The Jerusalem leadership team continues to keep in touch with all staff and faculty who are working remotely to ensure regular contact.
Updates as of 11/13/23
- President Rehfeld is currently in Israel visiting our students, staff, and faculty, as well as our alumni in the field, where they are serving in critical pastoral and humanitarian capacities. He will remain there to support our community through Ordination on November 16th.
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program will continue in a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester to accommodate students in multiple time zones. Some YII students have chosen to remain in Israel and others have temporarily returned to their home countries or other locations. We are planning to resume full in-person learning at the start of the second semester. All YII students continue to have a support system that includes the YII administration, their teachers, and access to on-call counseling.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) resumed with a modified hybrid schedule. Ordination will take place on Thursday, November 16 in a small ceremony that will be livestreamed with English translation. Rikma is scheduled to begin the week of December 3 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule. Supplemental sessions are being provided in advance of the official program start date. Sugiyot Chayim is continuing in a hybrid format and will resume a full-time schedule this week. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice. Ulpan Milah, a program on our campus that is not run by HUC-JIR, is currently meeting at a nearby location.
- Jerusalem is at the “Green Level,” which means that there are no Home Front Command restrictions on daily activity. All safe spaces on the Jerusalem campus are ready and all employees have received instruction on what should be done in an emergency. Some staff and faculty are working from campus and others are working remotely. The Jerusalem leadership team continues to keep in touch with all staff and faculty who are working remotely to ensure regular contact.
Updates as of 11/6/23
- President Rehfeld is currently in Israel visiting our students, staff, and faculty, as well as our alumni in the field, where they are serving in critical pastoral and humanitarian capacities. He plans to remain there to support our community through Ordination on November 16th.
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program will continue in a hybrid format for the remainder of the semester to accommodate students in multiple time zones. Some YII students have chosen to remain in Israel and others have temporarily returned to their home countries or other locations. We are planning to resume full in-person learning at the start of the second semester. All YII students continue to have a support system that includes the YII administration, their teachers, and access to on-call counseling.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) will resume this week with a modified hybrid schedule. Rikma is scheduled to begin the week of December 3 in accordance with Hebrew. University’s adjusted schedule. Supplemental sessions are being provided in advance of the official program start date. Sugiyot Chayim is continuing in a hybrid format with a half-time schedule. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice. Ulpan Milah, a program on our campus that is not run by HUC-JIR, is holding Zoom classes.
- Jerusalem is at the “Green Level,” which means that there are no Home Front Command restrictions on daily activity. All safe spaces on the Jerusalem campus are ready and all employees have received instruction on what should be done in an emergency. Some staff and faculty are working from campus and others are working remotely. The Jerusalem leadership team continues to keep in touch with all staff and faculty who are working remotely to ensure regular contact.
Updates as of 10/30/23
- President Rehfeld is in Israel visiting our students, staff, and faculty, as well as our alumni in the field, where they are serving in critical pastoral and humanitarian capacities.
- The Year-in-Israel (YII) Program is continuing in a hybrid format to accommodate students in multiple time zones; some students have chosen to remain in Israel and others have temporarily returned to their home countries or other locations. YII students who are outside Israel are participating in Zoom classes, cohort sessions, and supplemental small groups Hebrew conversation sessions. All YII students have a support system that includes the YII administration, their teachers, and access to on-call counseling.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) will resume with a modified hybrid schedule the week of November 6. Rikma is scheduled to begin the week of December 3 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule. Supplemental sessions are being provided in advance of the official program start date. Sugiyot Chayim began last week in a hybrid format with a half-time schedule. Teachers’ Lounge remains paused until further notice. Ulpan Milah, a program on our campus that is not run by HUC-JIR, is holding Zoom classes.
- The Home Front Command announced on Saturday that Jerusalem is at the “Yellow Level” again, which means that educational activities are allowed only around safe spaces. All safe spaces on the Jerusalem campus are ready and all employees have received instruction on what should be done in an emergency. Some staff and faculty are working from campus and others are working remotely with regular contact.
Updates as of 10/23/23
- President Rehfeld will travel to Israel this week to visit our students, staff, faculty, and alumni, both on the Taube Family Campus and in the field where they are serving in critical pastoral and humanitarian capacities.
- The Year-In-Israel program has shifted to hybrid learning to accommodate students in Israel and in different time zones. Last week, students in Jerusalem resumed in-person learning, prepared packages for families affected by the war, and worked with an arts educator on expressing experiences through art. Those who have temporarily returned to their home countries or other locations are participating fully in Zoom classes and taking part in supplemental small group Hebrew conversation sessions.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) that was scheduled to start on October 15 with the largest cohort in its history and is now scheduled to begin on November 5. Several IRP students have been called to service in the IDF and others are receiving extra rabbinical and pastoral training to attend to the extraordinary needs of the communities they already serve. Supplemental online learning sessions are being offered to the IRP class several times a week until the semester officially starts.
- Rikma is scheduled to begin the week of November 5 in accordance with Hebrew University’s adjusted schedule and is also offering supplemental sessions in advance. Sugiyot Chayim will also wait to resume. An online beit midrash is providing a setting for current and former students to gather for sharing, study, and reflection. Teachers’ Lounge and certain other programs offered on in Jerusalem are currently paused until further notice. Ulpan Milah, a program on the Taube Family Campus that is not run by HUC-JIR, has opened for Zoom classes.
- Our Jerusalem campus remains open to staff, faculty, and students who would like to report to work in person or use our library or meeting spaces. Our campus shelters have been stocked with extra water (required by the authorities) and food (at our own initiative) and have been offered to Magen David Adom and the Israeli military should they need them. The Jerusalem leadership team continues to make daily decisions about campus operations and check in on all staff and faculty who are not working from campus.
Updates as of 10/17/23
- The Year-In-Israel program has responded resiliently to the unfolding events and is shifting to a hybrid learning modality to accommodate students in Israel and in different time zones. Our leadership and faculty are doing incredible work supporting our students and ensuring that learning and community continue, whether students are in Israel or have returned temporarily to their home countries.
- The Israel Rabbinical Program (IRP) was scheduled to start on October 15 with the largest cohort in its history. The start of this program has been delayed until November, along with all higher education and universities in Israel. Several IRP students have been called to service in the IDF and others are receiving extra rabbinical and pastoral training to attend to the extraordinary needs of the communities they already serve.
- Rikma, Sugiyot Chayim, Teachers’ Lounge, and other programs are currently paused until further notice. We have offered our campus and shelters to Magen David Adom and the Israeli military should they need, and are providing additional security on campus. Dr. Michal Muszkat-Barkan has taken a central role in working with our existing protest networks to create a city-wide clearing house of volunteer assistance, and Dr. Ruhama Weiss is running a ‘Beit Midrash of Meaning’ for Kibbutz Nirim in the South.