HUC-JIR Announces 2022 Graduation and Ordination in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, and New York

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, North America’s premier institution of Jewish higher education and the center for professional leadership development of Reform Judaism, bestowed degrees on the Class of 2022’s cadre of new professional leaders for the Reform Movement, the Jewish people, and the larger world. Distinguished communal and civic leaders and alumni were awarded honorary degrees and prizes in recognition of their service to Reform congregations and North American Jewry, and in honor of their humanitarian work.

The College-Institute awarded 138 degrees:
Ordained 29 rabbis at Ordination in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, and New York;
Ordained 8 cantors at Ordination in New York;
1 Doctor of Hebrew Letters degree;
3 Doctor of Ministry degrees;
5 Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies;
1 Master of Philosophy degree in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies;
4 Master of Arts degrees in Jewish Studies;
1 Master of Arts degree in Jewish Education;
1 Master of Arts degree in Religious Education;
12 Master of Arts degrees in Religious Education, Executive M.A. Program;
7 Master of Arts degrees in Educational Leadership;
1 Master of Arts degree in Jewish Learning;
9 Master of Arts degrees in Teaching;
17 Master of Arts degrees in Jewish Nonprofit Management;
6 Master of Science degrees in Organizational Leadership and Innovation;
11 Master of Arts degrees in Hebrew Letters;
10 Master of Arts degrees in Hebrew Literature;
and 12 Master of Sacred Music degrees.
All degrees granted upon completion of all requirements.

NEW YORK GRADUATION
Thursday, May 5, 2022 | 4 Iyar 5782 | 4:00 pm
Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York | 10 East 66th Street, New York

WATCH THE RECORDING

The New York Graduation address was presented by:
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker ’06 READ THE ADDRESS

The Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling was presented to the following 3 students:
Alexander Udekwe Agbata
Luke Chinedu Ibeh
Andonios Christophero Prayannis

The Master of Arts in Religious Education was presented to the following student:
Shelley Claire Hubert

The Master of Arts in Religious Education, Executive M.A. Program was presented to the following 12 students:
Leslie Ann Bright
David Andrew Eber
Sarit Tsor Ferreira
Margaret B. Shapiro Haskett
Rina Liebeskind
Meredith Ileen Lubin
Susan E. Potechin
Eileen Fern Sadowsky
Matthew A. Vogel
Alison Kim Weikel
Rachel Leigh Weinstein White
Forrest Sidney Yesnes

The Master of Sacred Music was presented to the following 12 students:
Shani Tziporah Ben-Or
Jordan L. Goldstein
Emily Anabeth Hoolihan
Kalix Rosenbaum Jacobson
Sydney Rose Lazar
Emma Rebecca Maier
Becky Alaine Mann
Ella Leila Gladstone Martin
Isaac J. Sonett-Assor
Ze’evi Simcha Tovlev
Agnes Barroll Valdman
Rachel Paula Weston

The Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature was presented to the following 10 students:
Yonatan Arnon
George Louis Cheever Altshuler
Chelsea Rebecca Feuchs
Lily Sklar Goldstein
Jacob E. Leizman
Sienna Rachel Lotenberg
Andrew Kaplan Mandel
Daniel Dolph Reichenbach
Heather Alexandra Shore
Amanda Katherine Weiss

Our gratitude to Eastern Region Board of Advisors members Morris L. Kramer, Genevieve G. Wyner, z”l, and Justin L. Wyner for generously sponsoring the celebration for the graduates.

NEW YORK ORDINATION
Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 7 Iyar 5782 | 9:30 am
Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York | Fifth Avenue at 65th Street, New York

WATCH THE RECORDING

The New York Ordination address was presented by:
Judith Plaskow, Ph.D., American theologian, author, and activist
READ THE ADDRESS

The Roger E. Joseph Prize was presented to:
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Accepted by Paolo Sison, Director of Innovative Finance READ REMARKS

The following 8 students were ordained as cantors:
Sara Lillian Anderson
Jennifer Elise Benrey
Stefanie Lynn Greene
Suzanne Chaya Hamstra
Michael Weir Jarvis
Jenna Leigh Mark
Jenna Rose McMillan
Samuel Aaron Rosen

The following 12 students were ordained as rabbis:
Sasha Nicole Baken
Madeline Sarah Cooper
Benjamin Jacob Dyme
Rebecca Onea Sabin Hecht
Rebecca Lynn Jaye
Noach Lawrence
Leah Michelle Nussbaum
Jill Alana Rubin
Eliza Reich Scheffler
Alexandra Happ Stein
Samuel Myles Weiss
Noah Albert Westreich

Our thanks to the Joseph Prize Endowment and the Joseph Family for their support of Ordination in New York.

LOS ANGELES ORDINATION

Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 14 Iyar 5782 |
10:00 am
Stephen Wise Temple | 15500 Stephen S. Wise Drive, Los Angeles, CA

WATCH THE RECORDING

The Los Angeles Ordination address was presented by:
Rabbi Laura Geller ’76 READ THE ADDRESS

The following 7 students were ordained as rabbis:
Scott Ethan Goldberg
Michael Franklin Lewis
Elana Sara Rabishaw
Rachel Ann Rothstein
Brett Charles Weisman
Mira S. Weller
Sofia Louisa Zway

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Dorothy Corwin Ordination Endowment Fund.

LOS ANGELES GRADUATION

Monday, May 16, 2022 | 15 Iyar 5782 | 10:00 am
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion | 3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles

WATCH THE RECORDING

The Los Angeles Graduation address was presented by:
Stephen D. Smith, Ph.D., Executive Director Emeritus, USC Shoah Foundation, USC Visiting Professor of Religion READ THE ADDRESS

The Master of Educational Leadership was presented to the following 7 students:
Rachel Jean Altfeld
Julia W. Berg
Elana Aura Ackerman Hirsch
Shirah Coran Kraus
Malcolm J. McElheney
Eliana Shira Linsky Rubin
Liana Marie Wertman

The Master of Art in Jewish Learning was presented to the following student:
Malcolm J. McElheney

The Master of Arts in Jewish Education was presented to the following student:
Sarah Alicia Moody

The Master of Arts in Teaching was presented to the following 9 students:
Emily Regina Baumgarten
Sara Faye Goldrath
Polly Ann Holzman
Laura Brooke Hussey
Samantha Esther Parker
Sarit Peisach
Charlene Rachel Niku
Noah Ariel Scheindlin
Shiri Surkin

The Master of Arts in Jewish Nonprofit Management was presented to the following 17 students:
Adrián Asallas-Lederman
Carrie Rose Bohn
Miriam E. Hoffman
Emily Anabeth Hoolihan
Shir Horovitz
Jessica Micole Jacobs
Mikhail Kemerau
Chayva Lindsay Lehrman
Zachary Isaac Lempert
Lily Brielle Mandell
Kal Adam Marcus
Malcolm J. McElheney
Justin Joseph Nemanpour
Alexander P. Rubin
Alyssa Jennifer Silva
Hannah Rose Sullivan
Tamara Ariana Zishuk

The Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Innovation was presented to the following 6 students:
Samara Leader
Andrew Max
Shani Mink
Mark Pattis
Suzy Sostrin
Jasmine Tarkoff

The Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters was presented to the following 11 students:
Max G. Antman
Taylor Shannon Baruchel
Hannah Claire Bender
Aria Adele Caligiuri
Jade Abronson Carter
Rebecca Frances Chess
Timothy Welles Gaylord
Shirah Coran Kraus
Jerry Nathan Kudan
Franklyn Henry Salzman
Samantha Rose Thal

CINCINNATI GRADUATION

Friday, May 20, 2022 | 19 Iyar 5782 | 11:00 am
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion |
3101 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati

WATCH THE RECORDING

The Doctor of Philosophy in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies was presented to the following 5 students:
Matthew Alan Boersma*
Caleb A. Gilmore
Sharon R. Love
Jared Wesson Saltz
Keith R. Vande Vrede

The Doctor of Hebrew Letters was presented to the following student:
Belle Michael

The Master of Philosophy in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies was presented to the following student:
Julia Rose Olson

The Master of Arts in Jewish Studies was presented to the following 4 students:
Matthew Reed Liethen*
Gretchen Suzanne Johnson*
William Evan Vossman
Rebekah Jane Wallace

The Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters was presented to the following 11 students:
Rebecca Benoff*
Madeline Torop Budman
Anna Meyers Burke*
Emily S. Dana
Matthew Derrenbacher*
Ashley Englander*
Samuel Isaac Rheins
Benjamin Rosen*
Ilana Yael Symons
Aaron David Budman Torop
Edith Yakutis*
*Awarded at Cincinnati Graduation on October 3, 2021.

CINCINNATI ORDINATION

Saturday, May 21, 2022 | 20 Iyar 5782 | 9:00 am
Plum Street Temple | 720 Plum Street, Cincinnati

WATCH THE RECORDING

The Cincinnati Ordination address was presented by:
Rabbi Sally Priesand ’72 READ THE ADDRESS

The following 10 students were ordained as rabbis:
Madeline Rose Anderson
Ashley Lynn Barrett
Caitlin Joy Brazner
Randall M. Burke
Rebecca Anne Diamond
Jonathan Robert Falco
Daniel Paul Hotary
David Nathan Jaffe
Eliza Rosie Silk McCarroll
Tzvia Erin Rubens

HONORING ALUMNI OF THE CLASS OF 1997 / 2022
HUC-JIR alumni were awarded honorary Doctorates of Divinity, Music, Jewish Religious Education, and Jewish Nonprofit Management, as well as the Graduate Medallion, in recognition of their 25 years of distinguished professional service.

Rabbinical Alumni – Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
Jeffrey Richard Astrachan
Alan M. Berlin
Deborah Bodin Cohen
Joshua Michael Davidson
Renee Goldberg Edelman
Ellen Flax
Matthew D. Gewirtz
Neal D. Gold
Ari J. Goldstein
Sheila Beth Goloboy
Debora S. Gordon
Mark Kaiserman
Jonathan D. Klein
Daveen H. Litwin
Michele Brand Medwin
Sydney MintzS. Robert Morais
Leon A. Morris
Jay Henry Moses
Nancy Rita Myers
Janet Offel
Wendy Drucker Pein
Jonah D. Pesner
Sarah Reines
Theodore Hirsch Riter
Jennie Rosenn
Howard Jacoby Ruben
Rick Schechter
Zachary Rootberg Shapiro
Lisa Beth Silverstein
Adam Stock Spilker
Elena Stein
Andrea Lerner Steinberger
Max W. Weiss
David Hillel Wilfond
David Dine Wirtschafter
Mary L. Zamore

Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music Cantorial Alumni – Doctor of Music, honoris causa
Melissa Lynne Adleman
Kenneth Jaffe
Michael Moses Mandel
Jacqueline Leigh Marx
Jaime Shpall

School of Education Alumni – Doctor of Jewish Religious Education, honoris causa
Lauren Chizner
Bryan Conyer
Julie Lebenson Lambert
Rachel Stern

Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management Alumni – Doctor of Jewish Nonprofit Management, honoris causa
Judy Berkeley
Julie Lynn Harris
Michelle Landau Brooks
Mandi Richardson

Questions about Graduation and Ordination?

New York: Contact Meredeth Kelly at mkelly@huc.edu or (212) 824-2236, or Harriet Lewis at hlewis@huc.edu or (212) 824-2224.Los Angeles: Contact Tiffany Tatum at ttatum@huc.edu or (213) 765-2100.Cincinnati: Contact Autumn Wheeler at awheeler@huc.edu or (513) 487-3231.