Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), North America’s premier institution of Jewish higher education and the center for professional leadership development of Reform Judaism, is privileged to have bestowed 157 degrees and certificates on the Class of 2021 / 5781 cadre of new Jewish professional leaders for the Reform Movement, the Jewish People, and the larger world.
The College-Institute awarded 157 degrees and certificates:
34 rabbis were ordained in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York;
6 cantors were ordained in New York;
2 Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies;
5 Doctor of Ministry degrees;22 Master of Arts degrees in Hebrew Letters;
22 Master of Arts degrees in Hebrew Literature;7 Master of Sacred Music degrees;
6 Master of Arts degrees in Jewish Education;
3 Master of Arts degrees in Religious Education;
15 Master of Arts degrees in Religious Education, Executive Program;11 Master of Arts degrees in Jewish Nonprofit Management;
5 Master of Philosophy degrees in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies;
5 Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Innovation;
2 Certificates in Jewish Organizational Leadership; and
12 Sugiyot Chayim Certificates for The Blaustein Center for Spiritual Counseling.
All degrees granted upon completion of all requirements.
Rabbinical School
Rabbinical Ordination
Emily Rebecca Aronson
Erin M. Binder
Kylynn Guenevere Mary Cohen
Jason Samuel Cook
Jeffrey Alan Dreifus
Hannah Lauren Elkin
Libby Louise Fisher
Joshua Aaron Gischner
Deborah Samantha Novak Goldberg
William Paxton Hall, Jr.
Vanessa Morgan Harper
Osnat Eldar Herz
Jonathan Lee Jackson
Esther Sarah Jilovsky
Jan S. Katz
Samuel Solomon Klein
Ross Zadoc Levy
Zoe Mira McCoon
Regev Yaakobovitch Michaeli
Preston Dean Neimeiser
Andrew Samuel Oberstein
Rachael Ann Nicole Pass
Renana Peres
Zachary Allan Plesent
Shmuel Polin
Ariel Dina Milan-Polisar
Taylor A. Poslosky
Orit Berg Rozenblit
Samantha Frances Schauvaney
Samuel Alexander Stern
Annalisa Grimes Stryer
Erik Lee Uriarte
Yair Walton
Danielle Erica Weisbrot
Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters
Madeline R. Anderson
Ashley Lynn Barrett
Julia W. Berg
Caitlin Joy Brazner
Randall M. Burke
Anna Kathryn Calamaro
Melissa Haley Carp
Rebecca Anne Diamond
Jonathan Robert Falco
Leo Eliezer Fuchs
Elana Aura Ackerman Hirsch
Miriam Eve Hoffman
Daniel Paul Hotary
Jessica Micole Jacobs
David Nathan Jaffe
Samuel David Kanter
Rebecca Emily Kaufman
Chayva Lindsay Lehrman
Ross Zadoc Levy
Eliza Rosie Silk McCarroll
Jessica “Tzvia” Erin Rubens
Michael G. Walden
Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature
Sasha N. Baken
Madeline Sarah Cooper
Benjamin J. Dyme
Rebecca Onea Sabin Hecht
Rebecca Lynn Jaye
Noah Joshua Lawrence
Leah Michelle Nussbaum
Jill Alana Rubin
Eliza Reich Scheffler
Healy Shir Slakman
Alexandra H. Stein
Samuel Myles Weiss
Noah A. Westreich
Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music
Cantorial Ordination
Olivia Paige Brodsky
Shani Cohen
David Warren Fair
Ilana Kate Goldman
Stefano Lorenzo Iacono
Lianna Sage Mendelson
Master of Sacred Music
Sara Lillian Anderson
Stefanie Lynn Greene
Suzanne Chaya Hamstra
Mike Jarvis
Jenna Leigh Mark
Jenna Rose McMillan
Samuel Aaron Rosen
School of Education
Master of Arts in Jewish Education
Ze’evi Berman
Anna Meyers Burke
Megan Ilana Brumer
Elias Luis Ivone Chajet
Mira S. Weller
Ariel Ezekiel Zitny
Master of Arts in Religious Education
Julia E. Bennett
Joshua Aaron Gischner
Rachel Ashley Crouch Hershman
Master of Arts in Religious Education, Executive M.A. Program
Lisa Beth Isen Baumal
Lauren Randi Belferder
Elizabeth Bloch
Amanda Campbell
Jennifer Cicelsky George
Zoë Elizabeth Goldberg
Betsy A. Kachel
Carly Brianne Kastner
Sarit Adina Katzew
Hannah A. Richman Kearney
Joie B. Magnone
Mary C. Passell
Jennifer D. Quick
Robin A. Sheridan
Jane Tuv
Master of Arts in Pluralistic Jewish Education — RIKMAJoint Program with the Melton Centre of the Hebrew University
Ron Alter
Opal Arbell
Ronit Pinsky Attedgi
Tal Bouhnik
Tal Hagai
Miriam Jano
Timor Muller
Rabbi Binyamin Minich
Bar Reut Peretz
Orit Shoshani Sagi
Noga Shitrit
Daniel Soloway
Eden Wiselman
Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management
Master of Arts in Jewish Nonprofit Management
Rachael Sara Cohen
Madeline Sarah Cooper
Marlee Joann Goldshine
Rachel Ashley Crouch Hershman
Alexandra L. Horn
Erica Fae Shulman Houston
Jared E. Jackson
Jill Alana Rubin
Gabriella Michal Switzer
Samuel Aaron Waldman
David K. White
Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Innovation
Jilian Jennie Bar-or
Omri Einav
Yocheved Hartman
Arezu Hashemi
Rachel Shamash Schneider
Certificate in Jewish Organizational Leadership
Julia Whiting Berg
Samuel Kanter
Pines School of Graduate Studies
Doctor of Philosophy in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies
Phillip Marcus Bollinger
Kyungji (Kevin) Ha
Master of Philosophy in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies
Phillip Jordan Fischaber
Hara Jun
Michael Walter Owen
Ryan M. Replogle
Anthony Brian Stoller
Pastoral Care Programs
Interfaith Doctor of Ministry for Pastoral Care
Jeshayahu Beloosesky
Jeffrey C. Brown
Eric Daniel Danson
Matthew Grimes
Marcos Miranda
Certificate in Sugiyot Chaim — Blaustein Center for Spiritual Counseling
Adi Bielski Adani
David Azoulay
Zeuditu Bainesay
Naomi Ben-Ari
Shani Ben Or
Shimon (Shimku) El Ami
Mani (Emanuel) Gal
Bat Chen Goldman
Father Roman Kaminski
Amevet Rada
Tova Yura Smith
Ilanit Swissa
Louccheim School for Judaic Studies
Bachelor of Arts Minor in Jewish Studies at USC
Brendan Goldberg
HONORING OUR ALUMNI
RABBINICAL ALUMNIDOCTOR OF DIVINITY, honoris causa
Jonathan A. Aaron
Batsheva Appel
Andrew N. Bachman
Yafah Lindsey bat Joseph
Aaron Benjamin Bisno
Daniel Bronstein
Mike Comins
Glynis Conyer
Geoffrey W. Dennis
Elizabeth Amy Dunsker
Bruce Elder
Ariel J. Friedlander
Suri Friedman
George Gittleman
Carol Sue Rudnick Goldblatt
Steven Michael Gross
Peter Kessler
Richard Kirschen
Debra Landsberg
Daniel E. Levin
Alan E. Litwak
Andrea Coustan London
Rosalin Mandelberg
Batsheva Hannah Meiri
Scott Alan Meltzer
Michelle Paree Missaghieh
Melinda Faith Panken
Jay Charles Perlman
Jacqueline Romm Satlow
Ronald M. Segal
Ariel Walsh
Jennifer Cheryl Weiner
Shifra Weiss-Penzias
Amir Wind
DEBBIE FRIEDMAN SCHOOL OF SACRED MUSIC CANTORIAL ALUMNI
DOCTOR OF MUSIC, honoris causa
Julie Beth Berlin
Devorah Felder-Levy
Claire Franco
Jordan Shai Franzel
Tamar Heather Havilio
Fredda Rakusin Mendelson
Adelle Roberta Nicholson
Judith Ovadia
David Lessner Perper
Wally Schachet-Briskin
Rachel Stock Spilker
Steven Ira Weiss
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION ALUMNI
DOCTOR OF JEWISH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, honoris causa
Michelle Shapiro Abraham
Jodi Nan Kaufman
Michelle Lynn-Sachs
Frances Weinman Schwartz
Sharon L. Wechter
ZELIKOW SCHOOL OF JEWISH NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT ALUMNI
DOCTOR OF JEWISH NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT, honoris causa
Jeanne Epstein
Laurence A. Nathan
Richard M. Rosenbaum
Dana Leigh Sheanin
IN MEMORIAM
Rabbi Joel Braude
Rabbi Marianne Gevirtz
Cantor Brian Farrel Miller