The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati announced a new significant investment in the Cincinnati Jewish community: a transformative five-year, $5.225 million grant that will enable HUC-JIR to enhance its rabbinical student curriculum and to focus more of its resources on serving the Cincinnati Jewish community. “The College-Institute is enormously grateful to The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati for its visionary commitment to sustain Jewish leadership and learning by ensuring the vitality of our institution and the larger Cincinnati Jewish community. This grant will have an extraordinary impact on our Cincinnati campus, our entire institution, and on the next generations of Jewish leaders for the Reform Movement and the Jewish people throughout North America, Israel, and around the world,” stated Rabbi David Ellenson, HUC-JIR President.

HUC-JIR held Los Angeles Ordination Ceremonies on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at Temple Israel of Hollywood and Los Angeles Graduation Ceremonies on Monday, May 14, 2012 at our Jack H. Skirball Campus. Rabbi David Ellenson, HUC-JIR President, said, “The Class of 2012 emerges from the College-Institute imbued with leadership skills, steeped in knowledge, strengthened by a commitment to service, and dedicated to bringing hope and healing to our troubled world. As they touch the lives of others through their sacred work as rabbis, educators, nonprofit professionals, and scholars throughout North America and around the world, they will be a source of inspiration and guidance.”

In a ceremony that took place at the United States Supreme Court on April 25, 2012, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer administered the oath of office to the newest members of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. Those members included Dr. Gary P. Zola, Executive Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati. Dr. Zola was appointed to the Commission by President Barack Obama in February 2011. “It is a privilege to serve on this Commission together with so many accomplished individuals. I look forward to participating in the Commission’s work,” said Dr. Zola.

Marlene Louchheim’s sculptures are about more than replicating large-scale burlap sacks using a variety of metals. Her art pieces talk to each other – about love, about distance, about fear and tenderness. Above all, perhaps, they talk about commitment and the need to heal the world. Now this artistic conversation is taking place at HUC-JIR’s Jack H. Skirball Campus in Los Angeles. In an exhibition entitled, “Commitment – Gathering Sparks,” lasting through May 31, 2013, the College-Institute is featuring four works by Louchheim. A unique Jewish artist and Los Angeles native, her creations range in size from small, intimate sculptures to giant aluminum and bronze bags.

“Song of the Land,” on view through May 31 at the Jack H. Skirball Campus in Los Angeles, is a collection of 44 works whose theme challenges artists to consider contemporary issues of environmental sustainability. It not only shares concerns about what is happening to the world physically and spiritually, but offers a challenge to protect the planet in order to ensure the future of Earth’s blessing.

On June 3, attend a very special afternoon honoring the first-ordained North American Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative women Rabbis and Open Orthodox Rabba. At this historic event, Rabbi Sally J. Priesand (Reform 1972), Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Reconstructionist 1974), Rabbi Amy Eilberg (Conservative 1985), and Rabba Sara Hurwitz (Orthodox 2009) will join together in a lively, inspiring, and educational forum. Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson will present the closing benediction.

Experience the modern classical music of Czechoslovakia as performed by Sujean Kim, Yael Senamaud, Kris Frankenfeld, and Nathaniel Chaitkin and featuring pieces by Schulhoff, Smetana, and Martinu, on June 10 at 4:00 pm at the Scheuer Chapel at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati.

Join us in a colloquium on education and a celebration of DeLeT – Day School Leadership through Teaching – at DeLeT’s Rav Siach, “Negotiating Dilemmas of Teaching” and celebration of DeLeT’s tenth anniversary on Thursday, June 19 from 1:00-5:30 pm at our Jack H. Skirball Campus in Los Angeles. Contact rtornberg@huc.edu with questions.

Join us at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati on July 22-26 for Mifgash Musicale, a summer institute for synagogue musicians of all types. A joint program of the URJ and HUC-JIR in conjunction with the ACC and the Guild of Temple Musicians, Mifgash Musicale is designed for people who want to engage in more in-depth study of a variety of subjects relevant to leading musical worship.

We invite you to join us at the HUC-JIR/Jerusalem Campus for Hebrew Ulpan, offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from July 11 through September 5, 5:15-7:45 pm. For registration and to take the placement test, please email hebrewulpan@yahoo.com or call 026203333 or 0546940662.

The Summer Learning Institute brings together adult Jewish learners to experience in-depth study, spiritual renewal and personal growth. Deepen your knowledge and learn techniques in one of three areas of congregational life: engaging in serious Jewish study, welcoming interfaith couples and families into your community, and facilitating and supporting worship and life cycle rituals.

"Jewish Wisdom and Wellness: A Week of Learning," held April 21 to 27, 2013, sponsored by the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health and Cedars-Sinai, will include a series of community-wide events, developed and hosted by organizations and synagogues throughout Southern California. We will mine the Jewish tradition to improve health and well-being in the Jewish community, and discover how the continuum of illness and wellness informs Jewish life.