Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) will award honorary degrees to rabbinical, cantorial, education, and communal service alumni in honor of their years of dedicated service at Founders' Day Ceremonies at HUC-JIR's Schools in Cincinnati (February 24), New York (March 17), and Los Angeles (May 13).

The annual Founders' Day celebrates the vision of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, founder of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 1875, and of Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, founder of the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1922. Inspired by their legacy, the College-Institute's academic programs, faculty, and students are committed to fulfilling their mission of a Judaism responsive to modernity. The College-Institute honors distinguished alumni for devoted years of service as preservers and teachers of Judaism – its faith, its culture, and its communal ethics. These alumni help ensure the continuity of Jewish heritage, scholarship, and spirituality.

Hundreds of alumni, students, and members of HUC-JIR's faculty and administration, as well as families and friends attend each Founders' Day to pay tribute to the honorees. Dr. David B. Weisberg, Professor of Bible and Semitic Languages at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati, will present the keynote address in Cincinnati; and Rabbi David Ellenson, President of HUC-JIR, will present the addresses in New York and Los Angeles.

The following HUC-JIR alumni will receive honorary degrees:

Cincinnati, February 24, 2002
3101 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati

Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
Rabbi Steven M. Bob, Congregation Etz Chaim of DuPage County, Lombard, IL
Rabbi Norman M. Cohen, Bet Shalom Congregation, Hopkins, MN
Rabbi Josef A. Davidson, B'nai Zion Congregation, Chattanooga, TN
Rabbi Arnold M. Fertig, Temple Beth Shalom, Melrose, MA
Rabbi Abie I. Ingber, Hillel Jewish Student Center, Executive Director, Cincinnati, OH
Rabbi Stephen A. Karol, Congregation Sha'aray Shalom, Hingham, MA
Rabbi Ronald A. Klotz, The Myron S. Goldman Union Camp Institute, Director, Zionsville, IN
Rabbi Cary D. Kozberg, Wexner Heritage Village, Director of Spiritual Care, Columbus, OH
Rabbi Charles S. Levi, Deerfield High School, Hebrew Teacher, Deerfield, IL
Rabbi Mark D. Shapiro, Sinai Temple, Springfield, MA
Rabbi David M. Sofian, Emanuel Congregation, Chicago, IL
Rabbi Elliot M. Strom, Shir Ami-Bucks County Jewish Congregation, Newtown, PA

New York, March 17, 2002
One West 4th Street, New York

Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
Rabbi Andrew Eliot Baker, American Jewish Committee, Director of International Jewish Affairs, Washington, DC
Rabbi Kerry Baker, Congregation Kol Halev, Austin, TX
Rabbi Seth Levin Bernstein, Temple Sinai, Worcester, MA
Rabbi Ronald C. Bluming, Temple Beth David, Snellville, GA
Rabbi Kenneth Alan Emert, Temple Beth Rishon, Wyckoff, NJ
Rabbi Jeffrey Alan Foust, Temple Beth Israel, Waltham, MA
Rabbi Bennett H. Greenspon, Temple Beth Emet, Cooper City, FL
Rabbi Ronie Robert Herstik, Temple Beth Am, Williamsville, NY
Rabbi Paul Joseph, Temple Emanu-El of Lynbrook, Lynbrook, NY
Rabbi Steven Carter Kushner, Temple Ner Tamid, Bloomfield, NJ
Rabbi Robert N. Levine, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York, NY
Rabbi Robert H. Loewy, Congregation Gates of Prayer, Metairie, LA
Rabbi Robert Elliott Ourach, Temple Brith Achim, King of Prussia, PA
Rabbi Howard Freeman Sommer, Temple Beth Tikvah, Madison, CT
Rabbi David A. Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, President, Wyncote, PA
Rabbi Paul Tuchman, Congregation Or Chadash, Germantown, MD

Doctor of Music, honoris causa
Cantor Mark P. Elson, Shir Ami-Bucks County Jewish Congregation, Newtown, PA
Cantor Alan Lefkowitz, Congregation Beth Ahm, Windsor, CT
Cantor Donald Neil Roberts, Temple Beth El, Oneonta, NY
Cantor Michael Weisser, Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, Lincoln, NE

Doctor of Jewish Communal Service, honoris causa
Hillel J. Korin, Newton Highlands, MA
Samuel Isaac Mendales, Hillel Council of New England, Executive Director, Boston, MA

Los Angeles, May 13, 2002
3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles

Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
Rabbi Raphael W. Asher, Congregation B'nai Tikvah, Walnut Creek, CA
Rabbi Shelton J. Donnell, Temple Beth Sholom, Santa Ana, CA
Rabbi Alan H. Greenbaum, Temple Adat Elohim, Thousand Oaks, CA
Rabbi Mark Wm. Gross, Temple Beth Orr, Coral Springs, FL
Rabbi Robert A. Jacobs, Consultant, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Richard M. Litvak, Temple Beth El, Aptos, CA

Doctor of Music, honoris causa
Cantor Hans Cohn, Temple Beth Jacob, Emeritus, Redwood City, CA

Doctor of Jewish Religious Education, honoris causa
Daniel A. Bender, Aloha Jewish Chapel, Outreach Director, Honolulu, HI
Nancy M. Berman, HUC-Skirball Cultural Center, Museum Director Emeritus/Curator-at-Large, Los Angeles, CA
Joanne Katz Glosser, Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, Education Director, Mercer Island, WA
Luisa Latham, Heschel Day School, Director of Judaic Studies, Retired, Northridge, CA
Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Director of Curriculum Resources, Cleveland Heights, OH

Doctor of Jewish Communal Service, honoris causa
Norman R. Fishman, University of Judaism, Vice President of Development, Bel Air, CA
Tobi Inlender, Los Angeles Hillel Council, Executive Director, Los Angeles, CA
Amy E. Lipeles, Family Service of Long Beach, Therapist, Long Beach, CA
Sherri W. Morr, Jewish National Fund, Zone Director, West Hills, CA
Ellen R. Saliman, Peninsula Jewish Community Center, Senior Worker, Belmont, CA
Judy Glickman Zevin, Clinical Social Worker, Irvine, CA

*Honorary degrees in Los Angeles are awarded at Graduation on May 13.