n order to best
serve Reform
Judaism and
klal
yisrael
,
HUC-JIR
has made recruit-
ment a priority.
We are proud to say that our efforts have
paid off with an extremely promising and
large
incoming class. In fact, this year’s rab-
binical admissions of 65 students is the
largest in 25 years and both the number of
applicants and the number of students
accepted to the rabbinical program has
increased 57% in the past 5 years.
Our cantorial, education, Jewish communal
service, and graduate studies programs have
also seen increases in applications and
acceptances, and we are committed to
advancing their continued growth.
The Chronicle
surveyed our incoming
students to get an idea of who they are, why
they are attending our programs, and what
their aspirations are. Their responses were as
varied and as interesting as they are.
Because HUC-JIR’s programs attract
students of all ages and from varied
backgrounds, their life experiences and
skills are extremely diverse.
Our incoming students come from all over
the country and the world, including
Houston, TX, Atlanta, GA, New York, NY,
Epernay, France, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
and Toronto, Canada. They come to us with
degrees from institutions such as Amherst
College, Colgate University, Dartmouth
College, Harvard University, Indiana
University, Northwestern University,
University of California - Berkley and Los
Angeles, University of Cologne, University of
Pennsylvania, Wellesley
College, and Yale
University; they have com-
pleted their undergraduate degrees in a vari-
ety of majors, for example, African studies,
Japanese studies, chemical engineering,
human development, and theater. Many have
advanced degrees in fields such as social
work, education, and law. It is no surprise
that many of our incoming students have
had first careers as attorneys, journalists,
social workers, opera singers, and educators;
we also welcome a former international film
distributor, an epidemiologist, and a press
secretary to a U.S. Senator.
For both first and second career students,
the decision to enter HUC-JIR’s programs
has been influenced by many factors.
For Rachel Greengrass, an entering rabbinical
student, the decision to follow this career path
was simple: “Being a rabbi combines all the
things I wanted to be when I grew up.”
Andrew Goodman concurs: “All of the
important aspects of my life are encompassed
by this career path, and any other career
would not have provided me with the balance
of education, spirituality, politics, Judaism,
and interpersonal work.” Other students came
to this decision through a less direct path. Lisa
Helfman, who is entering our School of
Jewish Communal Service, was working as a
Health Educator. She explains, “I realized that
I was enjoying my volunteer work in my syn-
agogue and with the UAHC and found it to
be more rewarding than my professional job. I
decided to turn my volunteer work into a
profession.” Similarly, Rachel Pasternack, who
is entering our School of Sacred Music,
explains, “I have enjoyed cantorial soloing for
some years now and I would like to become a
full-fledged cantor.”
For many of our incoming students, the
decision to pursue a career as a rabbi,
cantor, Jewish educator, or Jewish com-
munal service professional has been
influenced by other Jewish professionals.
Joanna Mass Alexander wants to be a con-
gregational cantor. She explains that her
synagogue did not have a cantor until she
was 16, when Cantor Deborah Bard (N ’85)
began working with her congregation. “I
found an outlet and career prospect for my
love of Judaism, one that was connected to
my love of singing.” For Joshua Strom, the
person who most influenced his decision to
become a rabbi is his father “a rabbi in the
Movement, who has been a first-rate exam-
ple of a wonderful rabbi who touches the
lives of his congregants and friends. He is
there to console people in times of unimag-
inable loss and rejoice with
them in beautiful
simchas
.”
Ariana Silverman, an enter-
ing rabbinical student,
A TALK
WITH OUR
INCOMING
STUDENTS
2
THE CHRONICLE
E
XPECTATIONS
,
Aspirations:
AND
I
By Sarah H. Schriever
PICK YOUR FUTURE COLLEAGUES
see the insert above to find out how
Inspirations,