11
D
ear faculty; staff
colleagues; cherished
students; devoted
Board members and friends;
our dedicated partners from
the Union for Reform Juda-
ism, represented by Rabbi Rick
Jacobs whom I thank for his
beautiful words, the Central
Conference of American
Rabbis, represented by Rabbi
Rick Block, whom I thank for
his lovely words, and the many
other organizations which
constitute our Reform Move-
ment; and members of our
extended Jewish and scholarly
communities; and our wonder-
ful friends in the Cincinnati
community who have been so
welcoming and hospitable in
the true manner of
hakhnasat
orhim
that our tradition values over this entire
weekend; and my beloved family and friends who
have gathered with us on this moving afternoon:
I begin with words of gratitude from the depths
of my heart. Our
amidah
,
the standing prayer in
our daily worship, contains perhaps the most
beautiful statement of thanks, when it says:
“
nodeh lecha, u’nesaper tehilatecha,
al hayyenu hamesurim beyadecha,
v’al nishmoteinu hepekudot lach,
v’al nisecha sh’b’chol yom imanu,
v’al niflotecha v’tovotecha sh’bechol eit,
erev vavoker vetsohorayim”
“
We thank you, God, and we recount Your praise,
for our lives which are in Your hand, for our souls
which are ever in Your keeping, for Your miracles
which are with us daily, and for Your wondrous
gifts at all times, morning, noon, and night.”
I am thankful to God, for God’s miracles at all
times, of course, but all the more so, at this precious
moment. I am grateful beyond words for the bless-
ing of standing here as your new President, and
look with hope and joy toward a bright future, for
our College-Institute, for our Reform Movement,
and for
Am Yisrael
–
the Jewish people.
For the remarkably inspiring words we have shared
in today’s liturgy, I thank my teacher and my
rabbinical thesis advisor, Professor Larry Hoffman,
who, with sensitivity, inspiration, and insight leads
our Movement in the paths of worship to ever
greater heights. To those whose magical voices
and thrilling music have helped our prayers ascend
to heaven this afternoon, led so ably by Cantors
Benjie Ellen Schiller, Angela Warnick Buchdahl,
Yvon Shore, and Alane Katzew; Joyce Rosenzweig,
Merri Arian, the members of our Debbie Friedman
School of Sacred Music choir, and many others,
I sing your praises, now, for all that you have done
to inspire us in this moment and to fill it with song
and meaning.
InauguraTIon aDDreSS
r
abbi
a
aron
d. P
anken
,
P
H
.
d., P
resident
H
ebreW
U
nion
C
oLLege
-
J
eWisH
i
nstitUte of
r
eLigion
“
I am grateful beyond words for the
blessing of standing here as your new
President, and look with hope and joy
toward a bright future, for our College-
Institute, for our Reform Movement,
and for Am Yisrael – the Jewish people.”