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T
he Boards of Governors and Overseers of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and
the Boards of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Central Conference of
American Rabbis (CCAR) gathered for a Joint Board Meeting at HUC-JIR’s Cincinnati campus
on June 6-8, 2014 in conjunction with Rabbi Aaron Panken’s Inauguration as HUC-JIR’s 12th President
in its 139-year-long history.
“
This meeting in Cincinnati was a wonderful opportunity for leaders of these three key
Reform Movement partners to meet, discuss, and confer in order to align the important work
of each organization,” stated Andrew R. Berger, Chair, HUC-JIR Board of Governors.
Stephen M. Sacks, URJ Chairman, concurred, “The strength of our Movement lies in the
ability of its various institutions not just to get along, but to come together and chart a
common path forward. The wonderful added opportunity to come together in celebration
of Rabbi Panken’s Inauguration really drove both of those points home for me.”
Rabbi Steven A. Fox, CCAR CEO, added, “The Joint Board meeting was a wonderful
opportunity for the leadership of the Reform Movement to hear one another’s ideas, concerns,
and aspirations. A personal high point was when the ‘Weinberg Torah’ was transmitted by
Rabbi Ellenson to Rabbi Panken. This Torah was commissioned by my great-great-great-
grandparents on the occasion of their son’s birth and used in our family synagogue in Germany,
rescued during the Holocaust, and recovered by our cousin Dr. Werner Weinberg. The ‘Weinberg
Torah’ is safely held by HUC-JIR today.”
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The three-day meeting began with Kabbalat Shabbat services
at the Isaac M. Wise Center. Over 300 Reform Movement
leaders from throughout North America joined the Cincinnati
Jewish community, including clergy and congregants of Wise
Temple, Rockdale Temple, Temple Sholom, and the Valley
Temple. The joyous, participatory service featured HUC-JIR
President Rabbi Panken, URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs,
and CCAR CEO Rabbi Steven Fox, who spoke about “Writing
the Next Chapter of Reform Judaism in North America.”
Wise Temple clergy (from right): HUC-JIR alumni Rabbi
Lewis H. Kamrass, Rabbi Rachel Maimin, Rabbi Karen R.
Thomashow, and Rabbi Sydney F. Henning.