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Well Versed

New Reform seminary president a recognized religious scholar.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

T

New York

he new president of the
Reform movement's sem-
inary is a scholar known
for his work in Jewish
religious thought, ethics and mod-
ern Jewish history — and for his
popularity as a teacher.
Rabbi David Ellenson, a professor
at Hebrew Union College-Jcwish
Institute of Religion's Los Angeles
campus since 1979, will be the
Cincinnati-based college's eighth
president.
Ellenson, 53, replaces Rabbi
Norman Cohen, who had served as
acting president of HUC-JIR since
December, when Rabbi Sheldon
Zimmerman resigned amid allega-
Rabbi Ellenson
tions of sexual misconduct.
The new president assumes the
reins of HUC-JIR at a time when many are looking to the
college — which has grown dramatically in recent years and
also has campuses in Ci - . - -,innati, New York and Jerusalem
— to address the significant shortage of rabbis, cantors and
other professionals in Reform Judaism.
With 906 member congregations, Reform is the largest
stream of Judaism in North America.
Ordained at HUC-JIR but raised Orthodox, Ellenson is
widely praised as an academic whose knowledge and stature
extends beyond the Reform sphere, yet who is also in touch
with Reform congregants and nonprofessional leaders.
In addition to his scholarlv work — he is considered a
leading expert on 19th-century Orthodoxy — Ellenson is a
teacher in the Wexner Heritage Program, an intensive
national program for lay leaders. He speaks frequently at
synagogues and other venues throughout the United States.
He also directed the University of Southern California's
Judaic studies program — under HUC-JIR's auspices —
for 16 years.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Reform movement's
Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and Rabbi
Martin Weiner, incoming president of the movement's rab-
binic organization, welcomed Ellenson's appointment.
"Throughout our search, I was amazed at how many peo-
ple I met who said they'd studied with him," Rabbi Weiner
said. "He's not just a scl dar with three books and 200 arti-
cles, but has devoted an incredible amount of his energy to
adult Jewish education around the country."
Rabbi Yoffie called the appointment an "inspired choice,"
and said Rabbi Ellenson would "move the college forward."

6/15
2001

Need For Dollars

Rabbi Ellenson expects to face his
greatest challenge in fund raising, an
area in which he lacks experience.
However, both he and his backers
say his other skills will enable him
to bring in dollars.
Fund raising, Rabbi Yoffie said, is
not a "technical skill."
Instead, Rabbi Yoffie said, "an
effective fund-raiser in our world is
somebody who is personally com-
pelling, religiously authentic, who
has charisma and who knows how
to articulate the religious case for
the movement and the institution."
Paula Hyman, director of the
Judaic studies program at Yale
University and a longtime personal
friend of Rabbi Ellenson, said, "One
of the essentials in fund raising is to
convey your enthusiasm for a proj-
ect so you can make it clear to
potential donors just why they
should donate to this institution, when there are so many
others with hands outstretched. I think David will do that
well."
Hyman, who has known Rabbi Ellenson since the two
were members of a chavurah, or informal worship group, in
the 1970s, described him as a "non-Orthodox scholar
whom Orthodox scholars take seriously:"
"He's a master teacher and lecturer," she added.
Rabbi Nathan Laufer, president of the Wexner Heritage
Program, said Rabbi Ellenson is "a particularly warm indi-
vidual, and when you come through his class you feel not
only educated but loved."
Reached at home the day after his appointment was
announced, Rabbi Ellenson was still adjusting to the new
role.
He had spent the morning teaching a class on prayer at
the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Los Angeles and
had returned to find 100 phone messages — and twice that
number of e-mails.
Asked why he wanted to take on a college presidency —
a job that many say has become more difficult and frustrat-
ing in recent years, given heightened fund-raising demands
— he said, "I'm aware of what many of the pitfalls and
problems are, but I think it's an opportunity to do good for
the Jewish people and humankind."
He said he hopes to continue his predecessors' efforts in
stepping up the college's recruitment and revamping the
curriculum, so that the four campuses are more unified.
"Also, if you know anyone willing to give $100 million,
I'd like to speak to him or her," he joked. E

1991
Israeli President Chaim Herzog
planed a visit to Hungary and
Bulgaria, a first official visit to those
countries by an Israeli head of state.
Detroiter Gloria Ellis became pres-
ident of Congregation Beth Shalom.

1981
Former Detroiter Rabbi Joel Roth
was named dean of the rabbinical
school at the Jewish Theological
Seminary of America.
Lech Walesa, leader of the Polish
union Solidarity, was invited to visit
Israel by a Histadrut delegate to the
international labor conference in
Geneva.
Professor Norma Goldman of
Wayne State University received a
grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities.

1971
Maj. Gen. Shlomo Goren, chief
chaplain of Israel's armed forces
since 1948, was installed as chief
rabbi of Tel Aviv.
Detroiter Archie Katcher of
Temple Beth El was elected presi-
dent of the Metropolitan Detroit
Federation of Reform Synagogues.

1961
Mrs. Abe Eizelman was installed as
president for a second term of the
City of Hope Cancer Fighters.
Braverman's Kosher Meats on
Seven Mile Road in Detroit was
offering corned beef for 85 cents a
pound.

1951
Special arrangements were made by
the Minneapolis Election Board to
enable Jews to participate in the
municipal elections without dese-
crating Shavuot.
The Rev. Bernard J. Shell, auxil-
iary bishop of the diocese of
Chicago, presented a check for
$2,000 to the United Jewish Appeal.
Detroiter Ruth Elson was elected
president of the Michigan Jewish
War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary.

— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant