>The following report was published by the Daily News Wire Services
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, a seminary and graduate school for Judaism’s Reform movement, is facing such financial woes that it is considering closing two of its three U.S. campuses, including one near downtown Los Angeles.
In a letter sent this week to members of the college community, its president, Rabbi David Ellenson, said pension funding problems, flat donations and declines in its endowment had placed the institution “in the most challenging financial position it has faced in its history — even more so than during the Depression.”
As a result, Ellenson wrote, Hebrew Union’s board of governors will meet next month to discuss such scenarios as whether to keep just one of its three U.S. campuses in Los Angeles, New York and Cincinnati, where the college was founded.
Alternatives include merging some academic programs but keeping more than one of its U.S. campuses open, he wrote in the letter released by his office. A decision is expected in June.
The college also has a campus in Jerusalem, which faces budget reductions but does not appear to be in danger of closing.
Hebrew Union College was founded in 1875 and later merged with the New York-based Jewish Institute of Religion. A major force in liberal American Judaism, it trains Reform rabbis, cantors and lay leaders and offers courses to students of all religions in such subjects as biblical archaeology and sacred music.
The news of a possible decision by the Hebrew Union College’s board of governors to close two of its three campuses is sad. Hebrew Union College graduates have made great contributions to Judaism and to the study of the Hebrew Bible.
Let us hope that a few donors can come to the rescue of the institution so that the closing will become unnecessary.
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
Tags: Hebrew Union College 
var addthis_pub = ‘claude mariottini’;
Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
>While I am sure many great scholars have come from this school, I always find myself shaking my head at Reform Judaism’s theology. Especially their use of gender-neutral prayer books. I think the result has been for congregants of Reform temples not to take their religious obligations seriously, thus the drying-up of these funds. One of the reasons I strayed from rabbinical Judaism to Christianity is I felt that it had drifted very far from its biblical roots. And I grew up in Conservative Judaism (which I also have sharp disagreements with).
LikeLike
>Nate,I am sure many Reformed Jews would agree with your statement. Maybe this is the reason they stopped sending money to Hebrew Union College. It is said, however, to see this great institution suffer financially.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
LikeLike
>As an aside, my brother is planning on enrolling in the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York this fall. Do you have any impression on their work and contribution to biblical studies?-Nate
LikeLike
>Is it possible that the same thing…straying from Biblical roots…has also impacted Northern? I’m not suggesting that Northern has left their Biblical roots, but much of the ABC hierarchy certainly has dismissed Scripture. Unfortunately, Northern’s association with the ABC may be causing some of the ongoing challenges that the seminary is facing. Perhaps a total break off would bring God’s blessings! Do you think the board would ever do this?
LikeLike