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As Ohio again tries to block Hebrew Union College’s restructuring, a new rabbinical school emerges

From Jerusalem Post · (5h ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Ohio's Attorney General has filed a second lawsuit to prevent Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC) from closing its historic Cincinnati campus.
  • The lawsuit alleges that closing the 151-year-old campus violates state laws protecting donor intent, citing a 76-year-old agreement to permanently maintain a rabbinical school in the city.
  • In response to HUC's restructuring plan, which involves closing degree-granting programs in Cincinnati to focus on New York and Los Angeles campuses, former HUC leaders have launched a new rabbinical school, The College for Contemporary Judaism, in Cincinnati.

The state of Ohio is taking a firm stand against the planned closure of the historic Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC) campus in Cincinnati. Attorney General Dave Yost has launched a second lawsuit, aiming to block the shuttering of the 151-year-old institution. This legal action underscores a deep commitment to preserving the legacy and donor intent associated with the Cincinnati campus, which has been a cornerstone of Reform Judaism for generations.

Hebrew Union accepted millions of dollars in donations based on a 76-year-old promise it now would like to break.

— Ohio A-G Dave Yost's officeStatement accompanying the lawsuit, explaining the legal basis for preventing HUC from closing its Cincinnati campus.

Yost's office argues that HUC's decision to close its Cincinnati degree-granting programs violates state laws designed to protect the original purpose of donations. The lawsuit specifically references a 1950 agreement stipulating the "permanent maintenance" of a rabbinical school in the city. The state's position is clear: millions of dollars were donated with the understanding that these funds would support the Cincinnati base, and HUC should not be allowed to break that promise.

We’re suing to keep these assets in Cincinnati, where they belong.

— Ohio A-G Dave Yost's officeStatement explaining the objective of the lawsuit filed against Hebrew Union College.

This legal battle has also spurred the creation of a new rabbinical school, The College for Contemporary Judaism, founded by former HUC leaders and other Reform movement figures. They emphasize the critical need for a vibrant rabbinical school in Cincinnati to serve the liberal American Jewish community, particularly in the Midwest, where access to rabbinical education is limited. While unable to comment directly on the lawsuit, the founders stress the importance of ensuring that assets intended for rabbinical education in Cincinnati are used for that very purpose, highlighting a community-driven effort to maintain a strong Jewish future in the city.

We believe it is imperative that there be a strong, vibrant rabbinical school in Cincinnati to serve the liberal American Jewish community, especially between the coasts where access to congregational rabbis and rabbinical education is severely limited.

— The College for Contemporary Judaism foundersStatement explaining the mission and importance of the newly founded rabbinical school in Cincinnati.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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