First Woman President For Hebrew College In Newton

NEWTON, MA — Hebrew College a small school founded in 1921 just voted its first woman rabbi to lead the school as president.

After a national search the Hebrew College Board of Trustees Wednesday voted unanimously to have its current dean of the Rabbinical School Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld fill the position when the current president (Rabbi Daniel Lehmann) steps down at the end of the academic year.

"She is the first woman elected to lead Hebrew College in the school’s history," the school said in a statement.

She comes with high accolade: In 2015, Anisfeld was named one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world by The Jerusalem Post. From 2011 to 2013, she was named to Newsweek's list of Top 50 Influential Rabbis in America.

A graduate of Brown University, Anisfeld was ordained in 1990 by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She joined Hebrew College in 2003, first as an adjunct faculty member and then as Dean of Students, before taking over as Dean of the Rabbinical School in the fall of 2006. For the past 14 years, Anisfeld has brought her strong leadership skills and compassionate presence to Hebrew College, according to a statement.

"She has exhibited a passion for pluralism, intellectual and spiritual depth, and communal responsibility in all of her leadership roles, inspiring students and alumni to bring Torah to bear on contemporary issues of personal meaning and social justice," reads the press release.

The Rabbinical School has experienced strong institutional growth—this year, it welcomed the largest incoming class of any single campus rabbinical school in the country. The school attributes that to Anisfeld's work. Over 300,000 Jews worldwide are touched by Hebrew College Rabbinical School alumni in congregations, on college campuses, in pastoral care settings, and in organizations promoting social justice, Jewish education, and Jewish creativity. The school expects to ordain 13 rabbis in June.

"I couldn’t be more confident that Rabbi Anisfeld is the right person to steward Hebrew College’s next chapter," said Chair of the Hebrew College Board of Trustees Andy Offit, “We have made tremendous strides as an institution over the past several years under President Danny Lehmann’s capable leadership, and we are excited to build upon the momentum under Sharon’s presidency.”

Prior to assuming her position at Hebrew College, Rabbi Anisfeld spent 15 years working as a Hillel rabbi at Tufts, Yale and Harvard universities. She has been a summer faculty member for the Bronfman Youth Fellowships in Israel since 1993, and is co-editor of two volumes of women’s writings on Passover.

“I am honored to serve this extraordinary community that I have called home for the past 14 years, and I am excited and ready to embrace this new leadership role. I am endlessly inspired and sustained by the vision and dedication of the faculty, students, alumni, and staff with whom I am privileged to work,” said Anisfeld.

President-elect Anisfeld will assume full responsibility for leadership of the College beginning January 1, 2018. Lehmann, the current president, will be on sabbatical from January to June 2018, during which time he will provide guidance and help ensure a smooth transition. Hebrew College is currently looking for a successor to Anisfeld as Dean of the Rabbinical School.

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About Hebrew College

Hebrew College promotes excellence in Jewish learning and leadership within a pluralistic environment of open inquiry, intellectual rigor, personal engagement and spiritual creativity. Its programs include a Rabbinical School, a School of Jewish Music, a School of Jewish Education, and graduate degrees and courses in Jewish studies; community education for adult learners; and a supplemental Hebrew high school and middle school.

Photo courtesy Hebrew College