Hebrew College To Sell Newton Campus

NEWTON, MA — A college that has had a presence in the area for nearly a century is selling its Newton Centre campus. It's a campus that has been tucked on a hill near Newton Centre since 2001, employing more than 150 and serving hundreds of students.

The Hebrew College Board of Trustees Thursday agreed to sell the College’s Newton Centre campus. The agreement allows Hebrew College to stay in its current location "for several years under favorable terms," according to a statement by the college.

The news comes as a number of small private colleges face a variety of shifting dynamics. Recently, Newton's Mount Ida suddenly announced it was closing, sending students and staff scrambling. And several other smaller colleges face declining enrollment and financial issues. The recent sale and relocation of Andover Newton Theological School, with whom Hebrew College shared its hilltop near Newton Centre has affected the Hebrew College, according to the release.

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College officials said they can't comment on just who the buyer is as part of the agreement.

"The buyer is the same buyer that purchased Andover Newton, but we're not at liberty to share that information," said Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld in a phone interview with Patch.

Anisfeld said the school was in the beginning phase of figuring out next steps and location, and didn't have an exact date they had to leave the building. That was part of the deal, she said "While we take our time to discern where we want to be and what kind of space so it really gives us ample time to figure that out. I don't know how long we'll take. We are just saying several years because we want to leave some flexibility."

The school has no plans to close, she said. "Very much on the contrary, this is very much about putting us on strong financial footing for long-term sustainability and growth. It's something we're excited about and reduces operating cost and gives us the ability to focus on our mission," she said.

"We're not leaving the greater Boston area, this is our home, but within that we're really just at the beginning of the process," she said.

Officials said the sale of the building would help reduce operating cost and put the college on better financial feet.

“This transaction will allow Hebrew College to be debt-free for the first time since the move to this campus more than 17 years ago," said Chair of the Hebrew College Board of Trustees Andy Offit. "This will afford us the ability to rededicate precious resources to expanding our educational programs.”

Hebrew College has a mission of promoting excellence in Jewish learning and leadership, and reports that although it has been in debt, it has received record enrollment levels in recent years across multiple programs.

The purchaser of the property committed to having the building continue to serve an educational mission even after Hebrew College moves out.

“This is an important step in assuring the fiscal stability of Hebrew College as a vibrant partner in supporting the Jewish future of our community,” said Rabbi Marc Baker. “The resources gained through the sale will help support our collective pursuit of a highly engaged and educated Jewish community.”

Founded in November 1921, as the Hebrew Teachers College, Hebrew College was one of eleven Hebrew teachers colleges established in the country that followed a Hebraist model of Jewish teacher training. Hebrew College was first situated in Roxbury, and moved to Brookline, in 1952. The school opened with 23 students, with registration doubling by the following year. In 2002 the school moved to Newton Centre with a much bigger campus.

Today they have 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.

Anisfeld said discussions about a sale like this preceded her time at the school but as soon as the school finalized the agreement Thursday administrators started reaching out to the rest of the staff and students and alumni as well as to supporters and those involved in building the current building to let them know.

"It's been very very moving to have those conversations and feel the outpouring of support," she said. "We are really fortunate to have the support and deep relationships in the community."

Her last word?

"We're very excited about bringing this first century of Hebrew college's mission to a close and beginning the next one with a real sense of purpose and focus and fiscal responsibility," said Anisfeld

According to the college's website, it had an annual budget of $10.6 million in fiscal year 2017.

• Graduate Degree/Certificate:164 — 65 full-time and 99 part-time
• Nondegree — 225
• Adult Learning: 1,530
• Youth Education: 217 — 148 Prozdor and 69 Makor

Faculty and Staff

• Full-time faculty: 10
• Part-time and adjunct faculty: 80
• Full-time staff: 45
• Part-time staff: 18

Also:

Mount Ida Closure Leaves Newton Students, Parents Scrambling

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).

Photo courtesy of Hebrew College.