[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 54 (Friday, May 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E711-E712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HEBREW UNION COLLEGE--JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 2, 2002

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding Jewish 
educational institution, the Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of 
Religion (HUC-JIR) on the historic occasion of its first rabbinic 
ordination. This weekend's ordination, taking place on Sunday May 5th 
at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, will be the first of its kind on the West 
Coast and it bears testament to the significant growth and importance 
of the Reform Jewish movement in California and the West Coast.
  I am proud of HUC-JIR's accomplishments, proud of the rabbis who will 
be ordained this weekend and proud of the fact that from this weekend 
forward, Reform Rabbis will be ordained in my home city, Los Angeles. 
HUC-JIR is the nation's oldest institute of higher Jewish education and 
the academic, spiritual and professional development center of Reform 
Judaism. It is an organization dedicated to providing leadership for 
and strengthening the growing Jewish communities and Reform 
Congregations throughout the West Coast.
  The HUC-JIR has a long, well known, and successful history educating 
men and women for service to American and world Jewry as rabbis, 
cantors, educators and communal service professionals and offering 
graduate and postgraduate degree programs for scholars of all faiths. 
It is also known for its vast array of scholarly resources, including a 
renowned library, archive and museum collections, biblical archaeology 
excavations, and academic publications. The College-Institute makes its 
resources available to the community and also provides an assortment of 
cultural and educational programs that help illuminate Jewish history, 
culture and contemporary creativity.
  I am very pleased that the Los Angeles Rabbinic Program has been 
expanded to become a comprehensive program culminating in ordination, 
and I am pleased to recognize the inaugural class of newly ordained 
Rabbis: Shawna Elise Brynjegard-Bialik, Miriam Lisa Cotzin, John 
Rothschild Fishman, Melissa Lynn Fogel, Robert William Haas, Tali 
Esther Hyman, Kennard Kipman and Karen Shahon Strok. I wish the best 
for each of these new Rabbis and I am confident they will accomplish 
great things.

[[Page E712]]

  Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to ask my colleagues to join 
with me in saluting Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion 
on this historic event and in congratulating the first class of Reform 
Rabbis to be ordained on the West Coast.

                          ____________________