Hebrew Union College Welcomes Largest Rabbinical Cohort in More Than Decade

Hebrew Union College announced it is welcoming its largest cohort of rabbinical students since 2010, a milestone that comes as the institution continues to expand pathways into Reform Jewish leadership. The incoming rabbinical cohort includes 41 students with a wide range of professional, academic, and personal experiences. The cohort reflects multiple pathways into Reform Jewish leadership, with 25 students enrolled in the campus-based program and 16 new students enrolled in the Virtual Pathway.

The enrollment milestone reflects Hebrew Union College's continued investment in strengthening the pipeline to Reform Jewish leadership through intentional innovations and initiatives that expand access while preserving the College's academic model. Alongside its campus-based and Virtual Pathway programs, the College has cultivated new entry points through initiatives including the Ritually Rooted, Jewish Ideas, and Elijah Fellowships, with 9 members of this year's incoming rabbinical cohort (and one Cantorial student) having participated in one of these programs. Together, these investments are helping more aspiring rabbis pursue the call to Jewish leadership, contributing to Hebrew Union College's largest incoming rabbinical class in 16 years.

Hebrew Union College's approach aligns with broader trends identified in the Atra Center for Rabbinic Innovation's landmark study of the American Rabbinate, which found that the call to rabbinic leadership remains strong even as today's students increasingly enter the rabbinate as second-career professionals. It also concluded that the greatest obstacles to rabbinical education are structural, highlighting the importance of innovative approaches that allow students to bring substantial professional and life experience to rabbinical study. The College's incoming cohort reflects those findings, with campus-based students averaging 28 years old, Virtual Pathway students averaging 48, creating a learning community enriched by students at different stages of life and their careers while maintaining the immersive learning and academic excellence that define the College's educational experience.

The incoming cohort includes students from 35 separate communities across the country who bring experience from Jewish communal leadership, education, nonprofit organizations, business, law, academia, data strategy, human resources, community organizing, and military service, and many other fields.

"At a time when rabbinical schools across North America have faced significant enrollment challenges, we recognize that meeting the needs of the next generation of Jewish leaders requires ongoing reflection, adaptation and investment," said Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., President of Hebrew Union College. "The arrival of our largest rabbinical cohort in more than a decade reflects the enduring importance of rabbinic leadership and the intentional steps we have taken to strengthen the rabbinic pipeline through fellowships, recruitment strategies, and new program development, including the Virtual Pathway. This is a moment in time that is calling for Jewish leadership and these impressive students are responding. This cohort represents the strength of both our campus-based programs, which increased enrollment by close to 40%, and our Virtual Pathway. We are thrilled to welcome this remarkable group of students as they begin their journey at Hebrew Union College."

Simultaneously, the incoming cohort began their first year of seminary study on June 28, with the start of Hebrew Union College's Year-In-Israel (YII) program at the College's Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem. A full list of the students in this year's Year-in-Israel cohort and their brief biographies can be found here.

Hebrew Union College's Year-In-Israel program is a cornerstone of the seminary experience that immerses students in the language, texts, history, and lived experiences that shape Jewish life and learning. Through intensive Hebrew study, engagement with Israel's diverse communities, and exploration of both ancient and contemporary Jewish traditions, students develop the knowledge, perspective, and connections that will inform their future leadership. Throughout the year, students participate in coursework, educational excursions, cultural programming, and communal celebrations that complement classroom learning and provide opportunities to engage directly with Israel's people, places, and institutions.

A distinctive feature of the Year-In-Israel experience is its integration into the broader educational ecosystem of Hebrew Union College's Jerusalem campus. Students have access to the Abramov Library, one of the region's premier collections of Judaica and Hebraica, supporting scholarship and research across a wide range of disciplines.

Students also have opportunities to learn from College initiatives that reflect the diversity and complexity of contemporary Israeli society. Among them is the nationally recognized Teachers' Lounge program, which brings together Jewish and Arab educators for sustained dialogue, professional development, and collaborative learning. Recently awarded the Speaker of the Knesset Prize for Quality of Life, the program demonstrates the role education can play in fostering mutual understanding and strengthening shared society in Israel.

"Year-In-Israel is an essential rite of passage for our students and community that gives students the opportunity to experience Israel beyond the classroom," said Rabbi Reuven Greenvald, Director of the Year-In-Israel Program at Hebrew Union College. "Whether studying Hebrew, exploring historic and religious sites, or engaging with diverse communities, students encounter ideas and experiences that prepare them for the demands of future leadership roles."

For generations, the Year-In-Israel program has been a defining component of Hebrew Union College's educational mission and its enduring presence in Jerusalem. The arrival of Hebrew Union College's largest rabbinical cohort since 2010 reflects the continued importance of preparing Jewish leaders through immersive learning, meaningful community engagement, and direct connection to Israel.

For more information about the Year-In-Israel program, visit here.

For more information about the Virtual Pathway, visit here.