Emerging and Established Leaders Honored at New York Graduation Ceremony
May 1, 2025
91첥 President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. and NYU President Linda G. Mills, Ph.D.
New York, NY – 91첥’s graduation and ordination season was initiated with a poignant and deeply reflective celebration at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York. The graduation was the first of three North American ceremony weekends, which will be followed by Los Angeles and Cincinnati, recognizing leaders from the Class of 2025/5785, esteemed alumni and honorary degree recipients who have made significant contributions to Judaism.
Recipients of the Executive Master of Arts in Religious Education (EMA) gathered with leadership, faculty, and mentors. First row, pictured left to right: Rabbi Sam Joseph Ph.D., Lesley Litman, Ed.D, Miriam Heller Stern, Ph.D., President Rehfeld, Ph.D., Kathy Schwartz, Ed.D, Julie Vanek, Tamara Gropper, and Lisa Langer. Second row, EMA graduates Rabbi Sharon Litwin, Courtney Ludlow, Lauren Sharp Bernstein, Cliff Wilcox, Julia Zinn, Heather Zucker, Anjelica Ruiz. Third row, Juliet Gardner, Susanna Grant, Sheri Gross, Jessica Smiley, Lena Shupper, Reyna Abraham, Susan Stuart, Scott Newman.
As the ceremony honored both students taking the next step in their leadership journey and longtime leaders who have served the Jewish People for over a quarter of a century, the prevailing message was of the importance of community building.
Master of Sacred Music graduates and Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature graduates gather with their program and school leaders. Bottom row, pictured left to right: Rebecca Thau, Deborah Bell, Rabbi David Adelson, Dean, New York, President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Cantor Jill Abramson, Director, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music, Michael Mitgang. Middle row: Eden Anolick, Morgan Tobey, Ranata Shlobin, David Epstein, Margo Wagner, Ilana Mulcahy, Sarina Elenbogen-Siegel. Back row: Spencer Mandell, Leslie Goldberg, Zachary Canali, Brooklyn Michalowicz, David Elitzer, Leah Sherin.
Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., President of 91첥, set the tone for the day, saying, “When we embrace Jewish life and peoplehood, we do so not only for its own sake, but instrumentally: through the power of identity, community, and shared history. We cultivate in ourselves a disposition of care, expanding our field of empathy to those whom we have never met before.”
An honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters was bestowed on graduation speaker Linda G. Mills, Ph.D., NYU President; Lisa Ellen Goldberg Professor of Social Work, Public Policy, and Law; and Founder, Center on Violence and Recovery (CVR). In her moving and personal address, Dr. Mills shared stories about her deep connection to 91첥, from familial ties to professional relationships. She continued along the theme of community, aligning the value of togetherness among the Jewish People with the value of the decades-long connection between 91첥 and New York University. She posed a question to the graduates: “How might we all become better bridge builders? How might we find connections and act to strengthen them?”
NYU President Linda G. Mills, Ph.D. delivered the graduation address and was honored with the Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of her steadfast and bold leadership.
Another standout moment at the event was the giving of the Kol Zimra award to Rabbi Dan Freelander ‘79 and Cantor Jeff Klepper ‘80, for 50 years of music partnership as Kol B’Seder. The duo was recognized for their extraordinary contributions to contemporary Jewish music, enriching Reform communities worldwide with beloved songs and enduring melodies.
Rabbi Dan Freelander ‘79 and Cantor Jeff Klepper ‘80, received the Kol Zimra award recognizing their 50 years of music partnership as Kol B’Seder.
In his final graduation as Dean and Interim Rabbinical Program Director of the New York Campus, Rabbi David Adelson delivered the Invocation to attendees in Lowenstein Auditorium. President Rehfeld celebrated Rabbi Adelson’s nearly decade-long service to the 91첥 community, recognizing his leadership of the New York campus through periods of loss, the pandemic, and the events of October 7th, and congratulated him as he begins a new chapter in hospice chaplaincy.
Addressing the 2025/5785 class, Rabbi Adelson said,
“The degrees we award today reflect not just all you have learned, but also the persons, and leaders, you have become—and continue to become. We delight in your learning. We thank you for the continued service you will offer. We celebrate the gift of who you are.” View full remarks.
Rabbi David Adelson and President Andrew Rehfeld
On Thursday, May 1st, the following degrees were conferred:
- 28 rabbis received their Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa
- 8 cantors received their Doctor of Music, honoris causa
- Regina Lewald-Fass received her Doctor of Jewish Religious Education, honoris causa
- 11 rabbinic students received their Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature
- 5 cantorial students received their Master of Sacred Music
- 1 rabbi received their Doctor of Hebrew Letters
- 5 students received their Interfaith Doctor of Ministry
- 15 students received their Master of Arts in Religious Education
Confirmation of degrees was offered by Board of Governors members Rabbi Joshua Davidson ‘97, Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El and Rabbi Rick Jacobs ’82, President of the Union for Reform Judaism. Cantor Jill Abramson, Director of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music, led those gathered in Tzvika Pik’s setting of Shehecheyanu. Students from future classes lent their unique talents to the service.
Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson ’97, 91첥 Board of Governors; Senior Rabbi, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York confers the degrees for the class of 5785
Before the ceremony, alumni who were being honored for their 25 years of devoted service to the Jewish People gathered with 91첥 President Andrew Rehfeld and Dean Rabbi David Adelson for a reflection and discussion followed by a celebratory lunch.
Members of the rabbinic class of 2020 receiving their Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa. Bottom row, left to right: Eve Rudin Kleinman, Lori Cohen, Nadia Gold, President Andrew Rehfeld, Dean David Adelson, David Seth Widzer, Alon Levkovitz, Thomas Mark Alpert, Mara Shana Nathan. middle row: Serena Lynn Fujita, Shari Lynne Shamah, Rebecca Pomerantz Shinder, Robyn Weiss Frisch, Leah Cohen Tenenbaum, Dena Faye Klein, Elisa Sherri Izes, Alison Beth Kobey, Randy Ellen Sheinberg. Back row: Ruth Michael Gais, Jeffrey Wolfson Goldwasser, Jonathan Edward Blake, Randy Craig Fleisher, Seth M. Limmer, Lev Robert Herrnson, Michael Adam Latz, Richard Myron Prass, Joshua Evan Minkin.
Members of the cantorial class of 2020 receiving their Doctor of Music, honoris causa. Bottom row, left to right: Margaret Jean Bruner, Jennifer Lynn Frost, President Rehfeld, Dean Adelson, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music Director Jill Abramson, Amy E. Levy. Back row: Sergei Schwartz, Jonathan Comisar, Ilana Julie Plutzer, Bradley David Hyman, Jerome E. Krasnow.
The chronological connection between honorary degrees bestowed on those with 25 years of dedicated service in the field bookended by the recognition for those who have completed a major step in their sacred educational journey was inspiring. The two groups exemplify an arc of possibility that exemplifies both the ongoing strength and reinvigorating renewal of the Reform Jewish movement.
Ordination for the New York class followed on Sunday, May 4th.
The full program can be found .
Graduation Highlights
