Honoring Chancellor Emeritus Ismar Schorsch

Last week, we honored Chancellor Emeritus Ismar Schorsch during a special luncheon for faculty members. Speakers included Dr. Benjamin R. Gampel, (Dina and Eli Field Family Chair in Jewish History), Dr. Aryeh Davidson (Assistant Professor Emeritus of Jewish Education), Rabbi Michael Greenbaum (Vice Chancellor Emeritus), Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz, and Chancellor Emeritus Schorsch.

Another special part of the day included the dedication of a mezuzah in the Chancellor’s office, made by JTS alum Stephen Freed (TI ’71), as a tribute to Dr. Schorsch and his lasting influence.

In a letter accompanying his gift, Mr. Freed reflected on his years in the Joint Program. “The Joint Program can be demanding and unforgiving, and it’s no exaggeration to say that as a student I was constantly striving just to keep up. But I loved it then, and in hindsight am even more appreciative how JTS enriched my life.”  

He went on to express his deep admiration for Dr. Schorsch: “Dr. Schorsch, it has been your influence that I’ve felt more strongly than any other. It goes back to the personal interest you took in me, but it’s also in large part because of your extraordinary scholarship and leadership at JTS. As an adult, I’ve followed and been inspired by your scholarship, learning from a distance, but always learning.”

What a meaningful commemoration of Chancellor Emeritus Schorsch’s impact—one student’s gratitude, now permanently remembered on the door of the Chancellor’s office.