JTS Convocation Honors Rabbis for Over 25 Years of Dedicated Service

Honorary doctorates were awarded to 40 rabbis-all members of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) who have served the Jewish community with distinction for 25 years or more-by The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) at a convocation on Wednesday, April 29. Through the degrees conferred, JTS celebrated the achievements of important spiritual leaders and expressed appreciation for their manifold contributions to Jewish life.

The ceremony took place at the JTS campus in New York City. Professor Arnold M. Eisen, chancellor of JTS, conferred the degrees and delivered the convocation address. Rabbi Daniel S. Nevins, dean of the Division of Religious Leadership and Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School, and Barry Lovell, chair of The Religious Leadership Advisory Board of JTS, sponsored the honorees. Honoree Rabbi William Gershon, president of the Rabbinical Assembly, delivered greetings on behalf of the RA. Honoree Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz, the spiritual leader of Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka, Minnesota, gave remarks on behalf of those being honored. The rabbis receiving this distinction included congregational rabbis, Jewish communal professionals, educators, and chaplains from across the United States as well as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, and England.

The 2015 honorees are:
Rabbi David J. Abrams
Rabbi Charles Lawrence Arian
Rabbi Alfred H. Benjamin
Rabbi Morris J. Bernstein
Rabbi Nina Gail Bieber Feinstein
Rabbi David I. Bockman
Rabbi Nilton Bonder
Rabbi Joshua S. Chasan
Rabbi Ammos Chorny
Rabbi David G. Dalin
Rabbi Irving A. Elson
Rabbi Richard A. Freund
Rabbi Seth H. Frisch
Rabbi William Gershon
Rabbi Hillel D. Gold
Rabbi Julie K. Gordon
Rabbi Steven M. Graber
Rabbi Susan Gulack
Rabbi Geoffrey John Haber
Rabbi Mario Sergio Hendler
Rabbi Larry G. Kaplan
Rabbi Gary E. Karlin
Rabbi Jonathan Israel Kohn
Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz
Rabbi José Rolando Matalon
Rabbi Avis Dimond Miller
Rabbi Howard Bradley Morrison
Rabbi Salomón Joaquin Nussbaum
Rabbi Elliot Henry Pachter
Rabbi Moshe Re’em
Rabbi Paul F. Resnick
Rabbi Mario Rojzman
Rabbi J.B. Sacks
Rabbi Benjamin Jay Shull
Rabbi Samuel Szteinhendler
Rabbi Arthur Vernon
Rabbi Eduardo Mario Waingortin
Rabbi Samuel Hersh Weintraub
Rabbi Harry Scott White
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg