Rabbinical School Class of 2009 Bench Dedication in Memory of Rabbi Fred Elias z”l

Last week, JTS Rabbinical School alumni, along with JTS faculty and staff, gathered together to remember their colleague and friend, Rabbi Fred Elias z”l. Members of the Rabbinical School Class of 2009 returned to the JTS campus from as far away as California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Vermont—and joined remotely from Israel and other states—to honor and celebrate the life and Torah of their classmate who passed away in 2020. A special bench dedicated in Rabbi Elias’s memory will live in the JTS courtyard for current and future JTS community members to enjoy.

During the day, attendees reconnected, enjoyed time together, learned with Rabbi Bill Lebeau, their Rabbinical School dean, and heard meaningful words from Rabbi Elias’s wife, Michelle, and fellow rabbis Rabbis Seth Haaz, Steve Rein, Nicole Guzik, and Rebecca Rosenthal. After a moving ceremony, the alums toured the campus and met with current Rabbinical and Cantorial School students.

An emotional part of the day included a bench dedication in honor of Rabbi Elias, during which classmates, friends, and JTS faculty and staff shared personal memories and placed stones on the bench. Through dynamic fundraising efforts, the class of 2009 raised more than $22,000, to support Rabbinical School scholarships.

If you’re a JTS alum looking to honor or celebrate a special milestone, please contact alumni@jtsa.edu.