What if I told you that a college began with just 23 students? This is the story of Hebrew College. It is a private college of Jewish studies in Newton Centre Massachusetts.
Founded in 1921 as the Hebrew Teachers College, Hebrew College started in Roxbury. Louis Hurwich, superintendent of Boston’s Bureau of Jewish Education, was the founder. The goal was to train Hebrew teachers. Nissan Touroff became its first dean. He was the former director of the Hebrew school system in Palestine.
Imagine all classes taught in Hebrew. That was the norm in the early years of Hebrew College. Regardless of the subject matter, Hebrew was the language of instruction. This changed in the 1980s. More classes were held in English. Hebrew was reserved for language courses and advanced text study.
Eli Grad shifted the focus. He was the fifth president of Hebrew College. He emphasized Hebrew culture programs and courses for the wider community. Samuel Schafler expanded the student body significantly with new programming.
Hebrew College has a rich history. It includes a move to Brookline in 1952. Then it moved to Newton in 2002. Moshe Safdie designed the Newton facilities.
The college faced financial challenges. It successfully refinanced its real estate debt in 2012. This secured its ownership of the campus. In 2018, the campus was sold under a lease-back arrangement.
Hebrew College is part of the Boston Theological Institute. This is a consortium of theological schools. Cooperation with Andover Newton Theological School led to interfaith programs. Hebrew College partners with Lesley University. Together, they offer a Ph.D. in Jewish educational leadership.
Hebrew College boasts the Rae and Joseph Gann Library. It holds over 125000 books. Special collections include Jewish medical ethics and Holocaust studies. Students have access to millions of resources through various networks.
Hebrew College is dedicated to Jewish education. It runs Prozdor, a Hebrew high school. It also has Makor, a Hebrew middle school.
Many notable people attended Hebrew College. This includes Yael S. Feldman and Paula Hyman. Jonathan Sarna and Isadore Twersky are also alumni.
Hebrew College continues to evolve. It adapts to the changing needs of the Jewish community. It embraces adult learning and online programs. The college links higher education with Jewish culture. It welcomes students from around the globe. Hebrew College balances tradition with modernity. It’s a place where Jewish life is both maintained and transformed.