Five Bay Area Jewish community leaders will receive honorary doctorates from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in a Monday, May 17, ceremony.
Rabbi Doug Kahn, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, and Rabbi Janet Marder, spiritual leader of Los Altos Hills’ Reform Congregation Beth Am, will receive doctorates of divinity from the Reform institution. Gene Kaufman, director of Sinai Memorial Chapel, and Ed Cushman, executive director of Hebrew Free Loan, will receive doctorates of Jewish communal service.
The four received degrees at HUC 25 years ago, and are being honored for 2 1/2 decades in Jewish professional life.
Earl Raab, who did not attend HUC, will receive a doctorate of humane letters honoring the former JCRC executive director’s lifetime of writing and social advocacy.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Harry Manhoff, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Leandro, received a doctorate of divinity from HUC’s New York campus in mid-March. The honorary degree also marks the 25th anniversary of his rabbinical ordination.
A lecturer in the religious studies department at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Manhoff is one of the few congregational rabbis in the country with a doctorate focusing on the Christian Bible, which he completed at U.C. Santa Barbara in 2000.
Manhoff’s congregation will honor him for his latest achievement during a special service and luncheon on Saturday, May 15.