Jewish learning Renewing Hebrew College’s Mission

Milestones spark reflection – celebration of the past and vision for the future.

In preparation for Hebrew College’s centennial year, which begins this fall, we took time to develop a revised mission statement that honors our past, better reflects Hebrew College today, and envisions our aspirations for years to come:

Reimagining Jewish Learning and Leadership for an Interconnected World

Making our lives more meaningful

Our communities more vibrant

Our world more whole

This statement grew out of the work of a dedicated committee with representation from different segments of the Hebrew College community. In order to include as many voices as possible in the review process, the committee held a robust number of small group meetings in which to collect ideas, feedback, and input from faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, donors and community members.

“It was exciting and exhilarating to experience the depth of the commitment to and the pride in Hebrew College expressed by so many in these meetings. We worked to incorporate people’s key ideas into our final statement,” said Dr. Susie Tanchel (right), Hebrew College Vice President, who chaired the committee.

The result is a mission statement “we’re proud of, one that captures both who we are and who we aspire to be as an educational institution that sits at the nexus of the academy and the community,” said Hebrew College President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld. “We wanted something fresh, memorable, and inspiring.”

Hebrew College’s four core values of Ahavat Torah: Love of learning,  Areivut: Embracing Communal Responsibility, Elul V’Elul: Engaging Diversity, and Yetzira: Fostering Jewish Creativity, remain unchanged.

“As we begin this centennial year, our new mission statement is already serving as a valuable touchstone, giving expression to our collective sense of purpose and optimism, as we prepare for the College’s next chapter in our new home on a shared campus in Newton,” said President Anisfeld.

We encourage you to stay tuned for other exciting news, programs, and events throughout this centennial year.