Initiative Broadens Cross-Cultural Education and Expands Global Reach

Northeastern University and Hebrew College have agreed to collaborate in one of the most expansive partnerships between a private university and a Jewish college, it was announced today.

The presidents of the two Boston area colleges said the agreement calls for a close and extensive collaboration, the sharing of resources and expertise, joint faculty appointments and the ability for students to take classes at each campus. The two institutions will remain independent.

The collaboration will yield a much expanded and extensive combined department of Jewish Studies, shared library resources of over one million volumes, and joint undergraduate and graduate degrees and programs.

“In this era of increased worldwide opportunities, no institution can truly thrive on its own,” said Dr. Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University. “This partnership broadens our cross-cultural education and expands our global initiatives. “Sharing our existing resources and creating joint endeavors will provide the students at both institutions with unparalleled access to leading scholars and world-class education on Jewish history and culture.”

Hebrew College in Newton is a leader in transdenominational Jewish education and offers a wide range of programs, including a Rabbinical School, Cantor-Educator Program, and master’s degrees in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education.

“We are proud to collaborate with Northeastern University and work together closely with its Department of Jewish Studies,” said Dr. David M. Gordis, president of Hebrew College. “We look forward to sharing our extensive wealth of knowledge with each other and to creating joint initiatives that provide students interested in Jewish studies with the academic experience they will need to become leaders on both the local and global scales.”

Among the key elements in the collaboration:

• A combined department of Jewish studies will be created through joint faculty appointments. They will work together on curriculum planning, academic colloquia and new appointments.

• A joint undergraduate program leading to a bachelor’s degree from each institution will be created, as well as a joint bachelor’s-master’s degree program that will allow students to earn the two degrees concurrently – a B.A. from Northeastern University and either a Master of Jewish Education (M.J.Ed.) or a Master of Arts in Jewish Studies (M.A.J.S.) from Hebrew College. A combined program leading to a Master of Arts in Teaching from Northeastern and an M.J.Ed. or M.A.J.S. from Hebrew College is also planned.

• Northeastern University’s Snell Library and Law Library will share their combined resources of over 1.3 million volumes with Hebrew College’s Rae and Joseph Gann Library’s 125,000 volumes. The College’s collection includes Judaica art, Jewish education curricula, archival documents, rare books and manuscripts, as well as extensive online databases in Judaica, humanities, social sciences and education.

• Courses at both institutions will be made available to each other’s matriculated students. Students will be able to register for courses in music, Jewish studies, Hebrew language, as well as in other departments appropriate for their programs of study.

• The institutions will share access to their extensive online distance learning programs and technology resources.

Long-term plans proposed by Northeastern University and Hebrew College include a joint executive training program for Jewish communal and educational leadership; professional development programs for Jewish educators and communal leaders; as well as programs in interreligious education.

There are also plans to establish a joint program between the Hebrew College and Northeastern’s “Dialogues in Civilization” Faculty-led Travel Program that would take place in Israel.

For more information, please contact Renata Nyul at 617-373-7424 or at r.nyul@neu.edu.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.

About Hebrew College

Founded in 1921, Hebrew College promotes Jewish literacy through outstanding graduate and undergraduate study of Judaism; preparation for the rabbinate, cantorate, Jewish education and communal professions; and lifelong learning opportunities. The College welcomes students of all backgrounds to its Newton Center campus and to Hebrew College Online. For more information, please visit hebrewcollege.edu.