A report released in early November by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion found decades of sexual harassment accusations as well as other forms of misconduct across all four campuses of the Reform Jewish movement's seminary.
The Cincinnati campus, located in CUF, a neighborhood consisting of Clifton Heights, University Heights and Fairview, was described in the report "as having an engrained culture of favoritism and politics."
The report, first published on HUC-JIR's website on Nov. 9, was conducted independently by Morgan Lewis, a law firm located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sexual misconduct, discrimination accusations span back to the 1970s
A special committee of the board of governors for HUC-JIR reached out to Morgan Lewis in April after several reports of sexual misconduct and discrimination were posted on social media following the death of Michael Cook, a well-known HUC-JIR professor at the Cincinnati campus. The accusations were directed at Cook and other faculty members of HUC-JIR.
According to the report, at least 10 witnesses reported concerns about Cook, including alleged romantic and sexual relationships with students, harassment, hostility and lack of support toward women. Cook was a philosophy professor at the Cincinnati campus from 1981 to his retirement in 2019.
Morgan Lewis was asked by the special committee to "review all allegations of misconduct, regardless of whether they already had been reported," according to the report. The investigation included 170 interviews with current and former students and faculty members, as well as reviewing HUC-JIR's handbook and relevant policies.
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The accusations heard by the law firm were found to span back to the 1970s.
One of the overarching themes in reports of misconduct was the abuse of power by some HUC-JIR administrators and faculty members. The investigation also focused on gender discrimination and sexism.
"Close to half of the individuals we interviewed, both current and former students and current and former faculty, described various forms of gender discrimination they believe they experienced or witnessed during their time at HUC-JIR," read the report.
Multiple Hebrew Union college faculty members receive repeated accusations of sexual harassment
The investigation found HUC-JIR's Cincinnati campus was "the center of the 'old boys' club' mentality at HUC-JIR." Numerous interviewees reported that one Cincinnati faculty member between 2000 and 2010 held what was known by students as "his 'boys club.'"
The rabbi in question allegedly selected a group of male students each year who received favorable treatment, including providing career advice and "using his influence to provided professional opportunities."
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Six faculty members were the subject of repeated accusations of sexual harassment, including two former faculty members from the Cincinnati college.
Bonita Shur, former director of liturgical arts and music at the Cincinnati campus, was alleged to have inappropriately touched and forced kissing on students, as well as made sexual comments toward students. Shur, now deceased, worked at Cincinnati's campus from 1974 to 2003.
Hebrew Union College to create 'plan of action' based on report's findings
President of HUC-JIR Andrew Rehfeld called the findings of investigation "a distressing and heartbreaking account."
"We are a Jewish institution committed to the ethical imperatives of our People and the foundational values of dignity and respect for all humans created in God’s image," Rehfeld said in a letter posted along with the release of the report. "While the bulk of the report and certainly the most egregious behavior occurred over a decade or even decades ago, our foundational values must remain constant."
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In response to the report, Board of Governors Chair Sue Neuman Hochberg said that HUC-JIR's administration will create a plan of action by Dec. 14 that addresses the recommendations made by Morgan Lewis.
The recommendations include surveying current students, faculty and staff to conduct a cultural assessment of the college. The report also suggests that HUC-JIR establish clearer rules prohibiting harassment and other misconduct.
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