Louis Hurwich

Abstract: Almost a decade has passed since the Report of the Study Committee on the Bureau of Jewish Education was presented to the Executive Committee of the Combined Jewish Philanthrophies of Greater Boston. The Study Committee had been appointed in December 1971 upon the recommendation of the Social Planning and Allocations Committee of the CJP “… to study the functions and structure of the Bureau of Jewish Education; to prepare recommendations with respect to the Bureau's future role and its relationship with all the institutions providing Jewish educational services to the community …”1 The focus of that mandate was shifted somewhat by the Study Committee which early in its work had concluded “… that community purposes would better be served by a study of the role and functions of a central agency as these relate to the Jewish educational needs of the community and its institution rather than [by] an in-depth evaluative study of the Bureau of Jewish Education's current function and activities.”2

Abstract: The Problem and Its Setting The Problem The quality of Hebrew school education depends largely on the quality of Hebrew school educators. Hebrew school teachers today do not enjoy high professional status among the parents or authority within the Jewish community. Graduates of many Hebrew schools are functionally illiterate in Judaism and are without positive attitudinal identification. These graduates report negatively on their educational experience. Hebrew teachers are being held accountable and responsible for failing these Hebrew school students in preparing them for Jewish living in American society. The problem is acute. There are not enough teachers entering the Hebrew teaching profession. No recruitment program, however aggressive, can hope to staff Hebrew schools as long as Jewish education continues to lose so many classroom teachers each year through resignation and early retirement. The situation is the same in most big cities. The problems of retaining talented young Jewish teachers in the H...

Abstract: The study aims to learn how a small private university dedicated to Judaic studies successfully merged with a large public university? Our study investigates how Baltimore Hebrew University (BHU) successfully integrated into the much larger Towson University (TU), while maintaining its unique Jewish identity.,How did leadership facilitate a successful merging of a small private university with a large public university? Our case study investigates how BHU successfully integrated into the much larger TU. Given that past research has focused primarily on the financial aspects, the purpose of the present study is to analyze how leaders successfully navigated the complex processes of integrating the two institutions through envisioning, communicating and planning effectively. This research uniquely investigates the role of leadership as the driving force in moving the merger forward and facilitating the process. The authors analyzed the circumstances that facilitated the merger and discovered that leadership pushed this merger forward, particularly the confluence of three approaches—visionary, transformational and servant leadership. This research has implications for guiding future mergers of smaller colleges with larger universities. This case study is particularly timely, during this uncertain age of COVID-19, when many universities are considering creative solutions, including potential mergers with other institutions, in the face of increasing financial difficulties.,Implications of this research can help illuminate future mergers of smaller colleges with larger universities in cases where the smaller institution desires to retain its strong cultural or historical identity. The authors found that the “right leadership on the ground” is a crucial component needed for a successful merger, particularly in a higher education setting.,Our research provides a concrete example that can be used help campus administrators assess whether they have the leadership structure in place to successfully navigate a merger as a path forward.,This case study is particularly timely, during this uncertain age of COVID-19, when many universities are considering creative solutions, including potential mergers with other institutions, in the face of increasing financial difficulties.