Rabbi Allan Lehmann, Brandeis Jewish Chaplain and the Rabbinic Hillel Director, will be leaving Brandeis at the end of this term to take a position as Associate Dean of the Rabbinic School at Hebrew College in Newton Center.
The opportunity to work entirely within a context of preparingthe next generation of Rabbis is one thats right for me at this time in my career, Lehmann, who has been at Brandeis since 2000, said of his decision to move to the new position.
Still Lehmann regards his years at Brandeis as well spent. Ive been very happy at Brandeis, he said. Its been an incredible education for me.
Lehmann also stated that this new work in many ways will be a continuation of his work at Brandeis. What attracted me to Brandeis is knowing that Brandeis studentsbecome leaders, he explained. At Hebrew College, the leadership that Ill be fostering now will beRabbinic leadership development.
Brandeis students regard Lehmanns departure as a loss to the campus community.
In the past three years, I've worked with and gotten to know Rabbi Lehmann in a variety of ways. He has truly been an asset not only to the Jewish community on campus, but to the entire campus and to every individual – student, faculty, or staff – who has worked with him said Miriam Farber 08, Education Coordinator of Hillel at Brandeis in an email to the Hoot. I personally will miss him greatly, she added.
“[Rabbi Lehmann] will really take time out of his day to sit down with you privately,” said Sarabeth Reingold '07. “You don't find that level of caring so often…I really don't know what the Brandeis Jewish community is going to do without him.”
Danielle Gewurz 10 said that she felt Lehmann was in touch with issues in sort of the general outlook of students and could easily relate to them.”
According to Brandeis administration, the search for a replacement for Lehmann is still in its initial stages. It would be premature to discuss the search [for a replacement] since we have yet to formulate the plan, said Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer via email.
A reception in Rabbi Lehmanns honor will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1 in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.
Its all about the students, said Lehmann when asked to look back on his time at Brandeis. The kinds of conversations [Ive had] with students as theyve been discovering who they are, as theyve been wrestling with big questions has been a tremendous privilege.
