USCJ Dedicates the United Synagogue Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism dedicated The Shirley and Jacob Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center on Thursday, October 21, 2004. After many years of planning, renovations, and building, the long-time dream of establishing a Conservative Jewish presence in Israel has been realized.

USCJ International President Judy Yudof, USCJ Executive Vice-President Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Mrs. Roslyn Fuchsberg Kaufman, daughter of Shirley and Jacob Fuchsberg, and many other delegates from North America attended the event. Judy Yudof remarked, "It is my hope that this impressive campus will be bustling with activity every day of the week and that the Fuchsberg Center will become the home base for North American Conservative Jews as well as for the Israeli Masorti community."

The Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center serves to nurture spiritual connections, increase knowledge of history, and strengthen Jewish practice and identity. Through a wealth of programs, resources and opportunities, The Center offers a variety of religious and educational activities for visiting North Americans as well as to members of the growing Masorti Movement in Israel and to the Conservative Movement worldwide.

The Center is headquarters for many youth related programs including Israel Pilgrimage, USY High, and NATIV, USY’s year-long college leadership program. The Conservative Yeshiva, a traditional, co-educational program, now in its 10th year, offers non-degree study programs for a full academic year, a summer session, as well as short-term individualized learning programs for visiting congregational groups and individuals.

College students will also find a home-away-from-home at The Center on Campus Program, an affiliate of KOACH, USCJ’s college-age program. Programming and support are offered to students studying at Israeli universities including weekend seminars and Shabbat dinners. The recently opened Tichnor Residence Hall provides modern and state-of-the-art housing for students, congregational groups, and other visitors.

Educational enrichment opportunities are offered weekly for local residents as well as visitors through the Jack and Sue Becker Project Oded Jewish Studies Enrichment Program, the Continuing Jewish Education Program, and the weekly Monday Evening Forum. More than 15 weekly classes are offered at the Center.

The Center staff is prepared to help plan b’nai mitzvah services, assist in planning touring itineraries, and to set up volunteer opportunities for visitors through the Lipson Schilit Family Gemilut Hesed Project.

In honor of the dedication, Professor Lee Levine, Professor of History and Archaeology at Hebrew University, gave the inaugural lecture of the Center’s Celebrity Series, on the topic “Does Archaeology Confirm or Negate the Bible?” on October 20 in the new auditorium of the Fuchsberg Center.

Rabbi Jerome Epstein, comments, “We must continually seek new ways to make it possible for families and congregations to enjoy the inspiration that being in Israel offers. The new Center offers creative opportunities for Conservative Jews to experience Israel through education, social support, touring and volunteering.”

The campus consists of five buildings: Beit Rapaport, the administrative offices; Beit Tichnor, the new residence hall and learning center; Beit Nativ, the newly renovated long-term residence facility; Congregation Moreshet Yisrael; and The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva. An additional building is still in the planning stage.

Rabbi Jim Lebeau, Director of the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, adds, “With our new facilities, the Fuchsberg Center looks forward to working with the Israel Masorti Movement to provide programming for Israelis. Starting October 24, a variety of cultural activities will be offered each week.”

USCJ International President Judy Yudof, USCJ Executive Vice-President Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Mrs. Roslyn Fuchsberg Kaufman, and Rabbi Jim Lebeau, Director of the USCJ Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center are available for interviews. Contact Rabbi Jim Lebeau, 972-2-625-6386, ext 1, or e-mail Lebeau@uscj.org, for information about the event.