The Israeli campus of the HUC was founded in the 1963 with the support of then-Hebrew Union College President Nelson Glueck. This was challenging as it was. Since the Orthodox communities of Israel generally don't support the Reform communities, it was a challenge to get any portion of land at all in Jerusalem--especially before the June 1967/Six Day War when Jerusalem was divided into Jordanian and Israeli territories. When the HUC was finally granted land, it was in Mamilla, No Man's Land: right on the border. They called it "No Man's Land" because of the Jordanian snipers who would daily shoot at anything in sight. The initial architects of the HUC campus took this into account. The following picture is a wall of windows small enough for air to pass but also too small for bullets to pass. This was a protective measure.
After the Six Day War, with Jerusalem united, the campus of the HUC was safe, and suddenly the center of an explosion of fashionability and posh. Just as the HUC expanded its campus with classrooms, a library, a hostel, and beautiful grounds, the area of Mamilla grew too. I'll talk more about this next week when I discuss Mamilla. Anyway, this growth of the HUC began as an attempt to bring Israel to the table as part of the curricula for rabbis, cantors, and educators. In the 1970's, the first set of North American HUC students spent a year studying Hebrew and the introductory elements of their program. Except for a few wars and conflicts, this program has continued successfully for over 40 years.
The famous architect of the newest parts of the campus, Moshe Safdie, is one of Jerusalem's great architects whose name is synonymous with the growth of Jerusalem-post the Six Day and Yom Kippur War (1973). He is responsible for the physical resurrection of Mamilla as a whole, which is pretty incredible. Again, more will come in the following week.
Here's a quick tour of the HUC:
The stairs leading to the main building. The other entrance to the synagogue is the gate on the left.
The beautiful Feinstein grounds behind the main building.
The Moadon. You can buy a nice sandwich for reasonable prices, study with classmates, or just relax. It's the cool "lounge" for the students.
Outside the Moadon. Another great hangout place during the day.
The Academic Courtyard, featuring "the pool." Classrooms are on both sides. The left side is where the wireless internet from downstairs is still slightly strong enough to reach the rooms. The end of the right side is the Music Room, aka my home base for most of the year.
Welcome Lobby to the Beit Shmuel, a nice hostel for NFTY students, guests, and friends of the HUC. This is open to the public.
Persian Garden. It's simply beautiful and a great meditative spot.
The Abramov Library, featuring a nice selection of book and online resources, a computer lab, public internet access, and beautiful study places. I'm still figuring out which little nook in the library will be my own, but I have a few favorite spots.
The Ceremonial Courtyard. This space is where many important HUC events occur, such as dedication ceremonies, the Israeli Rabbinical Ordination in November, and other such things. Occasionally and controversially this space is rented out for private affairs. There have been weddings, Bnei Mitzvah parties, and concerts.
The Parking Lot exit gate. Thank you for joining me on the brief tour of my campus. Should you plan to visit me, there will be a test :)
"There She Stands in All Her Beauty" is the opening line of the Rutgers Prep school song. Does anyone know if the HUC has a school song?
I clearly grinned at the name of this post...
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