H eadlines
Gratz College Names Zev Eleff President
L OCA L
SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF
to network and oversee Gratz’s
undergraduate, graduate and
adult learning programs,
while the president works to
engage more with the broader
community and prospective
students, Jewish and not.

Though the search for
Gratz’s new president was
announced right before the
start of the pandemic in March
2020, it didn’t begin until late
summer of last year.

“We were looking for a
president who thoroughly
M LE
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GRATZ COLLEGE WILL
undergo a change and expan-
sion in administration at the
beginning of the 2021-’22
academic year, with Zev Eleff
becoming president on Sept.

1, and Paul Finkelman, the
current president, taking over
the newly created chancellor’s
position. The transition within
and addition to the college’s
administrative team takes
place after Gratz experienced
a 35% increase in enrollment
over the past four years under
Finkelman. “We made the strategic
decision that the college was
in a position where we felt that
we could make goals to expand
our network, our reach,” said
Kathy Elias, chair of the Board
of Governors at Gratz.

The chancellor’s position
allows Finkelman to continue
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understood both the Jewish
history and the critical role
that Jewish thought has played,
in history, and particularly in
American history,” Elias said.

“As well as a person who is an
accomplished administrator of
a college or university, as well
as a person who is innovative
and energetic.”
Eleff fit the bill, Elias said.

Eleff is the chief academic
adviser of the Hebrew
Theological College, the vice
provost of Touro College
Illinois, as well as professor
of Jewish history at Touro’s
Graduate School of Jewish
Studies. As president, Eleff hopes to
synergize the skills from his
previous three roles into “the
ability to convene different
modes of education, to reach
various populations and
to reach them on their own
levels,” he said.

Gratz’s ability to be
“nimble,” is what drew Eleff.

He touted its ability to have not
only a diversity in the degrees
and certifications it offers, but
also its clear goals in Jewish
education and ability to “make
meaning” in the lives of its
students, as well as to build
relationships with outside
organizations. “[Gratz] has the combi-
nation of humility, integrity
and self-confidence to be able
to understand its capacity to
partner,” he said. “I’ve seen
that whether Gratz partners
with donors and stakeholders
or with other organizations,
Gratz understands that it takes
a village. “
During Finkelman’s tenure,
he created four new programs,
including three master’s
programs in interfaith leader-
ship, human rights and camp
management, and a doctoral
program for Holocaust and
genocide studies.

Because Gratz had 90% of
its programs online before the
pandemic, Finkelman was able
to effectively guide the college
Zev Eleff
Co urtesy of Zev Eleff
through its transition to
becoming completely remote
when COVID-19 restrictions
prevented in-person activity.

“We were able to pivot to
being 100% online within two
weeks of closing our building,”
Finkelman said.

Finkelman was grateful for
the opportunities during his
presidency to honor commu-
nity members and guests, who
shaped Gratz’s legacy, with the
Gratz Medal and honorary
degrees. Moreover, Finkelman is
grateful to have learned more
about his community.

“I grew up in a very small
town. We were, what I would
call, a one-synagogue town,”
Finkelman said. “I have gained
a much stronger knowledge of
the incredible diversity of the
American Jewish community.”
As Eleff makes the transi-
tion to succeed Finkelman, he’s
eager to brave the suburban
real estate market and make
new roots in Philadelphia and
Melrose Park and to begin his
time at Gratz.

As Gratz begins its 126th
year, Eleff made it clear the
value he hopes to maintain as
president of Gratz: “the notion
that applied Jewish wisdom can
and should be for everybody.” l
srogelberg@jewishexponent.com |
215-832-0741 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM