The oldest U.S. Jewish seminary, Hebrew Union College, shuts down a rabbinical program

NPR | By Tana Weingartner

Published May 5, 2026 at 3:15 PM CDT

Hebrew Union College, the oldest Jewish seminary in the United States, was established in 1875 in Cincinnati by the founder of Reform Judaism in North America. The college has other campuses, but its rabbinical program in Cincinnati will shut down and graduate its last four students at the end of the first week in May.

Corrected: May 5, 2026 at 6:12 PM CDT

NPR incorrectly stated in a headline and a promo that the Cincinnati campus will shut down. The campus will remain open but will no longer offer a rabbinical program for students.

Tana Weingartner

Tana Weingartner earned a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Cincinnati and a master's degree in mass communication from Miami University. Most recently, she served as news and public affairs producer with WMUB-FM. Ms. Weingartner has earned numerous awards for her reporting, including several Best Reporter awards from the Associated Press and the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and a regional Murrow Award. She served on the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Board of Directors from 2007 - 2009.

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