The remembrance below, written by our congregant Rabbi David Ellenson, was published in the Jewish Week.ย Click here for the link to the article, click here for a link to the PDF version.
It is only three days since I, like so many others, learned of the tragic death of our beloved leader and teacher, Rabbi Aaron Panken. Just hours ago, he was laid to his eternal rest and I cannot sleep. It is the middle of the night and the pain of his sudden departure is overwhelming. Wordsย alone are inadequate.
As a professor for decades and later as president of Hebrew Union College for more than a dozen years, my soul was bound up with his, and I see Aaron in so many ways. I recall our discussion in 1994 when he still served as a rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Sholom about whether he should earn his doctorate in Talmud at Penn or NYU, and I remember animated evening discussions full of humor and passion with him and his friends at the Wexnerย Graduate Fellowship retreats. Already dean of the New York campus of HUC-JIR (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) in the 1990s, he counseled and advised me when I was deciding whether to seek the post of president of the HUC-JIR. Later, he served as vice president during my own administration and I depended upon his insights and wisdom throughout my term in o๏ฌce.
I also see him with his son Eli on a visit we took together to Northwestern University, and I rejoice in recalling how he held my granddaughter Lily so tenderly in Los Angeles during herย ๏ฌrst year of life. I recall as well with gratitude the moment that he ordained my son Micah as rabbi in 2014. However, most of all, I remember standing with Aaron on Shabbat morning in December of 2013 at the convention of the Union for Reform Judaism where he received my blessing before the thousands in attendance as he stood prepared to assume the leadership of HUC-JIR. We both had tears in our eyes as Aaron, with characteristic humility, accepted my charge to lead our beit midrash into the new century. He understood fully that no Jewish community could ever succeed without a great center of learning, and he was determined that HUC-JIR would be such a center for our people.
As I stepped down as president from HUC-JIR, I knew it was in hands more capable than my own. As a student, Aaron was yachid bโdoro, singular in his generation. He was unique in his knowledge and commitment to Jewish texts, and as a young adult he mastered Talmud under the tutelage of his teachers Michael Chernick at HUC-JIR and Larry Schi๏ฌman at NYU. His leadership, skills, vision, judgment and ability to inspire and move others to action came naturally to him. He was kind and patient, yet principled and determined. As I stepped down from the college, I knew it was in hands more capable than my own, and he surely ful๏ฌlled the aspiration of every teacher who hopes his or her students will exceedย them.
As Aaron never left a meeting or event without a citation or story from the Talmud, I would be remiss if Iย neglected a text in paying tribute to him now. At the end of Chapter 5 of Shekalim in the Jerusalem Talmud (J.T.) that Aaron loved so much, it is told that once Rabbi Hama ben Hanina and Rabbi Hoshaia, his teacher, were strolling before a magni๏ฌcent synagogue in Lod. Rabbi Hama ben Hanina said to Rabbi Hoshaia, โHow much money my ancestors invested here!โย Rabbi Hoshaia then said to him, โHow many souls did your ancestors invest in here?ย Did they not have children who labored in Torah?”
This story captures the vision our teacher, Rabbi Panken, had for the mission of HUC-JIR. Itย was one of Torah and its relation to life that emerged naturally from the values he so cherished and the students he nurtured and guided. In his senior sermon at HUC-JIR in 1990, Aaron stated, โAs we serve in the community, let us remember to look up from the text in front of us. Not, God forbid, to leave the text, but to bring it more forcefully, directly, and personally to the world it addresses. May our journey, from text to world, and back to text again, be blessed.โ The journey of Aaron Panken was surely blessed. However, because his was a Torah ofย kindness and depth that looked up to see the world, he blessed his precious family, the Jewish community, and the larger world as well.
โOne does not erect monuments for the righteous,โ we read in J.T. Shekalim 5:2. โTheir words and deeds constitute their memorial.โ My heart rejoiced over these past four years as I witnessed Aaronโs words and deeds, his successes as president. He, with his beloved wifeย Lisa as his partner, had so many dreams they were about to realize and, to paraphrase the words of Bialik, โthis man, who had so many songs left to sing, has now died before his time.โย I am con๏ฌdent that these dreams will yet be realized through the foundations he constructed and the visions he has bequeathed us. These dreams and visions will constitute his unforgettable โmonument.โ
However, for the moment, the raw sadness of his tragic departure prevails. As our Tradition teaches, โHaval al dโavdin vโla mishtakhin โ โAlas, for those who are gone, and are no longer to be foundโ (B.T. Sanhedrin 111a). It will take time to recover and move ahead. Our rabbi has ย died and a tear will remain forever. But so will his love and his Torah. We give thanks even at ย this moment of anguish for the privilege we had to know him. Even as we grieve his loss, we ย will not abandon his enduring legacy.
David Ellenson is chancellor emeritus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
Justin Callis (he/him), our Cantorial Intern, is a fourth-year student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. He is the recipient of the Reuben Peretz Abelson Prize for dedication to Yiddish Song, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize, and the Lee Gura Memorial Prize for Aptitude in Synagogue Choral Music.
Sarah Adams, viola, performs locally with the New York Chamber Ensemble, theย Claring Chamber Players, the Sherman Chamber Ensemble, the Friends of Mozart, and the Saratoga Chamber Players.
Violinist Michael Roth is a native of Scarsdale, NY and received his early musical training with Frances Magnes at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. He attended Oberlin College and Conservatory, continuing his studies with Marilyn McDonald. At Oberlin, he won the Kaufman Prize for violin and First Prize in the Ohio String Teacher’s Association Competition. He completed his Master of Music degree at the University of Massachusetts where he worked with the distinguished American violinist and pedagogue Charles Treger and was a recipient of the Julian Olevsky Award.ย Mr. Roth is currently associate concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra and has appeared in chamber music and as a soloist with the company, most recently in the debut of “Slice Too Sharp”, a ballet of Biber and Vivaldi violin concerti, and “After the Rain”, violin music of Arvo Part. In addition he is a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Principal 2nd violin of the Westchester Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra and the New York Pops. He was concertmaster of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra for many years and often appeared as soloist there, as well as at the Caramoor and Bard Music Festivals. He has played and toured internationally with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the New York Chamber Soloists.
Known for his sweet and โsumptuousโ (New York Times) tone, American-born Doori Na took up violin at the age of four and began his studies with Li Lin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He quickly made his first performance with orchestra at age seven with the Peninsula Youth Symphony as the first prize winner of the concerto competition. Thereafter Mr. Na went on to win top prizes in The Sound of Music Festival, The Korea Times Youth Music Competition, the Chinese Music Teacherโs Association, The Menuhin Dowling Young Artist Competition, The Junior Bach Festival, VOCE of the Music Teacherโs Association of California, and The Pacific Musical Society. Receiving full scholarships to private high school Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, he moved to Los Angeles to study with renown violin teacher, Robert Lipsett, at The Colburn Music School. There he appeared as soloist with the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood Symphony, and Torrance Symphony. During that time, the summer of 2004 was Mr. Naโs first time at the Perlman Music Program where his expression and musical identity were greatly influenced. He has been a part of the program ever since and participated in many of their special residencies in Florida, Vermont, New York, and Israel.
Alan Goodis is a touring Jewish musician playing over 150 events a year. Born and raised in Toronto, Alan is a proud product of URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute. Noted for his dedication to building relationships and community through music, Alan tours throughout the US to serve as an Artist-In-Residence and performer at Temples, Youth Conventions and Jewish summer camps.
Julie Silver is one of the most celebrated and beloved performers in the world of contemporary Jewish music today. She tours throughout the world, and has been engaging audiences with her gorgeous compositions and liturgical settings, her lyrical guitar playing, her dynamic stage presence, and her megawatt smile for over 25 years.
Dan is a product of the URJ Jewish camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years. A classically trained singer, Dan received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina. In 1995, realizing the potential of music to make powerful connections with Jewish youth, Dan established the Jewish rock band Eighteen. Since that time, Dan and Eighteen have released 13 albums. Songs like, Lโtakein, Bโtzelem Elo-him, Kehillah Kedoshah, Chazak, Sweet As Honey, and Asher Yatzar have become Jewish communal anthems throughout North America.
Naomi Less is an internationally celebrated singer/songwriter, ritualist and educator. Beloved for her warm smile and inviting presence, communities celebrate her imagination and innovation, tenderness and pizzazz! Her original music is sung in worship communities worldwide. Naomi serves as Co-Founder, Ritual Leader and Associate Director of Lab/Shul and is a leader in amplifying women’s voices through her work at Songleader Boot Camp and her Jewish Women Rock show on Jewish Rock Radio. Naomiadvocates for people struggling with fertility journeys as a performance artist and speaker for Uprooted: A Jewish Response to Fertility Challenges. Fun fact: Naomi and her husband wrote the song shine/Yivarech’cha, a Friday night blessing, specifically composed for URJ Crane Lake Camp, sung every Friday night in the dining hall.
Her destiny became obvious to Joanie Leedsโ parents when, at the tender age of 2, Joanie grabbed the performerโs mic at a party and belted out the entire songโTomorrowโ from Annie. Jaws dropped! No one could remember ever hearing a big voice like that coming from one so tiny and certainly no one would have thought she would one day earn a GRAMMYยฎ Award for her original music.
A composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, Elana Arian is one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music. Elanaโs music is part of Jewish life across the globe, and her compositions are sung in spiritual communities, summer camps, and synagogues from Louisville to London, from Chicago to the CzechRepublic, and everywhere in between. Elana just released her fourth album of original music, The Other Side of Fear, and her compositions have been published in countless Transcontinental Music collections. Elana serves proudly on the faculty of Hava Nashira (Oconomowoc, WI), the Wexner Heritage Foundation (Aspen, CO), Shirei Chagiga (London, England), and as an instructor at the Hebrew Union College in New York, where she teaches in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Elana has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and perhaps most memorably, five separate appearances at the (Obama) White House. She lives in New York with her wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Maya and Acadia.
Known for his unique, engaging, and deeply soulful approach, Noah Aronson is considered one of the most sought after Jewish musicians in North America, making over 65 community appearances each year.
There is a reason why Time Magazine has listed Michelle in their Top Ten list of Jewish rock stars.
Kol BโSeder has been composing and performing contemporary Jewish music since the early1970s. Rabbi Dan Freelander and Cantor Jeff Klepper met as college students; over the past 50years they have released numerous CDs and songbooks. With Debbie Friedman (z”l) and others, they forged a new musical sound for American Jewish camps, schools and synagogues. Their songs, such as “Shalom Rav,โ โModeh Ani,โ and “Lo Alecha,” have become traditionalJewish melodies around the world. They are delighted to be inaugurating their fiftieth anniversary celebration by appearing in support of URJ camps, where they first composed and incubated many of their early songs.
Rabbi Mira Weller (she/her) received her ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in May 2022. She studied Culture and Politics at Georgetown Universityโs School of Foreign Service and received her Masterโs in Jewish Education at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR. She is the proud recipient of awards for her studies in rabbinic literature, her work in Jewish education, and she was granted the Myrtle Lorch Pfaelzer-Monroe Pfaelzer Award for an Outstanding Female Rabbinical School Student (2022). Rabbi Mira speaks Hebrew and Spanish (so please practice with her!). She has a passion for uncovering new possibilities in the great wealth of our tradition and for making music inspired by Judaismโs many cultures. Her guilty pleasures include cupcakes, classical music, and philosophy.
New York bassist Roger Wagner enjoys a long and diverse career. As soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral bassist, Mr. Wagner has appeared on many of the world’s great concert stages.
Sarah Adams 
Leonard Bernstein described 
Praised by the New York Times as โirresistible in both music and performance.โ flutist, 
Margaret Kampmeier, 
Michael Roth
Our initiative for young children and their grown-ups provides a slate of offerings including Shabbat and holiday celebrations, music, classroom readiness programs, and new parent experiences. During the pandemic, we have leaned on $1m of seed funding for Sholom Sprouts established through this campaign as we offer age-appropriate virtual programs for our families with young children, who are the future of our community. We look forward to welcoming our littlest members and their grown-ups back to our new fifth floor, as well as hiring a Program Assistant to increase the capacity of Sholom Sprouts to grow. This program provides a crucial entry-point to the congregation and membership for young families.
