Commencement

Eighth Annual Graduation of Florence Melton Adult Mini-School of Gratz College

Thursday morning graduates	Melton graduates and students doing what they do best - eating!

After two years of studying together, the eighth graduating class of the Philadelphia Florence Melton Adult Mini-School gathered with their families and friends at Gratz College for their graduation ceremony on May 16, 2007. In welcoming the guests, director Liz Nover's remarks focused on the heightened importance of Jewish study in the lives of the graduates, new directions for their future learning, and the growth of the Mini-School, with an expansion planned this fall into Bucks County.

Representatives from each class -- Main Line, Main Line Parent Education Program, Gratz Evening, and Gratz Morning -- shared their reflections on this experience of text study. All of the student speakers concurred on the quality of the faculty, the camaraderie of the students, and the habit of Jewish learning that will remain a part of their lives. 

The certificates were presented to the graduates by their teachers. This year's graduates have been instructed by:  Debby Malissa, Dr. Emilie Passow, Peter Margolis, Rabbi Chaim Galfand, Marga Hirsch, Dr. Reena Sigman Friedman, Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Rabbi Marsha Pik-Nathan Friedman, and Rabbi Margot Stein. The keynote speaker was Rabbi Ira Stone, of Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel. Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum, President of Gratz College, offered remarks as well. 

The message that resonated all evening was clearly the value and joy of joining the Jewish conversation. 

The 48 graduates are among over 20,000 Mini-School students in 63 sites around the world. The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, a project of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world.  We in Philadelphia are proud to be a part of this project.

For information about registering for Melton, please contact Liz Nover, Director, at 215-635-7300, x 143 or LNover@gratz.edu.