November 15, 2009 | 7:24 pm

Windmueller to retire as local HUC dean

Posted by  Tom Tugend

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Steven F. Windmueller, a prominent figure in Jewish communal and academic life, will retire as the Los Angels campus dean of the Reform movement’s Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion as of next July 1.
The announcement was made by Rabbi David Ellenson, president of the four-campus institution, who also named Joshua Holo as the succeeding dean.
However, Windmueller, who took over the deanship on an “interim” basis three years ago, said he will continue fulltime as professor and incumbent of the Alfred Gottschalk Chair in Jewish Communal Service.
Windmueller, 67, joined the HUC-JIR faculty in 1995, following 10 years as director of the Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Committee.
Ellenson praised Windmueller’s contributions in advancing the Los Angeles campus’ academic, rabbinical, research and communal service programs, the relationship with USC and in creating the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement.
He has also strengthened the campus ties with its board of overseers and philanthropic supporters, Ellenson said.
Holo, an authority on the social and intellectual life of medieval Jewry in the Christian Mediterranean, is currently the director of the Loucheim School of Judaic Studies, which provides instruction to more than 600 USC undergraduates each year.
Ellenson said that “We look forward to [Holo’s] expertise, wisdom and guidance as he advances our mission in preparing men and women as leaders of vision for the Reform Movement and the Jewish people worldwide.”
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(11/15/09)