Court Grants College for Contemporary Judaism’s Motion to Intervene in Ohio AG’s Lawsuit Against Hebrew Union College

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Noah Sachartoff
noahs@miller-ink.com

Court Grants College for Contemporary Judaism’s Motion to Intervene in Ohio AG’s Lawsuit Against Hebrew Union College

CINCINNATI, OH — October 6, 2026 — The Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas has granted the College for Contemporary Judaism’s (CCJ) motion to intervene in the Ohio Attorney General’s lawsuit against Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC). The ruling, entered October 5 by Judge Christopher Wagner, makes CCJ a party to the case, so it can be heard on what should happen to HUC’s Cincinnati-related charitable assets if the court finds HUC liable.

The Court found that CCJ met the standards for both permissive intervention and intervention as of right under Ohio Civil Rule 24. It concluded that CCJ, made up of “Jewish community members, rabbis, and former employees of HUC, who have a specific interest in maintaining a rabbinical school in the liberal spirit in Cincinnati,” has interests that are not adequately represented by the existing parties. The Court also ruled that CCJ may take part as a party in any mediation, noting that its inclusion “may expedite the final resolution of this case.”

Read the full order granting the motion to intervene.

“For generations, donors gave generously to Hebrew Union College because it trained rabbis here in Cincinnati to serve congregations in the American heartland,” said Rabbi Dr. Gary P. Zola, CCJ’s Founding President. “Now, when the court decides what becomes of those assets, an institution being built to carry that mission forward will have a seat at the table. We are grateful to the Court, and we remain focused on the work ahead: building a rabbinical school that will serve Jewish communities across the Midwest, the South and Mountain West for generations to come.”

“The Court agreed that the existing parties cannot adequately represent CCJ’s interests as a potential recipient of the assets in question,” said Andrew R. Berger, CCJ’s Founding Board Chair. “The Attorney General can protect these assets, but cannot operate a rabbinical school. CCJ’s charter commits it to ‘permanently maintain a rabbinical school in Cincinnati, Ohio,’ the same commitment HUC deleted from its own charter in 2022. We look forward to participating constructively in this case, including in any potential mediation, to reach a resolution that honors that mission and the donors’ intent.”

The Attorney General filed suit against HUC on April 10, 2026, alleging that HUC violated its 1950 Consolidation Agreement and Ohio charitable trust law when it closed its Cincinnati rabbinical school despite a commitment to “permanently maintain” one there. The Attorney General is seeking to impose a constructive trust over HUC’s Cincinnati-related assets, to be redistributed for the purpose of supporting a permanent rabbinical school in Cincinnati.

In intervening in the lawsuit, CCJ asks the court to recognize CCJ as the appropriate recipient of HUC’s Cincinnati-related assets under Ohio’s cy pres statute (R.C. 5804.13).

About CCJ: The College for Contemporary Judaism (CCJ) is building a new model of rabbinic education to address the critical shortage of congregational rabbis across the American heartland. Based in Cincinnati — the historic cradle of rabbinic education — CCJ will offer full scholarships and living stipends, a rigorous, integrative, and dynamic curriculum, practice-based fellowships, an immersive Israel experience, and access to world-class Judaica resources. For more information, visit www.ccjudaism.org.

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