After Jehuda Reinharz steps down as president of Brandeis, he will become president and CEO of the Mandel Foundation, "an internationally recognized charity that provides leadership to non-profits in the United States and Israel," according to an April 14 campuswide e-mail from Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully. In addition to his commitments to the Mandel Foundation, Reinharz will also serve as director of Brandeis' Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry.Reinharz, who has served on the Mandel Foundation Board of Trustees since 2005, said in an interview with the Justice, "My interest and my passions are totally in sync with what [the Mandel Foundation] does." He elaborated that he was particularly interested in the foundation's projects on "leadership development, its work in the Jewish world [and] its work in urban renewal."

Morton L. Mandel, foundation chairman and chief executive officer, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, "[Reinharz] has been an active Trustee of the Mandel Foundation for many years. We have known President Reinharz in his capacity as President and greatly admire his leadership qualities." Mandel also wrote that he will continue as chairman indefinitely once Reinharz becomes the foundation's president and CEO. Mandel did not comment on the number of applicants who were also considered for the position.

The foundation is funding the construction of the Mandel Center for the Humanities, which will open this fall, according to the campuswide e-mail. The e-mail also states that the foundation has "supported the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education; fellowships in humanities, English and American literature; and chairs in Jewish education." Mandel's wife, Barbara, has served on the Brandeis Board of Trustees since 2005.

Commenting on whether the partnership between the University and the foundation will deepen, Reinharz said, "A lot depends on what kind of projects we might be able to do together. If [the projects] fit with the foundation's goals, that certainly would be the case."

"The Mandel Foundation's connection is with Brandeis University, and we expect the relationship to continue," Mandel wrote in his e-mail.

"My commitment has been to the University [and will be] to [the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry for the next few years, . and because the foundation has agreed to open an office in Boston, which is where I will be, it makes it easier for me to manage both tasks," Reinharz said. Currently, the Mandel Foundation has offices located in Cleveland, Ohio and in Israel.

Reinharz announced his intention to resign in a Sept. 24 e-mail to the Brandeis community. He will remain president until a successor has been chosen or until June 30, 2011, according to a Sept. 24 University press release.

Member of the Presidential Search Committee Prof. Gina Turrigiano (BIOL) said at last Thursday's faculty meeting that the committee has received more than 80 nominations for the post of Brandeis president. Turrigiano added that the committee will soon begin a "highly confidential process with more formal interviews."



-Miranda Neubauer contributed reporting.