With profound sorrow and heartfelt sympathy, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, students, and colleagues of Rabbi Andrea Weiss, who passed away on March 3, 2026, at the age of 64 following a brief illness. Her loss is deeply felt across New York and throughout the global Jewish community, particularly at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, where she served with distinction as Provost.
Rabbi Weiss was a visionary leader, an accomplished scholar, and a devoted mentor whose influence shaped generations of rabbis, cantors, and Jewish educators. Ordained through HUC-JIR and trained extensively in Jewish studies, she brought intellectual rigor and spiritual depth to her work in biblical scholarship, ethics, and education. Her leadership reflected a rare balance: she was both a respected public intellectual and a hands-on administrator who approached institutional challenges with clarity, courage, and resolve.
As Provost, Rabbi Weiss strengthened academic programs, elevated diverse voices, and championed inclusive, progressive Jewish education rooted in tradition and responsive to contemporary life. She believed that scholarship must serve the soul as well as the mind, and she encouraged students to wrestle with sacred texts while cultivating moral clarity and compassion. Her door was always open. Many students recall with gratitude the personal meetings she held with each of them prior to ordination, offering individualized blessings that reflected her attentiveness and care.
Colleagues describe her as thoughtful, principled, and deeply collaborative — a leader who inspired excellence while remaining grounded and accessible. She celebrated the achievements of others, mentored faculty and staff with generosity, and carried herself with humility despite her many accomplishments. Beyond the campus, she was a loyal friend, a devoted spouse and mother, and even an accomplished athlete whose discipline reflected her vibrant spirit.
In the days following her passing, students and colleagues honored her by committing to study the 150 psalms she cherished — a testament to the enduring mark she left on their lives. A private funeral will be held for family, with a public memorial at HUC-JIR to follow.
Rabbi Andrea Weiss’s legacy lives on in the leaders she shaped, the communities she strengthened, and the blessings of wisdom she shared so freely. May her memory continue to inspire, and may it forever be a source of blessing.
