Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund

ABOUT THE FUND | DONATE | LEVELS OF SUPPORT |
ABOUT RABBI KAMRASS

ABOUT THE FUND

The Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund will be a special endowment to honor Rabbi Kamrass’ exceptional career and devotion to Wise Temple. The annual proceeds of this fund will allow our congregation to attract and retain the most talented rabbis, thus enabling our congregation to continue to innovate and flourish. This new fund, established in his name, will perpetuate Rabbi Kamrass’ vision and strengthen our congregation’s vibrancy through rabbinic excellence for generations to come.

BACKGROUND:

Successful organizations do not come about by chance. They develop because of strategic investment and strong leadership. For the past 40 years, Isaac M. Wise Temple has been blessed to have the continuity and extraordinary leadership of Rabbi Lewis Kamrass. Rabbi Kamrass’ commitment to our congregational family, the local community, the larger Reform movement, Plum Street Temple, and Israel have created a profound sense of Jewish identity within our congregation and beyond. During his tenure, life cycle events have been elevated, spiritual and learning experiences have been enhanced, a strong culture of tikkun olam and social action have been established, and the financial security of our congregation has been strengthened.

WHY NOW:

Rabbi Kamrass’ retirement marks the end of an era at Wise Temple. In this historic time of transition for our congregation and in this challenging time for American Jewry more broadly, it is even more important that we continue to invest in supporting excellence of leadership and the creativity our rabbis bring to nurture our spiritual and communal life. This endowment fund in his name will honor Rabbi Kamrass’ legacy and strengthen Wise Temple’s unique place in the Cincinnati Jewish community and as a leading congregation in the Reform movement.

SUPPORT:

Our goal is 100% participation from our congregational membership at any level that is most meaningful for you and your family. We also invite friends from the Cincinnati community and across the country and the world who have been impacted by Rabbi Kamrass’ leadership over his career to honor him by supporting this new fund. We hope you will honor Rabbi Kamrass’ four decades of dedicated service by investing in the future of our congregation and its commitment to excellence in leadership.

DONATE TO THE FUND

Join as a founding supporter of the Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund today.

DONATE ONLINE VIA A ONE-TIME CREDIT CARD PAYMENT:

Click here to make a one-time, credit card donation. Click on the red button on the “Donate” page for either members or guests of the temple.
On the donations page, under the “Fund” dropdown, choose * Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund * in the list of options. Complete the remaining questions to ensure your gift is properly acknowledged, and pay via Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. Unfortunately, we do not accept American Express.

DONATE VIA ACH, CHECK, OR OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT:

If you prefer to pay via ACH (direct bank debit – no fee) or via an IRA, stock transfer, or other forms of payment, please contact our Executive Director, Jeff Stern, at 513-538-0592 or jstern@wisetemple.org to make arrangements.

MAKE A PLEDGE TO DONATE TO THE FUND:

Those who would like to spread their gift over a period of time are welcome to do so, with a maximum of five (5) years for pledges to be completed. To make your pledge, please complete our PLEDGE FORM, and send to Jeff Stern via email at jstern@wisetemple.org or by printing and mailing to 8329 Ridge Road | Cincinnati, OH 45236. While the temple welcomes deferred and planned/legacy gifts and appreciates the generosity of such support, deferral of funds toward this campaign will not be possible.

LEVELS OF SUPPORT

Make a meaningful gift that honors Rabbi Kamrass and invests in our congregation’s future.

$100,000 – Builder
$75,000 – Ambassador
$50,000 – Benefactor
$25,000 – Patron
$10,000 – Sustainer
$5,000 – Friend
Up to $5,000 – Contributor

Donations of $5,000+ receive acknowledgement on a special plaque commemorating the Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund campaign to be hung in Wise Center.

All donors receive:

Recognition for donation in 2025 emails to congregation, inviting them to “join us” in supporting the campaign
Recognition in digital signage:
- Wise Center lobby throughout the year

At Rabbi Kamrass retirement events:
- May 4: Street Party
- May 16: Shabbat service
- May 18: Dinner & Dancing at Music Hall
Recognition on the Rabbi Lewis Kamrass Rabbinic Leadership Fund website

Our goal is 100% participation from our congregational membership at any level that is most meaningful for you and your family. We hope you will honor Rabbi Kamrass’ four decades of dedicated service by investing in the future of our congregation and its commitment to excellence in leadership.

ABOUT RABBI LEWIS KAMRASS

Rabbi Lewis H. Kamrass is the Senior Rabbi of Isaac M. Wise Temple of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he has spent his entire rabbinate of forty years. Rabbi Kamrass is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia in Sociology and Psychology, with a Master of Hebrew Letters and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, as well as recipient of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. He served for 25 years as an Instructor in the Theology Department of Xavier University and as adjunct faculty at Hebrew Union College.

In the national Reform movement, Rabbi Kamrass currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the 2200-member international body of Reform Rabbis, and has served as Board Member of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the Union for Reform Judaism. He was involved in the creation of the Reform movement’s two newest prayer books, serving on the CCAR’s Mishkan HaNefesh Editorial advisory committee, the Mishkan T’fillah Editorial team, and has also compiled Wise Temple’s congregational prayer book, Avodat HaLev. He was also a member of the team that drafted the CCAR’s 1999 Statement of Principles committee, on several committees, and previously served as Vice-President and President of the CCAR.

In the broader local community, Rabbi Kamrass has also served on the Boards of: Cincinnati Pre-School Promise, the Cincinnati Jewish Federation, Cincinnati Board of Rabbis, Cincinnati Jewish Community Relations Council, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, American Red Cross Cincinnati Chapter, Hospice of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Community Action Now, Family Services of Cincinnati and other community organizations. He has been active in local social action endeavors including establishing synagogue and Jewish community involvement in soup kitchens and homeless shelters and maintaining that involvement for 36 years. He has helped lead the growth and development of Wise Temple’s endowment fund and Plum Street Temple Historic Preservation Fund, as well been deeply involved in the ongoing preservation and maintenance of the historic Plum Street Temple.

Rabbi Kamrass is married to Renee Slotin Kamrass of Atlanta and they are the proud parents of three children and seven wonderful grandchildren.