Kieval Institute History

• The Siena Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies was founded in 1983, with an initial contribution from Charles and Thelma Buchman and their family.
• Rabbi Hayyim Kieval, then the Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel in Albany, was named as the Director.
• When the Institute's bylaws were adopted in 1989, Peter Zaas, Ph.D. became the Institute Coordinator and budgetary officer.
• According to these bylaws, the Institute is located within the Department of Religious Studies of Siena College.
• After Rabbi Kieval's untimely death in 1991, Dr. Zaas became the Director and Rabbi Bernard Bloom, a longtime member of the Religious Studies department, became the Chair.
• In October 1999 the Institute was renamed the Hayyim Kieval Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies.
• An Advisory Board of Siena faculty, other area academics, clergy and community leaders advises the Institute on matters of policy and program.