Dr. Stephen M. Passamaneck, z”l

The HUC-JIR community mourns the passing of Dr. Stephen M. Passamaneck, z”l, Professor Emeritus of Rabbinic Literature at HUC-JIR/Los Angeles. A member of the faculty for fifty years (1963-2013), Dr. Passamaneck taught Talmud and medieval Jewish legal material. A 1955 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, he was ordained at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati in 1960, received the Diploma in Law from Oxford University in 1963, and received his Ph.D. in Talmud and Medieval Jewish Law at HUC-JIR/Cincinnati in 1964.

Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D., HUC-JIR Interim President, stated, “The contributions of Stephen Passamaneck to the study and teaching of Jewish legal literature were immense. He presented the riches of every genre of the Jewish legal tradition – Mishna, Talmud, Codes, and Responsa – on a whole host of topics to academic, professional, and lay audiences alike. His accomplishments in the academic world will long be remembered. Y'hi zichro baruch – may his memory be a blessing.”

Early in his career he wrote on maritime and insurance law in Jewish sources. Since 1976, however, when he first affiliated with law enforcement agencies as a chaplain, he wrote almost exclusively on law enforcement and administration of justice in Jewish sources. He was trained and sworn as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and served as a line Reserve for eleven years. He continued to serve as a volunteer law enforcement chaplain with a federal law enforcement agency. He was Chairman and Honorary President of the Jewish Law Association and was an officer of the International Conference of Police Chaplains. Notably, he heeded New York’s Port Authority Police Department’s request for chaplains on September 12, 2001 and spent thirteen-hour days at Ground Zero alongside emergency personnel following the terrorist attacks of 9/11. He retired from the chaplaincy in 2013.

Dr. Passamaneck received the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Exemplary Service Medal (1991); was the first rabbi to receive the International Conference of Police Chaplains’ highest honor, the John Price Award (1994); and was honored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (2003) and by the Jewish Law Association in 2007, when a festschrift (collection of academic articles in his honor) prepared by his many colleagues and friends was presented to him in recognition of his dedicated service and contributions to the discipline of Jewish law.

His most recent publication was a translation of The Laws of Evidence (Deborah Charles Publications, 2012) featuring the Shulhan ‘Arukh Hoshen Mishpat, Hikhoth ‘Eduth, part of a larger digest of Jewish law and practice that dates back to the 16th Century. The Laws of Evidence is concerned with civil, criminal, and commercial practices. Other publications included Police Ethics and the Jewish Tradition (2003), "Biblical Arsonists and Sabbath Firemen" Melilah, 2006; "Biblical Arsonists and Sabbath Firemen: Matters of Public Safety," Melilah, 2005/2; the series Jewish Law and Jewish Life with J. Bazak (Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York: 1977-1998); An Introduction to the History and Sources of Jewish Law with N. Hecht, B. Jackson, D. Piattelli, M. Rabello, The Clarendon Press (Oxford: 1996); The Traditional Jewish Law of Sale (Hebrew Union College Press, Cincinnati: 1983); Insurance in Rabbinic Law (1974), and scores of major published articles and lectures. A profile of Dr. Passamaneck, entitled "Law and Order: Dr. Stephen M. Passamaneck" appeared in the HUC-JIR Chronicle, Issue 63 (2004).

Dr. Passamaneck will be interred in a private ceremony in Los Angeles.

Heartfelt condolences go to his children Daniel (Kelly) and Evi (Scott), his grandchildren, Zachary and Jesse Passamaneck, Delia Graham, and Aaron Jensen, and his stepdaughter Julia (Bill). May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Message of condolence may be sent to:
Evi Pazmanczyk
6544 SE Carlton Street
Portland, OR 97206
pazczyk@yahoo.com