Walk by his office in Healy Hall, and you'll probably see the door open, revealing a stockpile of old and new books on religion, art, mythology, philosophy, psychology and many other subjects.

A wealth of Judaic art adorns the walls, and his collection of plastic, plush and porcelain frogs sweeps through every nook and corner. In the center, behind a worn wooden desk piled high with paper, is the round, smiling face of Rabbi Harold White -- the rabbi who has been at Georgetown for 40 years.

"Like Moses who wandered in the desert for 40 years, or Solomon who reigned for 40 years," he jokes.

When White came to Washington in the summer of 1968, the nation was coping with a mounting death toll in Vietnam, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy and devastating riots in the streets of several American cities. With the country in conflict, the university was searching for new ways to build bridges between communities.

Gerald J. Campbell, S.J., Georgetown's president at the time, found a bridge-builder in White.

"We want you to teach the Christian students about Jesus," White says the Jesuit told him, "that he was born a Jew, lived as a Jew and died a Jew -- so that they will better understand the beginnings of Christianity and its relationship to Judaism."

"That appealed to me," explains White, who had been working on Jewish-Catholic dialogue as a faculty member at the University of Michigan and as rabbi of a conservative synagogue in Ann Arbor. He soon became the first full-time rabbi hired by a Catholic university in the United States, a role he saw as completely logical.

"There is great parallel between the Jesuit and Jewish views of education," White notes, "namely, that education is a gift of God and is for the service of others."

In June 2009, White will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a rabbi, a role he has cherished as Georgetown's senior Jewish chaplain. As chaplain, his duties include celebrating the Sabbath with students and members of the community throughout the year. In late September and early October, the rabbi will lead his popular Gaston Hall services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holy Days.

"Many have been coming to these services as long as I have been here," White says. "Gaston Hall is a beautiful place to hold Yom Kippur services, especially in the afternoon when the sunlight comes through the windows and the entire hall takes on an amber cast. It's just wonderful. I find it incredibly aesthetic."

In addition to leading worship services, White has remained true to the bridge-building spirit that brought him to Georgetown, working to advance interreligious dialogue and understanding on campus. He views education not as a path to a good job, but as an opportunity for students to broaden their minds. This view has made him a valuable part of Georgetown's commitment to educating the whole person.

"Rabbi White has not only helped the Jewish community at Georgetown know their God, he has helped members of all faith traditions grow in faith, hope and love," says the Rev. Kevin O'Brien, S.J., executive director of campus ministry. "He's done this through his teaching, his leadership, his prayer and the example of his life."

During his four decades on the Hilltop, the rabbi has promoted and provided several forums for interfaith dialogue. White has brought Jews and Muslims together to discuss and share their traditions, and he has created special fellowship opportunities for diverse groups. One such opportunity is the annual "Hallelujah Shabbat," a service White created in the 1980s to bring Georgetown's Jewish and black communities together.

"No one can argue with the necessity -- the moral imperative -- of advancing interreligious understanding and promoting interfaith dialogue," President John J. DeGioia said of White at a birthday celebration for the rabbi last year. "That's why Harold's sustained work has not only enriched our community -- it has also benefited the global community."

As an educator, White's effort to build bridges continues in the classroom. He teaches students of all faiths about Judaism, other religions and the links among them. Last year, he partnered with Georgetown's Muslim chaplain, Imam Yahya Hendi, and the Rev. Dennis McMannus, a respected Catholic theologian, to teach "Theological Encounter and Dialogue," a course on Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

"He is exceptionally devoted to his students -- he has a tremendous rapport with them," says government and international affairs professor Robert Lieber, who lauds White's ability to widen understanding and appreciation not only for Judaism but also its relationship to other faiths.

White is comfortable discussing a wide range of topics in the classroom, from the Kabbalah to the teachings of Reconstruction Judaism's founder, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. He leads discussions about Hassidic Jews and often likes to talk about Jan Karski, a Polish Catholic who tried to stop the Holocaust by fighting in the underground Polish army. Karski taught at Georgetown for 40 years until his death in 2000.

In 2004, White worked with Lieber and DeGioia to create the Program for Jewish Civilization (PJC), an interdisciplinary research and teaching endeavor within the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Students in PJC are introduced to Judaism's global dimensions, ethical aspects and interrelationships with other peoples and polities. They focus on religion and history as well as the wider cultural, political, philosophical, scientific and literary accomplishments of the Jewish people. A minor and certificate in Jewish civilization became available to students in 2005.

"Rabbi White played a huge role in making the PJC a reality," says Jacques Berlinerblau, PJC director and associate professor of Jewish civilization. "He's an integral part of everything we've done here."

Last year, anonymous supporters donated $2 million as a lead gift to establish the Harold White Professorships in Jewish Civilization, which will be housed at the program. A minimum of an additional $1 million needs to be raised to fund the professorship honoring the rabbi.

In his 40th year on the Hilltop, Rabbi White continues to make his mark on the university, building on the optimism and determination that brought him to Georgetown in the turbulent summer of 1968.

"The Jewish chaplaincy he founded is a vibrant and engaged part of ministry on campus," says O'Brien. "His legacy at Georgetown, as a rabbi, as a scholar, as a teacher, and as a friend and colleague, is assured."

For many, the rabbi has come to embody the very spirit of a Georgetown education.

"Rabbi White is very much Georgetown, and he embodies what Georgetown is about," Berlinerblau says. "What Georgetown stands for, he stands for -- interfaith dialogue, reasoned conversations and balanced presentations."

Source: Blue & Gray