University of the Holy Land

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University of the Holy Land UHL helps Bible Students earn their internationally accredited degree and SEE the WORD COME ALIVE Stephen Pfann, Ph.D. President
University of the Holy Land

Few places in the world can compare with the Holy Land as an ideal setting in which to study the Bible and the backgrounds of early Christianity. This is the land in which the Church was born and its topography and climate have remained nearly unchanged since Bible days. Though the Holy Land today is characterized by a multi-cultural, complex society, insights into the agrarian world of the Biblical drama can still be gained from observing traditional village and nomadic life. In addition, Jerusalem serves as a hub for Christian and Jewish scholars of international stature who live, work, study, and teach here. The impact of study in the land of the Bible will remain with dedicated students of the Bible throughout their lives. The programs offered by the University of the Holy Land (UHL) endeavor to make the most of these unique opportunities. Specialized instruction in the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient documents, palaeography, ancient languages, archaeology, the anthropology of Biblical societies, and the history and phenomenology of pilgrimage offer the student a three-dimensional look into the world of the patriarchs, the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles. In addition, UHL's involvement in various archaeological and reconstruction projects provides the student the opportunity of a hands-on experience "in the field" as well. We invite you to seriously consider the possibility of embarking on a life-changing journey to the land of the Bible, the land of your forefathers. Come join us at UHL where the land of the Bible is truly our classroom.

A historic new chapter in biblical education has opened here in Jerusalem!After the losses of this past year, and the un...
19/08/2026

A historic new chapter in biblical education has opened here in Jerusalem!

After the losses of this past year, and the uncertainty about the future of the school, we are grateful to share that the University of the Holy Land has found a home. UHL's graduate programs, faculty, and students are finding a home at Jerusalem Seminary, joining its School of Hebrew and School of the Bible within a newly expanded School of Graduate Studies.

For those less familiar with Jerusalem Seminary: JS is a theological institution in the heart of Jerusalem, on HaNevi'im Street, dedicated to the same purpose that has always animated UHL: teaching Christians to study Scripture in the land and languages of the Bible. It is led by Rev. Dr. Baruch Brian Kvasnica, who knew and admired Stephen and Claire's work, and it shares the conviction on which UHL was founded: that Scripture is best understood in the place it was written.

To everyone who prayed, gave, studied, and remained faithful through this past year: thank you. This is an answer to those prayers.

Learn more about UHL's new home, and the new programs at: www.jerusalemseminary.org

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University of the Holy Land,It is a profound honor to write to you for the first time in ...
02/06/2026

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University of the Holy Land,

It is a profound honor to write to you for the first time in this new capacity. I knew Stephen and Claire Pfann personally, and I have always admired what they built. To be entrusted now with stewarding UHL forward, alongside Willie and the team here in Jerusalem, is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

UHL and Jerusalem Seminary are entering this next season as partners. We are discerning together, through prayer and careful strategic conversation, how the two institutions will emerge over the coming year as a single, larger, and more robust school for the service of the Kingdom. The conviction guiding this work is simple: the result will be greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one, in this case, is not two. By the Lord's grace, it will be considerably more. The depth of biblical, historical, and land-based education that both institutions have offered will be expanded, not diminished, and the legacy of Stephen and Claire Pfann will be preserved and honored as a pillar of our identity.

We are committed to keeping UHL's distinctives alive: the immersive study of the Bible in its original context, the partnership of Christian and Jewish scholars, and the formative experience of learning in the land itself. At the same time, the combined institution will be positioned to serve more students, develop stronger programs, and reach further into the global church than either school could have on its own.

I want to be candid with you about the financial reality as well. Running an academic institution is an expensive undertaking, and the work of bringing two institutions together has surfaced a clearer picture of UHL's outstanding obligations and the continued commitments required to bring this transition to a strong beginning point. While not a crisis, we are seeking to still raise $100,000 to ensure that the unification does not run into financial difficulty as we move through the coming months.

We are also actively working to grow enrollment in this next chapter. The kind of education UHL has always offered is needed now more than ever, and we are eager to bring new students into it. If you know prospective students, or if you can share UHL/JS within your church or ministry network, please reach out. We would be grateful to receive dozens of new students in the coming year!

Thank you for the love and faithfulness you have shown UHL through everything the last two years have held. The fact that this school is entering a new season rather than closing its doors is a testimony to the Lord's faithfulness. Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward.

With gratitude and in His service,
Dr. Baruch B. Kvasnica
Interim President, University of the Holy Land
President & Founder, Jerusalem Seminary

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University of the Holy Land,It has been a few months since our last communication, and I ...
02/06/2026

Dear Alumni and Friends of the University of the Holy Land,

It has been a few months since our last communication, and I want to begin by thanking you for your patience, your prayers, and your faithful support through what has been an extraordinary and challenging season for UHL. Many of you responded so generously to our appeal earlier this year, and that response is part of why I am able to write what follows. Thank you!

I am glad to share that through God’s grace, the partnership we hinted at in February has now taken shape. After months of careful conversation, prayerful discernment, and detailed planning, UHL is moving forward in partnership with Jerusalem Seminary (JS), a faith-based academic institution based on HaNevi'im Street in the heart of Jerusalem. JS shares UHL's vision for serious Christian higher education rooted in the land, the languages, and the original context of Scripture, and they are committed to carrying forward the academic legacy my parents, Dr. Stephen and Claire Pfann, began forty years ago.

As part of this transition, I would like to introduce you to the two people who will be leading UHL into its next chapter:

Dr. Baruch B. Kvasnica, the current president of Jerusalem Seminary, will serve as the Interim UHL President. Baruch was a longtime friend of my parents and of the UHL community, and his relationship with our family and with the school's mission goes back many years. He brings deep theological grounding, pastoral wisdom, and a heart for the kind of biblical and historical scholarship UHL has always stood for.

Dr. Willie Ondricek (Ph.D.Can.) will serve as the Interim UHL Director, overseeing day-to-day operations as the integration moves forward. Willie has been closely involved with UHL's work for twenty years and is well positioned to steward this season of transition with care. As a former students and then instructor at UHL, he has first hand expertise and knowledge that is perfectly suited to the path ahead.

I will remain part of the UHL board and will be stepping into a strategic consulting role to support Baruch and Willie as the two institutions forge a path together in the Lord. It has been a profound honor to serve as Director during this time, and I am profoundly moved and grateful that my parents' vision is being entrusted to people who knew them, loved them, and believed in what they built.

Your generosity earlier this year helped UHL meet the obligations that needed to be settled before this transition could move forward in good order. We were able to honor our commitments to faculty, staff, and students, and to bring the school to this point with integrity. That is in no small part because of you.

I will leave it to Baruch to share more about what lies ahead in his accompanying message. Please keep him, Willie, and the whole team in your prayers as they take up this work, and please know that your prayers and your support continue to matter, both in this moment and in everything that follows.

With gratitude,
Stephen Pfann Jr.
On behalf of the UHL Board of Directors and the Pfann family

It is with great sadness that we bring the news that Dr. Claire Pfann has passed away at the age of 72. She died peacefu...
04/02/2026

It is with great sadness that we bring the news that Dr. Claire Pfann has passed away at the age of 72. She died peacefully in her sleep after a prolonged fight with cancer. Both personally and academically she has had a lasting impact on the lives of all who knew her.

Claire cofounded the University of the Holy Land with her late husband Stephen Sr. in 1986. Her compassion and wisdom served as the cornerstone on which UHL’s vision for international Christian higher education was built and continues to this day. As the Academic Dean, she helped develop and implement the school’s unique curriculum that immerses international Christian students in the original context of the Bible.

A skilled teacher and scholar, she was well known for her insightful teaching of topics such as daily life in the Second Temple Period, as well as Johannine and Pauline literature. She was able to provide these insights in the classroom, on field trips, online and in countless documentaries and interviews that truly blessed the body of Christ around the world.

In order to preserve this legacy and impact, the board of UHL is diligently working to chart a course for the school’s future. Stephen Sr. and Claire’s son, Stephen Pfann Jr., is assisting in this goal by continuing to fulfill the administrative role of Director of UHL during this time of transition. More details to come.

The Pfann family appreciates everyone’s support and prayers as they process this loss. They are currently organizing a memorial service with details to be announced soon. For those inclined, you are invited to honor Dr. Claire Pfann’s memory by supporting the school in her name (https://www.uhl.ac/home/give).

While there is comfort that Claire is no longer suffering and is reunited in heaven with Stephen Sr. (who passed away in October), her absence is felt by all. We trust in the Lord to bring comfort to her family, the UHL community and all those impacted by her life.

Thank you each of you for your continued prayerful support and love during this time.

Sincerely,
Board of Directors
The University of the Holy

Dear Friends of the University of the Holy Land,Firstly, I want to thank you all for your prayers and support during thi...
10/01/2026

Dear Friends of the University of the Holy Land,

Firstly, I want to thank you all for your prayers and support during this challenging time. Many of you have sent generous donations to aid the school in its transition, for which we are deeply grateful.

I am writing with an urgent but hope-filled update.

As many of you know, over the past two years, UHL has faced extraordinary pressures. The War in Gaza, beginning October 7, 2023, caused enrollment and program income to drop sharply. These challenges were compounded by the sudden passing of our Founder, Dr. Stephen Pfann, on October 1, 2025, followed by the rapid decline in health of his wife and co-founder, Dr. Claire Pfann, in the weeks that followed. These events left UHL vulnerable at a critical moment.

The good news is that a respected institution who shares our vision for faithful Christian higher education in Jerusalem is prepared to carry UHL forward. They have expressed that they are eager to assume academic leadership of the University of the Holy Land beginning at the end of February 2026 to help ensure continuity of the academic year and steward UHL moving into the next season. We are incredibly grateful for their kind consideration.

The challenge before us is that before this transition can take place, UHL must resolve outstanding financial obligations totaling $155,000. This represents only what is required to honor commitments and bridge UHL to this God-provided transition:

* January–February operating costs for UHL
* December payroll for Jerusalem-based staff
* Faculty compensation for Fall/Winter courses
* Two required student refunds
* Smaller miscellaneous expenses

This amount is after the Pfann family has sacrificially forgiven over $115,000 owed to Dr. Claire Pfann by UHL, choosing mission over repayment so this transition can proceed as cleanly and honorably as possible.

We are praying that God will lead each of us to the right people: alumni who know the impact of UHL firsthand as well as those who believe in the vision of UHL. We pray for the right people and resources to help secure this final step forward into a new season.

Would you prayerfully consider how and if the Lord is leading you to help UHL in this delicate moment of transition?

* If you have advice or contacts that could help UHL meet its funding needs we would be very interested if you could help us make those connections. Please reach out to us at: [email protected]
* If you can support the school directly through your giving, as so many of you already have, this will aid in continuing the academic vision the Lord established through Stephen and Claire Pfann 40 years ago.
* If you know other people who would be honored to be part of helping UHL transition to the next season, please pass this email on to them!

Every gift, large or small, directly supports the continuation of UHL and paves the way for the partner academic institution to receive it with wide open arms.

Thank you for your prayer, support, and love!

With gratitude and faith,

Nicholas Boyer

The University of the Holy Land

Board of Directors

You donations can also be made via Stripe or PayPal through the link UHL's giving page: https://www.uhl.ac/home/give

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