By Matthew Keck —
The University of Louisville is planning to rename Jewish Hospital once the purchase closes on Nov. 1. The new name of Jewish has not been finalized at this time.
“We are awaiting review and approval from the Board of Directors of the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence,” said Jill Scoggins, interim director of communications at the U of L Health Science Center.
U of L said back in August that the name of Jewish was not going to change in this deal. “As was the case when CHI originally purchased Jewish Hospital, U of L Health is not changing the name of Jewish Hospital,” stated a U of L Hospital FAQ.
U of L announced in August that it would be changing the names of two other hospitals in the KentuckyOne deal. Saints Mary and Elizabeth Hospital and Our Lady of Peace were the two hospitals slated to receive new names.
The Archdiocese of Louisville requested that religious affiliations be removed since U of L would not be part of the Catholic Health Initiative system. This will include the removal of crosses from the former Catholic facilities.
Those hospitals are now named U of L Health–Mary and Elizabeth Hospital and U of L Health–Peace Hospital.
“U of L is a public institution that receives taxpayer money. We cannot follow the directives of the Catholic Church nor can we be seen as promoting the beliefs of any particular faith tradition,” said U of L spokesperson John Karman.
Jewish Hospital’s name change will not be because of religious reasons since it is not managed under the Jewish faith. “While the hospital has not been managed by Jewish faith, U of L Health will honor the traditions and culture of Jewish Hospital,” stated the FAQ.
Every facility that will be acquired with this deal will be branded under the U of L Health name after the Nov. 1 closing date said Scoggins.
File Photo // The Louisville Cardinal
