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Red Goldstein, left, earned an honorary Doctor of Divinity diploma during Brite Divinity School\u2019s May 10 hooding ceremony, punctuating the 12 years he served on the school\u2019s board of trustees.<\/p>\nWhen Daniel J. \u201cRed\u201d Goldstein shares his life story with someone new, more often than not he includes one key detail: He never earned a college degree.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth native, 71, jokes he graduated from R.L. Paschal High School \u201csine laude,\u201d or without honors. He persisted in his education endeavors across various Texas universities but never had enough credit hours, time or money to finish.<\/p>\n
In May, Brite Divinity School changed his story.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Goldstein was bestowed an honorary Doctor of Divinity diploma during the school\u2019s hooding ceremony. The recognition punctuated the 12 years he served on the school\u2019s board of trustees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was completely blown away,\u201d Goldstein said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Leaders of TCU\u2019s divinity school praised Goldstein\u2019s dedication, which they said led to the expansion of the Jewish Studies Program and to strengthening the school\u2019s relationship with the city\u2019s Jewish community, said Rev. Virzola Law, chair of Brite\u2019s board of trustees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of you, they are,\u201d Law said to Goldstein during the spring ceremony.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Red Goldstein, left, earned an honorary Doctor of Divinity diploma during Brite Divinity School\u2019s May 10 hooding ceremony, punctuating the 12 years he served on the school\u2019s board of trustees.<\/p>\n
Being honored at University Christian Church\u2019s pulpit was a full-circle moment for Goldstein who deepened his own Jewish faith as a young man thanks to a former minister at the church.<\/p>\n
He became familiar with the church near the Texas Christian University campus when he was a kid because a childhood friend was of the Disciples of Christ denomination.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Growing up, Goldstein was familiar with the cultural aspects of his own faith: He knew a little Yiddish and lit candles on Friday nights to mark the beginning of Shabbat. Then his parents split when he was in middle school, around the same time his Jewish identity became a target of his classmates.<\/p>\n
By 15, Goldstein was wavering in his faith.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when he met Rev. Dr. Granville T. Walker, the former longtime University Christian Church minister and Brite Divinity School professor. Instead of seeing Goldstein as an opportunity to \u201c win another convert,\u201d Walker encouraged him to deepen his understanding of his Jewish religion, Brite Divinity School President Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady told attendees during the ceremony.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you ever heard him tell this story, it\u2019s a lesson he has never forgotten,\u201d Cady said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Goldstein\u2019s appreciation to Walker led to his involvement on the Brite Divinity School\u2019s Board of Visitors. He was then appointed to the school\u2019s board of trustees in 2013.<\/p>\n
The board, which sets school policy and provides oversight, includes members of the Disciples of Christ and other denominations. However, when he was appointed, bringing a Jewish person onto a leadership board for the Christian seminary was a \u201chuge step,\u201d Goldstein recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI trusted Brite to have made a decision they thought was right,\u201d Goldstein said. \u201cAnd when they made a decision they thought was right, I chose to honor that decision and give it my all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Law credited his work as chair of the school\u2019s investment committee that helped Brite Divinity School cover tuition<\/a> and fees for all master\u2019s students since summer 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, Goldstein passes the torch to another Fort Worth Jewish man on the board.\u00a0<\/p>\n Robert Simon was appointed to Brite\u2019s board in June. The Fort Worth lawyer hopes his experiences in organizations such as the Multicultural Alliance and the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth & Tarrant County bring the school different perspectives.\u00a0<\/p>\n As he prepares for his first trustee meeting in October, he\u2019s proud to carry on the torch Goldstein handed off, Simon said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows not only an ecumenical spirit and open-mindedness but also the wisdom to invite in other viewpoints,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n Goldstein hopes that institutions such as Brite continue working toward building bridges between different faiths.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve had a small part in that,\u201d Goldstein said. \u201cBut it was because of what someone from Brite did for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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