Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies

The Jewish Journal highlighted AJU’s Gala honoring Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson and celebrated his extraordinary 25-year legacy at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.

The evening brought together our community to honor a visionary teacher, mentor, and leader—while raising more than $1.6 million in support of AJU’s future. We're also proud to announce the naming of the Goldstine Distinguished Scholar position in Rabbi Artson's honor.

Read the full write-up on the Gala below ⬇️

AJU Honors Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson at Gala Marking 25-Year Legacy A leading voice in Conservative Judaism, Artson has long shaped Jewish thought and leadership far beyond the walls of AJU.

“My students are teaching me things that in a million years I never would think of by myself. I feel so lucky to have a job in which people come to you and say ‘I want to serve the Jewish people.’ How remarkable is that?” — Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

The thoughtful third part of the Jewish journal profile on Rabbi Brad Artson reflects on his spiritual journey, his understanding of God, and the experiences that have shaped him and his work for 25 years as the Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.

Read more in the article, “How Rabbi Artson Fell in Love with God" linked below:

Rabbis of LA | How Rabbi Artson Fell in Love with God Third of three parts

Join us in welcoming the world’s newest rabbis! 🎉

Mazel tov to the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies class of 2026. As our ordinands step into the rabbinate, we know they will lead with compassion, wisdom, and a deep commitment to building a vibrant Jewish future.

Yasher koach and heartfelt congratulations to Rabbi Brianah Caplan and Rabbi Cantor Malachi Kanfer on this incredible milestone.

Thank you to all who joined us in celebrating this year’s ordinands and honorary doctorate recipients last night!

Yasher koach to our extraordinary ordinands as they take this next step in their rabbinic journeys, and mazal tov to our honorary doctorate recipients for their inspiring leadership, scholarship, and service to the Jewish community.

If you were unable to attend, or want to experience the celebration again, you can watch the full livestream recording now on AJU’s YouTube channel at the link below:

2026 Rabbinic Ordination & Honorary Doctorate Ceremony The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies is pleased to invite you to the Rabbinic Ordination Ceremony for the Class of 2026:Brianah Caplan and Malachi KanferMo...

Yasher Koach to our ordinands and mazel tov to the recipients of this year’s Ziegler academic awards! 🎉

✨ 2026 Ordinand Brianah Caplan with Dean Rabbi Brad Artson and Vice Dean Cheryl Peretz
🎶 2026 Ordinand Malachi Kanfer
📚 David Lieber Award for Academic Excellence: Savannah Lipner
📖 David Aronson Award for Excellence in Rabbinic Literature: Josh Mendel
✡️ Henry Fisher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Jewish Studies: Brianah Caplan
🎖️Abby Spivack Award for Community Service: Malachi Kanfer and Lily Gross
📜 Eliezer Slomovic Award in Talmud: Jake Perl
א Yechiel Goldhaar Memorial Prize for Excellence in Hebrew: Brian Blum and Jacob Martinez Raizman

We're so proud to celebrate the dedication, scholarship, and leadership of our Ziegler students as they complete another year 🔥🙌

Dear Friends, As I complete my first year as President and CEO of American Jewish University, I want to extend my tremendous gratitude to our exceptional staff, lay leaders, alumni, program participants, and donors for their support and leadership.

Today, we’re launching our dynamic, user-friendly website, aju.edu. This is much more than a new website. It is a clear statement of our identity, mission, and impact. We hope you will visit it often and refer it to your friends and family.

We’ve returned to our roots and have refocused our work "singularly focused on the Jewish future."

This year, we’re celebrating two important milestones that demonstrate our impact: the 85th anniversary of the Ziering Brandeis Camp Institute (BCI) and the 40th anniversary of Miller Introduction to Judaism. Thousands of Jewish leaders around the world trace their inspiration and attribute their commitment to the Jewish people to their experiences at BCI. Our Introduction to Judaism program has created thriving Jewish homes and has guided thousands interfaith couples to make meaningful Jewish choices. Stay tuned for opportunities to join us as we reconnect with our alumni and commemorate these milestones.

The website launch also includes the rollout of the 2050 Institute with a podcast, "The Jewish Tomorrow" and a salon series, "The Future of...". The 2050 Institute is a bold and transformative initiative focusing on the next generation of Jewish life in North America.

American Jewish University is reinforcing its founding principles as both a living laboratory and a university of higher learning committed to experiential education that’s deeply rooted in Jewish texts and tradition, rich arts and culture and state-of-the-art innovation. We are strategically connecting our current and planned programs to reinforce our dedication to offering life-long experiences for Jews (and those interested in learning about Judaism and the Jewish people) of all ages and from diverse backgrounds.

Thank you for your continued support,

Jay Sanderson
President & CEO
American Jewish University

Part 2 of the Jewish Journal’s three-part series on Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson offers a personal look at the values that shaped his rabbinate, especially the lasting influence of his mother.

From championing inclusion and human dignity to reminding us that “people can have strong disagreements without being enemies,” Rabbi Artson reflects on leadership, curiosity, and the “genius of rabbinic Judaism” that invites honest conversation and learning across differences. As he prepares to step into his new role as AJU’s Mordechai Kaplan Distinguished Scholar on July 1, his wisdom continues to inspire our community and beyond.

✨ Read Part 2 in the Jewish Journal below 👇

Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Artson Salutes His Mother Second of three parts

👉 Save the Date!
📌 Tuesday, May 19, 2026
For the AJU gala celebration honoring Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson in recognition of 25 years of service.

More details and invitations to come. We look forward to celebrating together!

After decades leading the Ziegler School, Rabbi Artson will embrace a new university-wide role as the Mordecai Kaplan Distinguished Scholar, a position that places him at the heart of AJU's intellectual, spiritual, and public-facing life. ⬇️

👇 Read the full article🔗

American Jewish University Rabbi Brad Artson Begins New Chapter AJU has announced that Rabbi Artson will be named the Mordecai Kaplan Distinguished Scholar, effective July 1, a position that places him at the heart of the university’s intellectual, spiritual and public-facing life.