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American Jewish University | 2,948 followers on LinkedIn. American Jewish University advances and elevates the Jewish journey of individuals, organizations, and our community. | Who We Are:
American Jewish University (AJU) is a thriving center of Jewish resources and talent that serves the Jewish community of the twenty-first century. A portal for Jewish belonging, AJU equips students, faculty, campers, and learners of all ages with the tools to create the ideas, build the structures, and develop the programs to advance Jewish wisdom and elevate Jewish living.

Our Mission:
American Jewish University advances and elevates the Jewish journey of individuals, organizations and our community through excellence in scholarship, teaching, engaged conversation, and outreach.

Michael Berenbaum

Gavriel (Gabe) Goldman

rabbi at american jewish university

Cheryl Peretz

Facilitate Personal Growth

Margarita Kouzel

Eleanor Samuel, a student at de Toledo High School and daughter of former Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies board member Jessica Samuel (and friend of the Ziegler School, Mark Samuel), recently delivered a special new Ziegler tallit to Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, a Ziegler School graduate and the Rabbi of the Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda. Rabbi Sizomu was joined by his wife, Tzippora, as they received this meaningful gift. This was a beautiful visit and a great reminder of the connections that bridge our Jewish communities worldwide!

Our Masor School for Jewish Education and Leadership team at the Stand Together Unity Rally in Washington, D.C.! 🌍 Last Sunday, November 10, 2024, thousands from around the world came together to stand in solidarity—for Israel, for the hostages, and against antisemitism. Pictured left to right: Dr. Sharon Bacharach, Lisa Lasovsky, Abby Andiman Mars, Tamar Andrews, EdD and Avital Etehad

📚 AJU is proud to be one of ten universities participating in the MidCareer Fellowship! This fellowship supports professionals working in the Jewish community who are ready to advance their careers through subsidizing graduate degrees in Jewish Education, Jewish communal service, and more. Know someone interested in pursuing a degree with the Masor School for Jewish Education and Leadership who might benefit from their support? Share this with them, or click the link below to learn more! https://lnkd.in/gQkAiaPJ

"Simchat Torah, A Year Later" by Dr. Sharon Bacharach Simchat Torah, or rejoicing the Torah, literally is a celebration of completing the annual cycle of reading the Torah. This holiday marks the end of the Jewish holiday season by singing and dancing. However, it is hard to celebrate with such a heavy heart. It has been just over one year since October 7th, and as this holiday approaches, I keep thinking about an experience I’d like to share with you. This past April, my husband and I traveled to Israel on a JNF volunteer mission. The most meaningful of all our experiences there was our visit to the Nova festival site. It’s hard to explain the feeling of seeing more than a hundred young trees planted for every person who were killed that day, with pictures and loving mementos of the victims surrounding each tree. There was a young man there. His name was Noah, and his brother was killed in the October 7th attack. This was his first time visiting the site since that day. One of the rabbis with us asked him if he would speak to our group about his brother, which he willingly did. His presentation was heartfelt and filled with anger, sadness, and countless emotions. When he finished, he walked off. I watched him as he walked away from us, wandering by himself. I was wondering; he just spoke to a bunch of strangers and then was left alone to think about this experience. What was going through his mind? Perhaps he was thinking, they don’t really understand, how could they? And we don’t; how could we? The group of us were visitors from outside Israel, wanting to help somehow. This is the struggle so many of us have: What can I do? I feel so useless. Right then, I decided to do something; I walked over to Noah and thanked him for speaking with us, a bunch of strangers, and told him it was a brave thing to do. He began crying. I asked him if I could give him a hug, and he nodded his head. We stood there hugging and crying for - I am not sure how long. He thanked me afterward and asked for my name. We then said goodbye. I tell this story because I think about it often. It may have meant more to me than to him, but I just hope that he felt some comfort in his emotions at the time. Now that a year has passed since this tragedy, I think about Noah and others who have family members who were brutally taken from them. I am not saying that a hug cures pain, but it is one way to show a person that you are there and care about them. So, as we hug the Torah this year, dance, and celebrate its completion, let’s begin the Torah again, remembering to hug the ones we love and pray for a year of hope.

Thank God For Sukkot by Dr. Tamar Andrews The holiday of Sukkot is a gift to the Jewish people, albeit one that we don’t often recognize. The High Holiday period begins with the sounds of the Shofar, proceeds to the delicious and sweet foods of Rosh Hashanah and then dives deeply into self-reflection and atonement at Yom Kippur. We emerge from the fast ready to start the year anew and the holiday of Sukkot provides us with myriad opportunities to do those mitzvot that really highlight who we are as Jewish people. We build a temporary shelter called a sukkah. If this alone does not represent the history of the Jewish people, moving from slavery to freedom, from a desert to the Land of Milk and Honey, and the many expulsions and exoduses that we have endured, the sukkah is a true symbol that reminds us of what is truly important: not the sukkah itself but, rather, what takes place inside its flimsy walls. Building the sukkah itself immerses us in physical labor. Especially today, when computers, iPads, and smart phone screens seem to dominate, getting outdoors and reconnecting with our hands, building a shelter, sourcing palm fronds, and decorating the sukkah are a respite from our daily chores. My own favorite parts of the holiday are the joining together, outdoors, in a different type of setting and having friends and family over. We already know that each night we think about famous people in our collective history as being honorary guests, everyone from Abraham and Isaac to David and Solomon. However, I really enjoy the aunts and uncles, cousins and grandchildren, and those that I happen to run into on the way home from synagogue. Like the famous children’s story, there is always room for one more in our sukkah. Sukkot is a time to begin anew. To begin our new year with family and friends, welcoming guests the same way that Abraham did. Remembering the only things really of value in this world are the non-tangible ones: the ways in which we fill the spaces between one another. And so, in the sukkah, we fill the space with love, with laughter, with compassion, with respect, and with reverence. We know that the sukkah will be taken apart in just over a week. The memories that we make in the sukkah will last a lifetime. The house we walked out of that holds all of our possessions, just stuff. I thank God for Sukkot. I need a reminder every once in a while of what really matters.

From all of us at AJU, we wish you a meaningful Yom Kippur and an easy fast. G'mar chatima tovah! 🕊️ ✨

Elevate Your Teaching: Enroll in Our Asynchronous Jewish Early Childhood Courses! Are you looking to enhance your skills and knowledge in Jewish early childhood education? The Masor School for Jewish Education and Leadership is excited to offer a new series of online extension courses designed to help you elevate your practice. Fall 2024 Asynchronous Courses Available -EDU 301 - Child Growth & Development: Gain a deeper understanding of child development and how to create nurturing learning environments. (4.0 semester units) -EDU 307 - Introduction to Working with Young Children: Learn effective strategies for working with young children and building positive relationships. (4.0 semester units) Course Details -Class Dates: 8-week asynchronous online courses from October 21 - December 14, 2024 -Cost: $600 per course -Registration Fee: $45 Benefits of Taking These Courses: -Gain essential skills: Elevate your Jewish early childhood education settings with the knowledge and skills acquired in these courses. -Flexible learning: Enjoy the convenience of asynchronous online learning. -Expert instruction: Learn from experienced educators at the Masor School. Don't miss this opportunity to invest in your professional growth and make a positive impact on the lives of young children. Enroll today at: https://lnkd.in/eC3aYjKh Questions? Please contact Tamika DeCambra, Senior Coordinator, at tamika.decambra@aju.edu

Today AJU staff gathered to remember the tragic events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a devastating attack on Israel, leaving countless lives shattered. A year ago today was a day marked by unimaginable violence and the loss of innocent lives, deeply affecting both Israelis and Palestinians. Our hearts go out to all the families who lost loved ones and those still grappling with the trauma. In the wake of such tragedy, we stand united in the hope for peace and security for all.

Shana Tova U’Metuka! Wishing you and your families a very happy and sweet new year! 🍏🍎🍯

AJU's Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies has partnered with the Shalom Hartman Institute on Monday, September 30th for "A Day of Learning for Our Hostages," a virtual event honoring the memory of the hostages tragically killed and advocating for the safe return of those still held captive. This impactful day will feature Ziegler's own Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson at 3:00 PM PT (6:00 PM ET), speaking on "Torah of Activism: Taking Judaism Beyond the Sanctuary and Into the World." The event will provide a space for reflection, learning, and action as we navigate this challenging time together. Don't miss this opportunity to hear Rabbi Artson and many other insightful speakers! Learn more and register for the virtual event by clicking the link below: https://lnkd.in/g3JAKXHA

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American Jewish University