A Message from
President Dr. Robert Wexler

Did you know that there is no precise Hebrew equivalent for the English word "ethics?" In the AJU mission statement, we unanimously identified "ethics" as one of our five core institutional values. Yet when we tried to translate the term into Hebrew, the closest we could come up with was kedushah, which actually means "holiness" or "sanctity."

The Torah and the sages of the rabbinic era could only conceive of a morality that is grounded in the commandments of God. For them, "ethical" behavior by definition was also "holy" behavior.

For some modern Jews, the source of all morality still remains the divinely inspired texts of our tradition. Others recognize the ethical power of these texts, but they are more likely to attribute these teachings to a human source.

Yet regardless of how these ethical values reached us, they stand firmly at the center of any Jewish life. They also stand firmly at the center of life at American Jewish University.

Every one of our academic programs includes a firm grounding in Jewish ethical principles. We encourage our students to participate in the Jewish activity of making the world a better place. Virtually all of our graduate students prepare for careers geared toward helping others. Our undergraduate students spend time learning about the critical social needs of our society while simultaneously volunteering at various nonprofit organizations. We also teach ethics in our Whizin Center for Continuing Education which includes the Gittelson program in business and legal ethics.

Whether religious or secular, Jews have an abiding interest in learning about the ethical traditions of our people, and at AJU we do our best to satisfy that interest and to challenge our students to participate in the work of "repairing the world."

AJU Students Impacting the World

American Jewish University provides extraordinary opportunities for students to travel to other countries in the spirit of the university's mission of Learning and Scholarship, Culture, Ethics, Leadership and Peoplehood. This past summer, AJU students, along with students from UC Santa Barbara's Hillel, attended a two-day conference in Estonia with other Jewish students from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. They then traveled to Lithuania where they spent ten days participating in community service for the Jewish people in Vilnius. [ read more ]

AJU Service Learning Students Could Grow More than one Ton of Food for Local Pantries

Sid B. Levine Service Learning students will be rolling out a new program in 2009. Helping Hands Gardens proposes to develop a grid of organic garden plots at social agencies, schools, universities, hospitals, nursing and assisted living homes, churches and synagogues throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties. All that is needed is a ten foot by twelve foot area to grow crops, and the students will do the rest. Fifty participating agencies, yielding 50 pounds of vegetables each, will result in more than a ton of fresh organic produce for local food pantries. [ read more ]

Rabbi Dorff to Receive Award

AJU's Rector, Rabbi Elliott Dorff, will be presented the First Annual United Synagogue Book Service Award in January. The United Synagogue Book Service, in conjunction with the Jewish Educators Assembly, created the award to recognize authors and scholars who have made a significant contribution to Jewish life and learning through their works.

Rabbi Dorff is a prolific writer whose articles, books and commentaries on Jewish life have served to advance the development and evolution of Conservative Judaism in our day.  [ read more ]

Getting Into Medical School

On Wednesday, November 12th, under the leadership of the Bioethics & Natural Sciences Department Chair, Dr. David Lennartz, the Bioethics & Natural Sciences Department and the Premedical Advising Office of the College of Arts and Sciences, held an informational evening for students, parents, counselors and instructors on preparing for careers in the medical and healthcare professions. Students came from as far away as Antelope Valley. [ read more ]

Edward Grice Honored For His Service

Congratulations to our own Edward Grice, Assistant Dean of AJU's Lieber School of Graduate Studies, who was inducted into the Who's Who in Black Los Angeles. The inaugural issue of the publication highlighted individuals who have made notable contributions to the social, cultural, and political fabric of Los Angeles. [ read more ]

Creative writing contest

American Jewish University is holding a creative writing and poetry contest. The school is offering a $500 prize for the winning poem and a $500 prize for the winning creative writing piece. The required topic is, My Jewish American Experience. Entries must be under 500 words and need to be submitted before January 23rd to bschuman@ajula.edu. Winners will be notified on February 13, 2009.

Wolpe / Hitchens Debate: Does Faith Matter?

University Events

DECEMBER

7^th: Meet the Artists Reception, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

7^th: Historical Jewish L.A. Tour, 9:00am – 3:30pm

14^th: Day of Archaeological Insight, 10am – 3:00pm

14^th: History of Yiddish, 5:30 – 9:30PM

JANUARY

8,15,22 & 29^th: The Music of Poland, Cantor Nathan Lam, 10:30am - noon

22^nd & 29^th:  Maestro Glen Roven, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

23^rd & 30^th:  Walking Tours of Norton Simon Museum, 11:15am -2:30pm

23^rd & 30^th:  Author, Maggie Anton, 10:45 – Noon

More Continuing Education events

Support AJU

Platt Gallery Opening
KALEIDOSCOPE IN COLOR: Recent works by Anna Silver and William Tunberg,
Opens Dec 7^th.

Introduction to Judaism
An educational journey for those interested in learning more about Jewish history, life and culture