our evolution
Discover how American Jewish University (AJU) grew into one of the most influential Jewish institutions in North America.
the beginning
Dr. Shlomo Bardin launched the Ziering Brandeis Camp Institute (BCI) in 1941 to create immersive Jewish experiences for young Jews at a time of rising assimilation.
By 1947, BCI found a permanent home on the Brandeis-Bardin Campus in Simi Valley—now one of the largest Jewish-owned land parcels outside of Israel.
That same year, the University of Judaism (UJ) opened in Los Angeles, quickly emerging as a center for serious Jewish scholarship under founding president Dr. Simon Greenberg, his successor Dr. David Lieber, and founding board chair Dore Schary.
A New Chapter
AJU is now a year-round hub for Jewish culture—spanning retreats, learning, and culture-shifting conversations that inspire Jewish leaders across North America and beyond.
