Leadership and Faculty

Meet Our Deans

Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and is Vice President of American Jewish University. Rabbi Artson has long been a passionate advocate for social justice, human dignity, diversity and inclusion. He wrote a book on Jewish teachings on war, peace and nuclear annihilation in the late 80s, became a leading voice advocating for LGBTQ+ marriage and ordination in the 90s, and has published and spoken widely on environmental ethics, special needs inclusion, racial and economic justice, cultural and religious dialogue and cooperation, and working for a just and secure peace for Israel and the Middle East. A member of the Philosophy Department, he is particularly interested in theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He mentors Camp Ramah in California in Ojai and Ramah of Northern California in the Bay Area. He is also dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe. A frequent contributor for the Huffington Post and for the Times of Israel, and a public figure Facebook page with over 53,000 likes, he is the author of 12 books and over 250 articles, most recently Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit. 

Rabbi Cheryl Peretz is the Associate Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, teaching, counseling, advising and programming. In addition to her work at American Jewish University, Rabbi Peretz has served as a pulpit rabbi in synagogues such as Los Angeles’ Sinai Temple, Adat Shalom, and Burbank Temple Emanuel El and has been a High Holiday guest rabbi in synagogues in Florida, California, and Texas. She teaches the broader community through in-home study groups, Adult Education, Talmud classes, and world-wide scholar-in-residence programs. Rabbi Peretz is a graduate of the double degree program between Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary where she earned degrees in Mathematics and Jewish Philosophy. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Baruch College. Rabbi Peretz is known for creating individually expressive lifecycle rituals, offering interactive and lively teaching, listening compassionately to facilitate insight and meaning in times of transition, and for guiding personal and professional development, integrating corporate principles with spiritual dialogue. She also brings experience from her MBA and years of corporate professional experience in marketing, creating safe space work environments, vision and planning, organizational leadership, personnel supervising, budget and finance, and staff/board development, consulting with both rabbis and congregations to create healthy, productive relationships.

Rabbi Samuel “Sammy” Rosenbaum was ordained in May 2023 from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. Rabbi Rosenbaum works as the Assistant Dean for Ziegler, focusing on recruitment, admissions, and the student community. He is also the part-time rabbi at Temple Ner Shalom in San Luis Obispo. Prior to living in Los Angeles, he lived in Atlanta, Georgia working as a professional touring musician and Jewish community builder. His passion is in strengthening Jewish communal and spiritual connection. Rabbi Rosenbaum was the co-founder of The Well – Atlanta, a monthly musical Kabbalat Shabbat gathering. He was a founding resident of Moishe House Atlanta- Virginia Highlands. Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, he loves being outdoors in the sunshine, whether hiking or swimming at the beach.

Meet Our Advisory Board

Meet Our Faculty

We invite you to meet our world-renowned faculty, all deeply committed to research, teaching and inspiring students to become rabbis who are dedicated to continuing our Jewish legacy. 

Please visit our faculty at: https://www.aju.edu/ziegler-school-rabbinic-studies/faculty.