Ari Berman

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Rabbi

| name = Ari Berman

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1970}}

| birth_place = Queens, New York City, U.S.

| office = 5th President of Yeshiva University

| termstart = June 5, 2017

| predecessor = Richard Joel

| relations = Julius Berman (uncle)

| image =

| education = Yeshiva University (BA, MA) Hebrew University of Jerusalem (PhD)

| native_name = ארי ברמן

| native_name_lang = he

}}

Ari Berman ({{Langx|he|ארי ברמן}}; born February 18, 1970) is an American Modern Orthodox/Religious Zionist rabbi and academic administrator serving as the fifth president of Yeshiva University.

Early life and education

Berman was raised in Queens in New York City, and graduated from the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy in 1987.{{Cite news|title=Bridging the Israel-Diaspora gap: Inclusion through compromise|url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/inclusion-through-compromise-bridging-the-israel-diaspora-gap-557757|access-date=2020-07-28|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.com}} He studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yeshiva College, graduating magna cum laude in 1991, rabbinical ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in medieval Jewish philosophy from Bernard Revel Graduate School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yu.edu/president/biography|title=Office of the President {{!}} Yeshiva University|website=www.yu.edu|access-date=2020-04-13}}{{Cite news|last=Berger|first=Joseph|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/nyregion/yeshiva-university-names-ari-berman-president.html|title=Yeshiva University Names Ari Berman President|date=2016-11-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-13|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rabbi-dr-ari-berman-begins-tenure-as-yeshiva-universitys-fifth-president-300467911.html|title=Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Begins Tenure as Yeshiva University's Fifth President|last=University|first=Yeshiva|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}

In 2016{{Cite web |title=NLI Catalog :Ger Toshav in the Halakhic literature of the High Middle Ages |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/dissertations/NNL_ALEPH990039365130205171/NLI |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=National Library of Israel}} Berman completed a Ph.D. in Jewish thought from Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the guidance of Moshe Halbertal on the topic of Ger Toshav—gentiles who accept the Noahide Laws—in Jewish law of the Middle Ages. {{Cite web|url=http://yucommentator.org/2016/11/breaking-board-votes-to-confirm-rabbi-berman-as-yus-fifth-president/|title=Breaking: Board Elects Rabbi Ari Berman as YU's Fifth President|last2=Gelman|first2=Lilly|date=November 15, 2016|website=yucommentator.org|access-date=2016-12-27|last1=Levine|first1=Doron}}{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Joseph|title=Yeshiva University Names Ari Berman President|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/nyregion/yeshiva-university-names-ari-berman-president.html|accessdate=12 June 2017|work=New York Times|date=November 17, 2016}}

Career

Berman served as a rabbinic intern, assistant rabbi, and associate rabbi at The Jewish Center of Manhattan beginning in 1994 and was promoted to be its lead rabbi in 2000. He also taught Talmud in the Stone Beit Midrash Program of Yeshiva University starting in 1998.{{cite web|last=Sales|first=Ben|title=Yeshiva U. Officially Names Ari Berman as President|url=http://forward.com/news/breaking-news/354628/yeshiva-u-officially-names-ari-berman-as-president/|date=November 16, 2016|accessdate=June 12, 2017}}{{cite news|title=Rabbi Ari Berman Installed As Yeshiva University President|url=http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/rabbi-ari-berman-installed-as-yeshiva-university-president/|accessdate=28 September 2017|work=Times of Israel|agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=September 12, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Begins Tenure as Yeshiva University's Fifth President|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rabbi-dr-ari-berman-begins-tenure-as-yeshiva-universitys-fifth-president-300467911.html|website=prnewswire.com|date=June 5, 2017|publisher=PR Newswire Association|accessdate=28 September 2017}}

In 2008, he left the Jewish Center and moved to Israel, where he completed a Ph.D. in Jewish thought from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2016 under the guidance of Moshe Halbertal on the topic of Ger Toshav—gentiles who accept the Noahide Laws—in Jewish law of the Middle Ages. He also served as Rosh HaMerkaz of the Heichal Shlomo Jewish Heritage Center in Jerusalem and was an instructor at Herzog College. While in Israel, he resided in Neve Daniel.{{Cite web|url=http://yucommentator.org/2016/11/breaking-board-votes-to-confirm-rabbi-berman-as-yus-fifth-president/|title=Breaking: Board Elects Rabbi Ari Berman as YU's Fifth President|last2=Gelman|first2=Lilly|date=November 15, 2016|website=yucommentator.org|access-date=2016-12-27|last1=Levine|first1=Doron}}{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Joseph|title=Yeshiva University Names Ari Berman President|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/nyregion/yeshiva-university-names-ari-berman-president.html|accessdate=12 June 2017|work=New York Times|date=November 17, 2016}}

On November 16, 2016, Berman was named President of Yeshiva University. He began his tenure on June 5, 2017, succeeding Richard Joel. The formal investiture ceremony took place the following September 10.

In 2021, he delivered the keynote address at the first Holocaust Commemoration Day event in Dubai.{{cite web |title=In First, Holocaust Remembrance Ceremonies Held in UAE, Bahrain |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-holocaust-remembrance-ceremonies-held-in-uae-bahrain/ |website=The Times of Israel |date=April 9, 2021 |access-date=March 5, 2025}} He spoke at Brigham Young University in 2023 on the intersection of faith and education.{{cite web |title=Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman Gives Forum Address to BYU Students on the Covenant in Education |url=https://thecougarchronicle.com/yeshiva-university-president-rabbi-ari-berman-gives-forum-address-to-byu-students-on-the-covenant-in-education/ |website=The Cougar Chronicle |date=January 24, 2023 |access-date=March 5, 2025}}

Berman delivered the benediction at the second inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025.{{Cite web |last1=Staff |first1=NBC New York |last2=Press • • |first2=The Associated |date=2025-01-20 |title=Here's full schedule of events for Trump inauguration today |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/trump-inauguration-schedule-today-start-time-events/6114055/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=NBC New York |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Melissa |date=2025-01-20 |title=See the Inauguration Day schedule for Trump's 2025 presidential swearing in - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inauguration-schedule-2025/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} He was the first American-Israeli to deliver remarks at a presidential inauguration, as well as the second Orthodox rabbi to do so.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-20 |title=YESHIVA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, RABBI DR. ARI BERMAN, TO DELIVER BENEDICTION AT 60TH U.S. PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION |url=https://www.yu.edu/news/yu/yeshiva-university-president-rabbi-dr-ari-berman-deliver-benediction-60th-us-presidential |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Yeshiva University |language=en}}{{Self-published source|date=February 2025}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-20 |title=YU President Ari Berman to Deliver Benediction at Trump Inauguration |url=https://yucommentator.org/2025/01/yu-president-ari-berman-to-deliver-benediction-at-trump-inauguration/ |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=The Commentator}}

Books

The Final Exam: Letters to Our Students (Maggid Books, 2023){{Cite web |last=Rakeffet-Rothkoff |first=Aharon |date=2023-05-15 |title=REVIEW: The Final Exam |url=https://traditiononline.org/review-the-final-exam/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Tradition Online}}

Personal Life

Berman is married to Anita Berman, and they have five children.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-17 |title=Rabbi Berman is chosen to lead Yeshiva University |url=https://www.thejewishstar.com/stories/rabbi-berman-is-chosen-to-lead-yeshiva-university,10768? |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=The Jewish Star |language=en}}

Berman's uncle is Julius Berman, a rabbi and lawyer who serves on the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University and as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.{{Cite web|url=http://yucommentator.org/2016/09/rabbi-berman-is-top-candidate-in-yu-presidential-search-jta-reports/|title=Rabbi Ari Berman is Top Candidate in YU Presidential Search, JTA Reports|date=November 12, 2016|website=yucommentator.org|access-date=2016-12-27}}

{{succession box|

before=Richard Joel|

title=5th President of Yeshiva University|

years=2017–current|

after=incumbent|

}}

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:Yeshiva University faculty

Category:American Modern Orthodox rabbis

Category:21st-century American rabbis

Category:Presidents of Yeshiva University