The Louis and Judith Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an educational institute based at the

American Jewish University American Jewish University (AJU), formerly the separate institutions University of Judaism and Brandeis-Bardin Institute, is a Jewish institution in Los Angeles, California. Its largest component is its Whizin Center for Continuing Education in ...

Bel Air, Los Angeles, California Bel Air (or Bel-Air) is a residential neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Founded in 1923, it is the home of the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden and the American Jewish Univer ...

. It has, since its founding in 1986, helped thousands of students explore and deepen their Jewish roots or prepare for conversion to

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...

. Based primarily at AJU’s Familian Campus in Bel Air, as well as at a number of other Southern California locations and throughout the United States, the Miller Program helps people of all backgrounds find a home in the Jewish community. The core of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program is an 18-week course that surveys Jewish living and practice, including

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

, ritual, culture, texts, and values. Classes are designed to be highly interactive, with much time for discussion and questions, and include personalized instruction in reading

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

. In addition, the Miller Intro to Judaism Program offers its curriculum and resources to affiliates around the United States and Canada. During the 2018-2019 year, the Intro Program had more than fifty-five affiliates. In addition to classes, the Miller Program offers regular Shabbat services and dinners, a support group for new and potential converts, and ongoing programming for alumni. The Miller Program is also a Los Angeles partner for Honeymoon Israel, a new, national initiative providing highly subsidized, immersive experiences in Israel for couples between the ages of 25-40. The Miller Program is under the direction of Rabbi Adam Greenwald. Rabbi Greenwald is a "Rabbis Without Borders" Fellow with

Clal The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) is a leadership training institute, think tank, and resource center. It is an inter-disciplinary and inter-denominational movement, in which rabbis from all major Jewish denominations in ...

, the Center for Learning and Leadership and is a recipient of the Covenant Foundation's Pomegranate Prize in Jewish Education. Before coming to AJU and the Intro Program, Rabbi Greenwald served as the Revson Rabbinic Fellow of IKAR. Supervision of the Intro Program is provided by Rabbi

Bradley Shavit Artson Bradley Shavit "Brad" Artson (born 1959) is an American rabbi, author and speaker. He holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California, where ...

, Dean of the

Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies The Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, informally known as the "Ziegler School" or simply "Ziegler", is the graduate program of study, leading to ordination as a Conservative rabbi at the American Jewish University (formerly known as the Univers ...

and Vice President of the AJU. The Miller Introduction to Judaism Program was named among the “Ten Best Classes in Los Angeles” by LA Weekly in its annual “Best of LA" 2012 edition. The Miller Program is endorsed by the

Rabbinical Assembly The Rabbinical Assembly (RA) is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The RA was founded in 1901 to shape the ideology, programs, and practices of the Conservative movement. It publishes prayerbooks and books of Jewish interest, a ...

of America, as well as by more than nearly 40 of LA’s top clergy—including Rabbi

David Wolpe David J. Wolpe (born 1958) is the Max Webb Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple. He previously taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and UCLA. Wolpe became the ...

( Sinai Temple), Rabbi Sharon Brous ( IKAR) and Rabbi Ed Feinstein ( Valley Beth Shalom). Conversions performed under the auspices of the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program are recognized by the State of

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

for purposes of making Aliyah.

References

External links

Miller Introduction to Judaism Program
{{Conservative Judaism Conversion to Judaism Jews and Judaism in Los Angeles American Jewish University

See also

References

External links