American Jewish University concluded a milestone week of celebrations by honoring Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson for his 25 years of service to AJU, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and the Jewish people.

The May 19 gala, held at Stephen Wise Temple, drew approximately 400 attendees, including rabbis, communal leaders, AJU supporters and alumni, and raised more than $1.6 million in support of the university’s future.

During the evening, AJU President Jay Sanderson announced the naming of the Goldstine Distinguished Scholar position in Artson’s honor, made possible through the dedication and vision of Roslyn and Abner Goldstine and their son, Ethan Goldstine.

“To Jay, only you could have thought up this position,” Artson said during his remarks. “You created something magnificent and I promise you I will work with you to live up to it for the next 10 years.”

“It is a thrill to me that I get to be the Goldstine Distinguished Scholar,” he said. “A rabbi could not have dearer friends and partners than the Goldstines, and it is my privilege to carry their name.”

In trademark fashion, Artson mixed heartfelt gratitude with humor, joking about the position’s previous title, the Mordecai Kaplan Distinguished Scholar.

“It is a thrill to me I get to be the Goldstine Distinguished Scholar,” he quipped. “Frankly, what has Kaplan given lately?”

Emceed by Mayim Bialik and featuring a live performance by Craig Taubman, the evening celebrated Artson’s profound influence as dean of AJU’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and as a teacher and mentor to generations of rabbis who now lead Conservative congregations across the country.

“Tonight, we honor not only a distinguished scholar but a distinguished soul,” said AJU board chair Larry Platt.

The crowd reflected Artson’s broad reach across Jewish Los Angeles, with many rabbis, educators and philanthropic leaders gathering for the celebration.

Throughout the evening, Artson repeatedly turned attention toward the people closest to him, including his wife, Elana.

“The best decision I ever made in my life was to link my life to Elana’s,” he said.

He also paid tribute to his children, Jacob and Shira, describing them as people “who lift my heart every day.” Artson noted that Shira and her husband, Asher, had “produced the very best grandson a Zayde could possibly ask for.”

Artson’s mother was also present at the gala, prompting one of the evening’s most personal reflections.

“Here is one of life’s little jokes,” he said. “My mother is not religious. She loves scholarship, has a big heart and a passion for justice. I would not be the rabbi I am and have always been if it were not for my mom. She continues to be my guide throughout the world.”

For Sanderson, who this month marks one year as president and CEO of AJU, the gala also offered an opportunity to outline his vision for the university’s future, including the continued expansion of the AJU 2050 Institute, which aims to convene leading thinkers from diverse fields to explore the ideas shaping Jewish life in the decades ahead.

Still, the evening remained firmly centered on Artson’s legacy. After receiving an award featuring artwork created by an Israeli artist, Artson reflected on his quarter-century at the Ziegler School, describing the celebration as “a combination of my wake and my bar mitzvah,” drawing laughter from the crowd.

The gala capped a three-day series of events for AJU:

On May 17, AJU’s Masor School for Jewish Education and Leadership celebrated commencement at AJU’s Brandeis-Bardin Campus in Simi Valley. The ceremony included a historic milestone as seven pioneering students received AJU’s inaugural Doctor of Education degrees in Early Childhood Education Leadership. The event also celebrated 28 graduates earning Master of Arts degrees in Education in Early Childhood Education and nine graduates receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in Early Childhood Education.

The following day, May 18, AJU’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies ordained the Conservative movement’s newest rabbis, Rabbi Brianah Caplan and Rabbi Cantor Malachi Kanfer, while also conferring honorary doctorates upon members of the Ziegler School’s Class of 2006 in recognition of their leadership and impact.

“It gives me great pleasure to present to this community the world’s newest rabbis!” Artson said during the ordination ceremony from the bimah (“raised platform”) of Sinai Temple.

Together, the three events underscored AJU’s enduring mission: cultivating Jewish wisdom, preparing Jewish leaders and investing in the Jewish future.

“Last week was a powerful reminder that AJU is more than an institution,” Sanderson said. “It is a community built by people who are committed to the future and who care deeply about Jewish learning and Jewish leadership.”