Rate My Professor Rabbi Brad Artson

Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson holds the Abner and Roslyn Goldstine Dean's Chair of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, serves as Vice President, and is Professor of Philosophy at American Jewish University. A member of the Philosophy Department, his interests center on theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He earned a B.A. in History and Literature cum laude from Harvard University, rabbinical ordination with honors and an M.A. in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and a D.H.L. from Hebrew Union College's Magnin School of Graduate Studies. Born and raised in San Francisco, his early career included service as LBJ Intern for U.S. Representative John Burton, intern for U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, and Legislative Assistant to the Speaker of the California Assembly. Ordained in 1988, he served for ten years as rabbi of Congregation Eilat in Mission Viejo, growing membership from 200 to over 600 families and teaching Introduction to Judaism courses that led over 200 conversions. Since 1999, he has worked at American Jewish University (formerly University of Judaism), leading the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and now holding the Dean's Chair. He also serves as dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe, and mentors Camp Ramah in California and Ramah of Northern California, which he helped found.

Rabbi Artson is the author of twelve books and over 250 articles. Key publications include Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit, God of Becoming and Relationship: The Dynamic Nature of Process Theology, The Bedside Torah: Wisdom, Visions, and Dreams, It's a Mitzvah!: Step-by-Step to Jewish Living, and his first book, Love Peace and Pursue Peace: A Jewish Response to War and Nuclear Annihilation. His scholarly work applies process theology, integrating insights from cosmology, quantum physics, evolutionary theory, and neuroscience to Jewish philosophy, Torah, mitzvot, and ethics. A contributing writer for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles with a public Facebook page exceeding 86,000 likes, he produces weekly Torah commentaries, videos, essays, and podcasts. As a leader in Conservative Judaism, he advocates for social justice, human dignity, diversity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, environmental ethics, racial and economic justice, interfaith dialogue, and peace for Israel and the Middle East.