Leading Jewish educator assumes role at critical time for Jewish education

Rabbi Michael S. Berger, Ph.D., a long-time member of Emory University’s Department of Religion with decades of experience in Jewish K12 education, will take the helm as Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration in October. He succeeds Dr. Rona Novick, who is retiring after many years of transformative leadership.

This transition comes at a defining moment for the future of Jewish identity. As the premier institution in the United States for training Jewish educators, Azrieli plays a crucial role in shaping Jewish educational leadership, ensuring the vitality and strength of future generations.

“Dr. Berger brings with him a wealth of experience, deep knowledge of Jewish education, and a clear vision for the future,” said Dr. Selma Botman, Yeshiva University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “His leadership will be invaluable as we continue to build the next generation of Jewish educators, and his passion and expertise will undoubtedly guide Azrieli to new heights.”

To Dr. Berger, his role at Azrieli is a true calling. “There is no career more impactful or of greater urgency to our community right now than passionate and effective limudei kodesh teaching,” he said. "I want to introduce this amazing career to a wider range of students and inspire our best and brightest to consider teaching as both incredibly important and fulfilling."

Indeed, Dr. Berger was inspired to enter education by his Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, zt”l, who, as leader of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel, repeatedly expressed to his students that widespread ignorance of Torah and Judaism was a national crisis, a call Berger first heard in 1981 at age 18. “When this opportunity came along, I heard Rav Aharon whispering in my ear, ‘ichpat, o lo ichpat?’ ‘Do you care, does it matter to you, or does it not?’ I just had to answer yes. I hope I can live up to that charge.” 

Holding advanced degrees in Philosophy of Religion from Princeton University and Columbia University, Dr. Berger is a scholar, author and sought-after educator whose expertise spans Jewish law, ethics and contemporary Jewish identity formation. His experience as a professor, day school coach and board consultant, headmaster of a Modern Orthodox high school in Atlanta, and program officer at the AVI CHAI Foundation—which through 2019 supported Jewish day schools and summer camps across the U.S.—has prepared him well for this new challenge. "Leading a school of education is not only about making sure the degrees and courses it offers are top-notch and the programs run well,” he said. “It's a chance to chart a course for the field of Orthodox Jewish education."

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Berger envisions Azrieli playing a broader role within the "ecosystem" of Jewish life, collaborating with synagogues, youth groups, and summer camps. "Day schools are part of a larger network of institutions and experiences that forge a lifelong commitment to Jewish identity," he explained.  “We need to explore collaborations and synergies with these important Jewish institutions.”

Dr. Berger considers Azrieli a vital partner with YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in helping to ensure the future of Judaism—while RIETS shapes the next generation of rabbinic leaders, Azrieli cultivates educators who will guide and inspire. Together, they are developing both laity and leaders who embody strength, character and a commitment to Jewish values. He quotes Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who said, “To defend a country you need an army, but to defend a civilization you need schools.”

The urgency of religious education today, Dr Berger said, stems partly from the fact that religious commitment across all groups is no longer the norm it once was in American society. Today, the fastest-growing group in American religion is those who claim no affiliation. About a quarter of Americans under 39 now identify as "none of the above" when asked about their religious beliefs, and religious switching—moving between denominations, traditions or even between faith and atheism—is on the rise. The Jewish community is not unaffected, and the foundations laid during childhood no longer guarantee lifelong religious commitment.

Which means that now, more than ever, Jews need to understand their story in greater depth. “We can’t allow ourselves to be reduced to the individualistic ethos of ‘You have your narrative, I have mine,’” Dr Berger said. “Our position as Jews must be rooted in facts and content, infused with passion and instilled with a sense of personal commitment and deep connection to our shared values, history and destiny as a people. We know great teachers and great schools make a big difference. It matters.”