Ziegler School Adds Business Training to Rabbinic Program
The school is recruiting a senior advisor to overhaul its curriculum for a planned 2027-28 academic year reopening.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People
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American Jewish University has appointed Rabbi Stewart Vogel as senior advisor for recruitment, admissions, and rabbinic innovation at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. This move prepares the institution for its planned reopening of admissions in the 2027-28 academic year.
Why it matters
The appointment signals a strategic shift toward modernizing rabbinic education to emphasize organizational leadership and financial development. By integrating business management and technology into the curriculum, the school aims to better equip graduates for the operational complexities of leading modern religious and non-profit organizations.
The school has named one new senior advisor to oversee recruitment and curriculum expansion. The initiative will broaden training to include business management and artificial intelligence, though specific enrollment targets for the 2027-28 intake remain unstated.
The players
Rabbi Stewart Vogel
The immediate past president of the Rabbinical Assembly and rabbi emeritus of Hamakom who now serves as senior advisor for the Ziegler School.
Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
A graduate rabbinical school within the American Jewish University focusing on leadership and institutional education.
American Jewish University
The Los Angeles-based parent institution overseeing the Ziegler School.
The details
Rabbi Stewart Vogel will lead recruitment efforts by leveraging his experience as the former president of the Rabbinical Assembly and rabbi emeritus of Hamakom. The curriculum update will focus on institutional transformation, embedding training in financial development, conflict resolution, and communication. These operational skills are intended to prepare future rabbis to handle the practical management demands of congregational leadership.
Timeline
2027-28 academic year: Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies reopens admissions.
Market Landscape
The school's focus on integrating business and financial development into its curriculum aligns with a broader shift in theological education toward organizational management. This development mirrors trends among non-profit leadership programs seeking to bridge the gap between pastoral care and professional administrative competence.
Operators in the non-profit and religious sectors should monitor this curriculum shift as a signal of evolving expectations for organizational leadership skills. Future hiring in these fields may increasingly favor candidates who possess formal training in business management, conflict resolution, and financial development.
The takeaway
The Ziegler School is prioritizing practical management skills to prepare the next generation of organizational leaders. Institutional operators should review their own professional development requirements against these new standards for congregational and non-profit administration.
Further reading
For more updates on professional shifts in the region, visit People.
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Should religious leadership programs prioritize practical business and technology training for future clergy?
