Ari Berman (born February 18, 1970) is an American Modern Orthodox/Religious Zionist rabbi and academic administrator serving as the fifth president of Yeshiva University.

Berman was raised in Queens in New York City, and graduated from the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy in 1987.^[1] He studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yeshiva College, graduating magna cum laude in 1991, rabbinical ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in medieval Jewish philosophy from Bernard Revel Graduate School.^[2][3][4] In 2016^[5] Berman completed a Ph.D. in Jewish thought from Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the guidance of Moshe Halbertal on the topic of Ger Toshav—gentiles who accept the Noahide Laws—in Jewish law of the Middle Ages. ^[6][7][8][9]

Berman served as a rabbinic intern, assistant rabbi, and associate rabbi at The Jewish Center of Manhattan beginning in 1994 and was promoted to be its lead rabbi in 2000. He also taught Talmud in the Stone Beit Midrash Program of Yeshiva University starting in 1998.^[6][7][10]

In 2008, he left the Jewish Center and moved to Israel, where he completed a Ph.D. in Jewish thought from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2016^[5] under the guidance of Moshe Halbertal on the topic of Ger Toshav—gentiles who accept the Noahide Laws—in Jewish law of the Middle Ages. He also served as Rosh HaMerkaz of the Heichal Shlomo Jewish Heritage Center in Jerusalem and was an instructor at Herzog College. While in Israel, he resided in Neve Daniel.^{[6][7][11][9]}

On November 16, 2016, Berman was named President of Yeshiva University.^[6][9] He began his tenure on June 5, 2017, succeeding Richard Joel. The formal investiture ceremony took place the following September 10.^[7]

Since assuming office in 2017, Berman has overseen an expansion of Yeshiva University’s academic programs, launching over 20 new graduate degrees in fields such as cybersecurity, health sciences, and STEM.^[12] During his tenure, graduate school enrollment has increased significantly, drawing students from across the United States and internationally.^[13] In 2024, the university announced plans to establish a new Health Science Campus at the Herald Center in Midtown Manhattan's Herald Square.^[14]

Undergraduate applications have also increased, and new academic initiatives have been introduced, including the Shevet Glaubach Center for Career Strategy and Professional Development, the Honors Leadership Society, and the YU-Einstein Medical Scholars Program.^[15]

Fundraising has grown significantly under Berman’s leadership, with YU publicly launching the Rise Up Campaign for $613 million. By late 2024, the campaign had secured over $520 million in donations.^[16][17] Several academic centers have been established through these efforts, including the Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership.^{[18] [19]}

Berman has been active in national and international discussions on education and faith-based institutions. He was a founding member of the American Council on Education’s Commission on Faith-Based Colleges and Universities, alongside leaders from institutions such as Notre Dame and Baylor.^[20] In response to the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, he organized a coalition of university presidents against terrorism and led a delegation of university leaders to Auschwitz for the March of the Living.^[21]

He has also participated in global faith leadership initiatives. In 2021, he delivered the keynote address at the first Holocaust Commemoration Day event in an Arab country, held in Dubai.^[22] He later spoke at Brigham Young University in 2023 on the intersection of faith and education,^[23] participated in an sustainability forum in Abu Dhabi, and was a signatory of the “Rome Call for AI Ethics” in Hiroshima in 2024. ^[24]

His writings and commentary have appeared in major media outlets such as Forbes, Newsweek, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has been featured on CBS, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX News, and FOX Business.

In February 2023, Berman published *The Final Exam: Letters to Our Students*, a book that explores Yeshiva University's educational philosophy and the core Torah values that inspire a life of wisdom, contribution, and purpose.^[25]

Berman delivered the benediction at the second inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025.^[26][27] He was the first American-Israeli to deliver remarks at a presidential inauguration, as well as the second Orthodox rabbi to do so.^[28][29]

Berman is married to Anita Berman, and they have five children.

Berman's uncle is Julius Berman, a rabbi and lawyer who serves on the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University and as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.^[30]