Association for Jewish Studies Inc
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Association for Jewish Studies, the world's largest Jewish Studies membership organization, aims to serve and support its members' careers and professional development in the world of Jewish studies, both within academia and outside of the academy. The organization also aims to share its members' work with the wider public to foster greater understanding and appreciation of Jewish Studies scholarship.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
AJS Annual Conference
The Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies in the largest annual international gathering of Jewish Studies scholars in the world. With more than 1100 attendees, over 190 sessions, a major book exhibit of leading publishers, cultural programming, and gala banquet, the AJS annual conference provides a unique opportunity to share ideas and explore the world of Jewish Studies scholarship.
Distinguished Lectureship Program
The AJS sends some of its top scholars out to universities and communal organizations around the U.S. and Canada to give talks on a number of topics.
Dissertation Completion Fellowships
The AJS awards on average 7 $20,000 dissertations completion fellowships each year to PhD candidates who are in their final years of writing.
AJS Conference Travel Grant Program
The AJS provides grants to its members, mainly grad students and untenured faculty members, to help them attend the annual conference.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of conference attendees
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Academics
Related Program
AJS Annual Conference
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of organization members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Academics
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of external speaking requests for members of the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Distinguished Lectureship Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These numbers reflect the number of speakers who give talks as part of our Distinguished Lectureship Program each year. (2017 saw a dip in talks as there were some major staffing changes that year.)
Number of grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of multi-year grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Academics
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of Facebook followers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of academic scholarships awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Academics
Related Program
Dissertation Completion Fellowships
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of grants awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Academics
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Numbers reflect our Jordan Schnitzer Book Awards, AJS Conference Travel Grants, and Dissertation Completion Fellowships
Number of new donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
While the number of donors has shrunk a bit, the overall size of donations has gone up.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our organization aims to:
1) provide Jewish Studies scholars, teachers, students, and professionals with the highest level of support in their professional aspirations.
2) address a changing landscape in academia, including issues affecting contingent faculty and a decline in the number of tenure-track jobs.
3) serve as the leading site and organization to disseminate Jewish Studies scholarship and research to the wider public through a range of programs and initiatives.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
AJS'S MAJOR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS INCLUDE:
» an annual scholarly conference, featuring more than 180 sessions
» a peer-reviewed scholarly journal, AJS Review, published by Cambridge University Press
» a biannual magazine, AJS Perspectives, that explores methodological and pedagogical issues
» Positions in Jewish Studies, the most comprehensive listing of Jewish Studies job opportunities
» Resources in Jewish Studies: grant opportunities, professional development resources, and teaching and research tools
» the Jordan Schnitzer Book Awards, which recognize outstanding research in the field
» Fellowships and Grants for dissertation completion and conference travel grants
» Webinar series, which cover a range of professional development, research and teaching topics, open to all AJS members
» the Distinguished Lectureship Program, which connects organizations with distinguished lecturers in the field of Jewish Studies
»a public-facing podcast series, Adventures in Jewish Studies
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Association for Jewish Studies has existed for 50 years and in that time has grown into a professionally run nonprofit with a staff of six and a board of 27 individuals. The organization has the leadership, organizational structure, and financial resources to assess and address the myriad of issues affecting its members. A constituent members of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), the organization works to model best practices in academia and serve as a leading resource for its individual and institutional members in the area of Jewish Studies.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The organization is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary and has achieved a great deal, particularly in the last 15 years. Under the previous executive director, Rona Sheramy, the association became a more established professional nonprofit organization with staff, secure funding, and operating procedures. Under the leadership of the organization's new executive director, Warren Hoffman, the AJS has continued further down its path of professionalization and exemplary service to its members. Achievements of the recent past include:
1) a new website for members and the public to provide greater access to resources in the field of Jewish Studies
2) a new conference registration fee structure to make the annual conference more accessible to as many members as possible, especially grad students and contingent faculty
3) rebranding of the organization to provide the AJS with a unified look and message across all its platforms
4) the establishment of four task forces (Sexual Misconduct, Professional Development, Membership Engagement, and Diversity and Inclusion) to meet the changing needs of our members and the field
5) the creation of a new public-facing podcast and other public programs to better engage the wider public with what the association and its members do.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Association for Jewish Studies Inc
Board of directorsas of 01/18/2024
Dr. Laura Leibman
Reed College
Term: 2023 - 2025
Chaya Halberstam
King's University
Laura Leibman
Reed College
Jeffrey Shoulson
University of Connecticut
Ari Ariel
University of Iowa
Judith Liwerant-Bokser
UNAM
Sara Ronis
St. Mary's College
Judith Rosenbaum
Jewish Women's Archive
Max Strassfeld
University of Arizona
Joshua Teplitsky
StonyBrook University
Alyssa Gray
HUC
James Loeffler
University of Virginia
Christine Hayes
Yale University
Lisa Leff
American University
Helen Kim
Whitman College
Jonathan Judaken
Rhodes College
Adam Mendelsohn
University of South Africa
Lilach Rosenberg
Bar-Ilan University
Lila Corwin-Berman
Temple University
Joel Berkowitz
Univ. of WI-Milwaukee
Ari Y. Kelman
Stanford University
Susannah Heschel
Dartmouth College
Allison Joseph
Posen Foundation
Monique Balbuena
University of Oregon
Abigail Meyer
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Krista Dalton
Kenyon College
Kirsten Fermaglich
Michigan State University
Laura Limonic
Old Westbury College
Michael Satlow
Brown University
Federica Schoeman
University of South Carolina
Lauren Strauss
American University
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/25/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.