The Academy represents the oldest organization of Judaic scholars in North America. Fellows are nominated and elected by their peers and thus constitute the most distinguished and most senior scholars teaching Judaic studies at American universities.

The Academy sponsors the following programs: the Salo Baron Book Prize for the best first book in Judaic studies, a biennial retreat for the Fellows, workshops for graduate students and early career faculty in Judaic studies, and academic sessions at the annual meeting of the Association for Jewish Studies.

As the senior organization for Jewish scholarship on this continent, it is committed to enhancing Judaic studies throughout North American universities by creating a dynamic fellowship for its members and by providing programs and opportunities for more junior scholars and students entering the field.

Between 1928 and 1997 the AAJR published 63 volumes of “Proceedings” that included scholarly papers in virtually every field of Jewish Studies. The entire collection is now available online.

Please visit the rest of this site for a list of members and officers, for information about the history of this organization, and for detailed information about our current programs.