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T

hirty years after being
ordained at the Jewish
Theological Seminary
(JTS), Rabbi Aaron Bergman
of Adat Shalom Synagogue
was presented with an honor-
ary doctorate from JTS.
“It was something
I’ve actually been
hoping for from the
day I was ordained in
1991,” Bergman said.
“It’s something JTS
gives if you’ve served
as a rabbi for at least
25 years or so. There
were actually other
rabbis getting their
honorary doctorate
when I was being ordained.”
JTS is a Conservative Jewish
education organization based
in New York City. It is one
of the academic and spiri-
tual centers of Conservative
Judaism and a major center
for academic scholarship in
Jewish studies.
JTS educates intellectu-
al and spiritual leaders for
Conservative Judaism, train-
ing rabbis, cantors, scholars,
educators, communal profes-
sionals and lay activists.
Bergman was supposed to
receive the honor last year,
but his family couldn’t make
it. The ceremony this year
took place over Zoom, where
members of Bergman’s family
and congregation were able to
watch.
“I didn’t know how I was
going to feel because I’ve
never had anything like this
before, but my family told me
they were proud of me and the
reaction from congregants was

really nice as well,” Bergman

said. “It meant a lot. I’ve been
very lucky to be a rabbi in the
same community and in the
community I grew up in for
30 years.”
After being ordained at
JTS, Bergman pursued addi-
tional graduate work
in Jewish folklore at
Hebrew University in
Jerusalem. Bergman
is the current presi-
dent of the Michigan
Board of Rabbis and
represents local rabbis
throughout the state
in various interfaith
initiatives.
In the past,
Bergman traveled to Israel
with other North American
rabbis from Conservative,
Reform, Reconstructionist and
Modern Orthodox denom-
inations to discuss Israeli-
diaspora relations with Israeli
politicians, including former
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu.
Receiving the honor after
three decades, Bergman
reflects on why he got into the
field in the first place.
“My goal was really to help
our people, and I was figur-
ing if I could help the next
generation and the generation
after that, I would feel good,”
Bergman said. “I’ve had an
interesting career and it’s still
going, which is nice.
“I think sometimes there’s
the fear of getting an award
like this and it means, ‘OK,
thanks for coming,’ but I’m
very lucky. The fact I was able
to get this honor while I’m still
at a good place in my career
was very powerful for me.”

Adat Shalom’s Rabbi Aaron Bergman
receives honorary JTS doctorate.
Special Honor

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Rabbi Aaron
Bergman