Mission Statement

The Association of Institutions of Jewish Studies (AIJS) is an accrediting agency with a voluntary membership of postsecondary institutions specializing in Jewish Studies and related disciplines, dedicated to fostering quality and integrity within the institution and in its relationships with its stakeholders.

   PUBLIC NOTICE

To view or comment on the AIJS Standards of Accreditation please click on the Standards tab.

 The Executive Accreditation Council of the Association of Institutions of Jewish Studies will be holding a meeting on February 11, 2020 regarding the re-accreditation of the following institutions: 

Yeshivas Emek Hatorah

395 Kent Road

Howell, NJ 07731

Mechon L'Hoyroa

168 Maple Ave

Monsey, NY 10952

Comments may be submitted via mail or email prior to the meeting:

Association of Institutions of        Jewish Studies

500 West Kennedy Blvd

Lakewood, NJ 08701 

732-363-7330

dginsberg@theaijs.com

www.theaijs.com

HISTORY

The earliest discussions leading to the creation of AIJS date back to 2000, when a number of interested institutions met to discuss  forming an organization to facilitate the growth and quality of institutions offering a core of Jewish Studies by conducting comprehensive and systematic evaluations of institutions and subsequently granting accreditation to those institutions that meet the organization's standards.   

In June 2009 AIJS site visitors conducted the agency's first site visit at an institution and the Executive Accrediting Council of AIJS granted accreditation to the institution in November 2009. AIJS has been conducting accreditation related activities since that time. 

In December 2014 AIJS submitted a petition for initial recognition to the US Department of Education.

In December 2015 The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)  voted unanimously to approve the AIJS petition and on March 10, 2016 the US Department of Education formally recognized AIJS as a nationaly recognized accrediting agency.

AIJS continues its ongoing mission to promote educational excellence through the accreditation of high quality Jewish study learning institutions whom can validate successful student achievement through demonstated qualitative and quantitative learning outcomes measures. This effort fosters greater and broader community recognition of institutions of higher education who emphasize Jewish and related studies.. 



On March 10, 2016, AIJS was granted initial recognition as a nationally recognized accrediting agency, for a period of five years, with the following scope of recognition:

The accreditation of institutions of post secondary Jewish Studies limited to institutions in the United States, exclusively offering educational programs leading to a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, or their equivalent credential in Jewish Studies or Classical Torah Studies.

  Official Letter of recognition

AIJS has not granted and will not be granting preaccreditation to any institution at this time.

No recognition of any AIJS preaccreditation status by the US Department of Education has been granted or implied.