The president of Yeshiva University, Rabbi Ari Berman, Ph.D, delivered the opening prayer when the U.S. Senate convened on Sept. 10, shortly before the High Holidays, having been invited to do so by U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.).
He previously addressed the nation at the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Capitol in January.
“It’s an honor to welcome Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman to the Senate as we head into the Jewish New Year,” said Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). “At a time of historic antisemitism throughout the country and on our college campuses, we turn to Rabbi Berman as a voice of moral clarity. His prayer inspires us, as legislators and as a nation, to be guided by ethics, strength and a collective sense of purpose.”
In his remarks, Berman said: “As both a rabbi and an educator, it is a profound honor to offer a prayer in the Senate at this moment of national reckoning. We are witnessing students around the country turning away from hate and antisemitism toward universities and institutions that cultivate values and enable them to find purpose. My blessing calls on our senators to act with courage, humility and grace in uniting our nation to rise to this great awakening and guide America toward fulfilling its purpose. As we soon usher in the Jewish New Year, I pray for peace and prosperity for America, Israel and all of humanity.”
The rabbi has worked as a bridge builder during these troubled times. In the months following Oct. 7, he founded Universities United Against Terrorism, a coalition of more than 100 higher education leaders who unequivocally took a stand against terror, condemning Hamas for the most brutal attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He is a founding member of the new faith-based universities commission in the American Council of Education and led the first visit of university presidents to Auschwitz for the March of the Living.
His prayer before the Senate marks a historic opportunity to bring a voice of faith, hope and unity to the nation’s lawmakers as the Jewish community prepares to welcome the New Year.
Fetterman’s invitation to Berman reflects his commitment to honoring America’s religious diversity and ensuring that voices of faith continue to inspire our nation’s leaders. He was previously awarded Yeshiva University’s Presidential Medallion, the institution’s highest honor for global leadership.
