Office of the President

Zev Eleff is the twelfth president of Gratz College. One of the youngest presidents in American higher education, Eleff, at 35 years-old, was elected by the College’s Board of Governors in June 2021. Eleff was previously chief academic officer of Hebrew Theological College and vice provost of Touro College Illinois.

Eleff’s vision for higher education matches Gratz’s historical mission to advance Jewish wisdom and education. A prolific scholar, Eleff holds an international reputation for academic rigor and sophistication. He is the author or editor of 15 books and more than 200 articles in the fields of Jewish Studies and American Religion. Eleff’s research in American Jewish history has received numerous awards, including the American Jewish Historical Society’s Wasserman Prize and the Rockower Award for Excellence by the American Jewish Press Association. He is also a two-time finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, a member of the Academic Council of the American Jewish Historical Society, and one of the youngest faculty members promoted to full professor in Touro College’s history. 
An adept administrator, Eleff’s career in higher education includes leadership in the areas of strategic planning, financial feasibility, degree pathway innovation, and accreditation. Under President Eleff’s stewardship, Gratz College has significantly increased its degree programs and graduate enrollment. City and State named Eleff one of its 2024 Trailblazers in Education. 

Eleff received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University and M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University. At Yeshiva University, Eleff graduated from Yeshiva College and received ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He is a past Wexner Graduate Fellow/Davidson Scholar, a prestigious program for Jewish leaders and professionals. Eleff resides in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Melissa, and their four children.