Rabbi Dr. Gary P. Zola

Dr. Gary P. Zola is a champion of the American Jewish experience who has dedicated his career to bringing together, educating, and uplifting rabbinical students and American Jews. As president of CCJ, Dr. Zola brings his well-honed skills as an administrator, visionary, indefatigable community-builder, convener and inspiring leader. He is wholly dedicated to building CCJ as a driving force for the recruitment and subsequent ordination of highly accomplished rabbis who are committed to building a brilliant future for Jewish life in North America.

Rabbi Zola’s career began in 1982, immediately following his ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was appointed as the National Director of Admissions, Student Affairs, and Alumni Relations for HUC-JIR —a position he held until 1998. During his 16 years of distinguished leadership, the college welcomed an average of nearly 60 new rabbinical students annually—many of whom have testified to Rabbi Zola’s key role in igniting their desire for Jewish learning, and deepening their connection to Jewish life.

In 1998, Dr. Zola was tapped to become the new Executive Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA), succeeding its preeminent founder, Dr. Jacob Rader Marcus. Very quickly, Rabbi Zola recognized that the full potential of the AJA had yet to be realized. His bold vision for the expansion of the AJA led the transformation of the AJA into what has now become the world’s largest free-standing research center dedicated solely to the study of the American Jewish experience. Currently, the holdings at the AJA exceed 35 million documents—with more than 15,000 linear feet of primary source materials. Dr. Zola always maintained a full teaching schedule as a tenured professor at HUC-JIR, with an array of courses for rabbinical and graduate students including American Jewish History, American Hebraica, Medieval Jewish History and Jewish Reform History.

Dr. Zola has published ten books and dozens of scholarly articles on the American Jewish experience. Since 1998, Zola has been the editor of The Marcus Center’s award-winning biannual publication, The American Jewish Archives Journal. In 2023 President Biden appointed Rabbi Zola as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Previously, in 2004, he became the organizer and chair of the congressionally recognized Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. On three separate occasions President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Zola to serve as a member of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. In 2006, Dr. Zola was appointed to the Academic Advisory Council of the congressionally recognized Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.