Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

President; Professor of Political Thought

Contact Information

department: President’s Office
academic field: Philosophy/Theology
campus: National, New York
email: arehfeld@huc.edu
phone: (212) 824-2201
extension: 2201

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., is the 10th President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Appointed in April of 2019, Rehfeld’s career has bridged the academic and Jewish professional worlds as a tenured faculty member in Political Science at Washington University (2001-2019) and as President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis (2012-2019). The author of The Concept of Constituency (Cambridge University Press, 2005), his academic research focuses on the intersection of democracy, human rights, justice and institutional design. Other areas of published research include the history of political thought, and the philosophy of the social sciences. Rehfeld earned a Ph.D. in Political Science (2000) and a Master of Public Policy (1994) from the University of Chicago, and a B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, in the Philosophy Honors Program at the University of Rochester (1989). He held the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in the Study and Practice of Federalism, McGill University, and had visiting faculty appointments at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, and Libera Universita Internazionale Degli Studi Sociali (LUISS Guido Carli), Rome. Rehfeld has served on communal boards in Chicago and St. Louis, and currently serves as a member of the board of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and on the national board of directors for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

2018: “On Representing.” Journal of Political Philosophy. (Peer reviewed article) June.

“Representation and the US Constitution.” In, Cambridge Companion to the US Constitution. Karen Oren and John Chapman, Eds. New York: Cambridge University Press. (Book chapter)

2017: “On Being and Becoming a Representative” Book chapter, Reclaiming Representation: Contemporary Advances in the Theory of Political Representation. Monica Brito-Vieira, Editor. Oxford: Routledge (Book Chapter)

2016: “Beyond Trustees and Delegates.” Chapter in, Political Representation: New Insights and Old Questions. Marc Bühlmann and Jan Fivaz, eds. Palgrave Macmillan. (Book Chapter)

2015: “The Concept of Constituency,” chapter in Fixing Electoral Boundaries in India: Laws, Processes, Outcomes and Implication for Political Representation. Mohd. Sanjeer Alam and K.C Sivaramakrishnan eds. Oxford University Press. (Reprint of Chapter 2 from The Concept of Constituency below)

2013: “Designing Electoral Systems: Normative Tradeoffs and Institutional Innovations.” (co-authored with Melissa Schwartzberg) In, “Between Science and Engineering: Reflections on the APSA Presidential Task Force on Political Science, Electoral Rules, and Democratic Governance.” Perspectives on Politics. 11:03 September. (Invited submission.)

2011: “Incentivize the Powerful or Empower the Poor?” The Good Society. 20:2 November (Invited submission for forum on John McCormick’s Machiavellian Democracy.)

“The Child as Democratic Citizen” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (Vol. 633, January (Invited Submission)

2010: “Offensive Political TheoryPerspectives on Politics. Vol. 8. June. 465-486 (Peer reviewed article)

“On Quotas and Qualifications for Office.” In Political Representation (Ian Shapiro, Susan Stokes, Elisabeth Woods, and Alexander Kirschner eds) (New York: Cambridge University Press) (Peer reviewed chapter.)

2008: Book Review: Adrian Vermeule, Mechanisms of Democracy (New York: Oxford University Press). Ethics (119, No 1., October) pp. 216-222. (Book review)

2007: Book Review: Stephen L. Elkin, Reconstructing The Commercial Republic: Constitutional Design After Madison (University of Chicago Press: 2006); in Perspectives on Politics. (Book review)

2005: The Concept of Constituency: Political Representation, Democratic Legitimacy and Institutional Design. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2005). (Peer reviewed book)

Chapter 2 on the idea of Constituency to be reprinted in Delimiting Electoral Constituencies in India: Processes, Outcomes and Implications for Political Representation. 2015. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Reviewed in the following journals (chronologically, by title of journal):

Political Theory by Heather K. Gerken (Vol. 37, No. 6) December 2009

Government and Opposition by Philippe Schmitter (Vol. 44: 4, pp. 476–490) October 2009.

Perspectives on Politics by Suzanne Dovi, (Vol. 4, No. 4) December 2006

Election Law Journal by James A. Gardner, (Vol. 5, No. 2) November 2006.

Ethics by Mark Warren, (Vol. 117) October 2006

Subject of Author meets Critics Panel

Midwest Political Science Association meeting March 2007

Featured on “Campaign for the American Reader”

January 15, 2007 http://americareads.blogspot.com/2007/01/pg-69-concept-of-constituency.html

2005: Book Review: George Klosko, The Principle of Fairness and Political Obligation (New Edition). (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004) in Ethics (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, January 2005) (Book review)

2003: Book Review: F. R. Ankersmit, Political Representation, Stanford University Press, CA. 2002, in Ethics (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, July 2003) pp. 865-868 (Book review)

2002: “Representation” and “Representative Government” in Dictionary of American History (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons). (Encyclopedic Entries)

2001: “Silence of the Land: On the lack of justifications for territorial representation at the American founding” Studies in American Political Development (Cambridge University Press: NY) Spring 2001, Volume 15, Number 1. pp. 53-84. (Peer reviewed article.)

1998: “Ethics Bowl: Applying Ethical Reasoning to the Professional World.” in Engineering and Environmental Ethics: A Case Study Approach. John Wilcox and Louis Theodore, eds. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York). Pp. 281-297. (Invited submission)

2018: “Preserving the Democratic and a Jewish nature of Israel given current realities.” Invited talk at the Center for Comparative and International Studies, University of Zurich

2017: “Behavioral economics and access to Jewish life: what we can learn from Toyota and Westinghouse.” Invited seminar, Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion, Jerusalem.

2016: “Making and unmaking the Jewish People: Reflections on Israel, Religious Zionism and the crisis of leadership in North American Jewry.” Invited talk at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, OH.

“Liberalism in America.” Invited plenary address at the 2016 Policy History Conference, Nashville, TN. (with Rogers Smith, Jeffrey Tullis and William Rorabaugh).

2015: “On Representing.” Invited talk at the University of York, UK.

“Representation, Authority and Right.” Conference on Representation, University of York, UK.

“Representation, Authority and Right.” Political Theory Workshop, Washington University in St. Louis

2012: Invited Centennial Speaker, Political Theory, Empirical Political Analysis, and the Evolution of Political Science, Canadian Political Science Association annual meeting, Alberta, Canada. June.

“Why Children Should Be Allowed to Vote (but not their Grandparents).” Invited talk. Professor Emeriti Monthly Meeting, Washington University in St. Louis. April.

“What Makes Representation Democratic, Legitimate or Just?” Paper presented at the Western Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Portland. March.

“Democratic Theory, Responsiveness and Federalism.” Invited speaker and discussant. Mini-conference on Policy Responsiveness in the Context of Federalism, Center for American Political Responsiveness, Penn State University, February.

“The Representation of Hobbes.” Paper presented at the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting. New Orleans. January.

2011: “Why Thomas Hobbes had no theory of representation” Paper presented at the Northeastern Political Science Association, Philadelphia. November.

“The Political Representation of Children.” Invited guest in Professor Rogers Smith’s citizenship seminar, University of Pennsylvania. November.

“Hanna Pitkin’s Concept of Democracy.” Paper presentation for the Association for Political Theory annual meeting. University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN (October) and

“What Makes Representation Democratic, Legitimate or Just?” Invited keynote speaker for conference on Representation and Legitimacy, University of Reading, UK. September.

“The Political Representation of Children.” Invited Speaker for First Year Faculty Talk Series, Washington University in St. Louis. August.

“Dogmatic Political Theory” Presentation for the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Seattle. August.

“Why Children Should Be Allowed to Vote (but their Grandparents Shouldn’t)” Invited talk. First Year Faculty Talk Series, Washington University in St. Louis, August.

“Hannah Pitkin’s concept of democracy or What a concept of representation should do.” Invited presentation Workshop, Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Philosophie Politique, Montreal. May

“The Political Representation of Children.” Invited Talk, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. April.

“The Concepts of Representation.” Political Theory Workshop, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. January.

“The Political Representation of Children.” Political Theory colloquium, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec. January.

2010: “Representing Children” (“The Political Rights of Children”)

Faculty Colloquium, LUISS Guido Carli, Rome, November

American Political Science Association, Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, September.

Workshop, Law School, Washington University in St. Louis, July.

Canadian Political Science Association, Annual Meeting, Montreal, June.

“The Concepts of Representation” distributed paper for, “Political Representation: New Directions.” Invited participant. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. October.

2009: “The Paradox of Racial Profiling: distinguishing public and private reasons.” Panel on Racial Profiing, Center for Ethics and Human Values. November.

Invited Participant, “Workshop on Political Representation,” University of Berne, Bern Switzerland. November.

Invited Participant in “Child as Citizen” author’s workshop, at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, sponsored by Harvard University Committee on Human Rights Studies and the Harvard School of Public Health. November.

Invited Faculty Speaker, “Reasons and the Life of the Mind.” Freshman Convocation, Washington University in St. Louis August.

“Trustees, Delegates and Gyroscopes: Political Representation and Democratic Justice”

Invited talk, Columbia University Political Theory Workshop. March.

2008: “George Washington and Virtue.” Invited talk, Assembly Series, Washington University in St. Louis. September.

“On Quotas and Qualifications for Office,”

Association for Political Theory annual meeting, October.

“Democratic Lawmaking and Political Representation.”

Invited talk, Stanford University Political Theory Workshop, February.

“Why Universities Sponsor Presidential Debates.” MLA Seminar Series, Washington University in St. Louis. February

“Democratic Lawmaking and Political Representation.”

Political Theory Workshop, Washington University in St. Louis, January .

2007: “Offensive Political Theory”

Annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, September.

2006: “Trustees, Delegates and Gyroscopes”: Democratic Justice and the Ethics of Political Representation”

Annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, PA, September.

“Locke, the Hebrew Bible and the American Revolution.”

Conference on Political Hebraism, Shalem Center, Jerusalem, December.

“The Strange Case of John Locke and the Hebrew Bible in the Second Treatise on Government.”

Association for Political Theory, Annual Meeting, Bloomington, IN, October.

“Quotas and Qualifications.”

Invited talk for “Rethinking Political Order” conference, Yale University, October

“Quotas and Qualifications.”

Invited talk, Political Theory workshop, Brown University. October.

“Trustees, Delegates and Gyroscopes: Democratic Justice and the Ethics of Political Representation.”

American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, September

“Political Representation as a Gross Concept”

Presented at “Reconsidering Democratic Representation,” Conference at University of British Columbia, May.

“Political Representation as a Gross Concept.”

Invited talk at the Montreal Political Theory Workshop on new developments in the theory of political representation, McGill University, April.

“Offensive Political Theory.”

Presented at the Political Theory Workshop, Washington University in St. Louis, April.

“A General Theory of Political Representation.”

Invited talk, Department of Political Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, February.

2005: “A General Theory of Political Representation.”

Invited talk, Department of Political Science, University of Minnesota, December.

“A General Theory of Political Representation.”

Invited talk, Department of Political Science, Ohio State University, December.

“Offensive Political Theory”

Presented at the Association for Political Theory, Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, October.

“Towards a General Theory of Political Representation.”

Invited talk at the Legal Theory Workshop, Columbia University Law School, September.

“Quotas and Qualifications: Gender, age, and the presumptive right to run for office”

Paper presented at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, September.

2004: “Electoral Representation, Revisited”

Invited Presentation at “Transformation of Democratic Representation,” Center for Democracy and the Third Sector, Georgetown University, June.

2003: “Legitimate political representation and electoral constituencies: creating a baseline for institutional design.”

Presented at American Political Science Association Annual Meeting 2003, Philadelphia, September.

“The Logic of Affirmative Action”

Presented at the STA Conference on Diversity and Social Discrimination, Washington University in St. Louis, March.

2002: “The Perils of Ethics and Public Policy”

Invited talk, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago, October.

“Qualified to Rule: Age Qualifications and Democratic Legitimacy”

Brownbag talk, Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government and Public Policy, Washington University in St. Louis, September.

2001: “The Extended Republic and James Madison’s Federalist 10

Conference on constitutions and voting, Washington University in St. Louis, December.

“On Legitimacy and Political Representation.”

Invited talk Department of Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis, February.

“On Legitimacy and Political Representation.”

Invited talk Department of Political Science, University of Texas, Austin, February

“On Legitimacy and Political Representation.”

Invited talk Department of Political Science, George Washington University, January.

2000: “On Legitimacy and Political Representation.”

Invited talk Department of Political Science, The University of Pittsburgh, December.

“On Legitimacy and Political Representation”

Invited talk, Department of Political Science, Middlebury College, November

1999: “The Extended Republic and James Madison’s Federalist 10

Invited University Lecture, Western Michigan University, November.

“The Concept of Constituency,”

Invited presentation, Political Science Department Colloquium, Western Michigan University, November.

December 2023

Speech at Central Synagogue Shabbat Service Commemorating Rabbi David Ellenson

November 2023

A major humanitarian issue – Movers and shakers in Israeli society

HUC-JIR first US college president to visit Israel during war

October 2023

President Andrew Rehfeld Shabbat Message 10/27/2023

Live Zoom Tour from Israel of Jerusalem Civilian Command Center (JCCC)

June 2023

Reform movement takes time to re-evaluate goals amid ‘inflection points’

November 2022

Herzog: Anxiety, panic of Diaspora Jews is not necessarily justified

September 2022

On Repentance and Repair: A Reform Movement Program for the High Holidays and Beyond

USC & HUC-JIR 50 Year Celebration

June 2022

Traditional Religious Views Conflict with Academic Knowledge

Antisemitism Up Close: Three American Perspectives

HUC Connect Presents: These Truths We Hold

HUC Connect Presents: Reparations and Jewish Thought

May 2022

Torah from Sinai: Tradition vs. Academia

2022 North American Ordination and Graduation Remarks by President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

2022 North American Graduation Remarks by President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

Speech, Reason, and Judgment: Remarks to the CN Rabbinical Class of 2022 by President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

HUC Connect Presents: More Than a Monolith

April 2022

The Great American Rabbi Shortage on the Hartman Institute Podcast

March 2022

HUC Connect Presents: The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series – Israel, American Jewry, and 45

January 2022

Remarks on the Commissioning of Laynie Zell

October 2021

Graduation Remarks, Cincinnati

June 2021

Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist – Ep. 32 – Balak with Andrew Rehfeld – Drinking and Drashing Podcast

HUC Connect Presents: Black Power / Jewish Politics

May 2021

Congregational Conversations: Reform Judaism and the Divisiveness of Politics

Ordination and Achieving the Highest Ethical Conduct – Union for Reform Judaism

Our Commitment to Israel

HUC Connect Presents: Pew 2020 Study of the American Jewish Community: What’s Next?

HUC Connect Presents: Race, Civility, and American Democracy

HUC Connect Presents: Intersectional Jewish Identities

HUC Connect Presents: Jews of Color

April 2021

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. Shares Letter 91 – Values & Voices

March 2021

HUC Connect Presents: Children and the Right to Vote

A Defining Year (PDF version) / (ADA version)

HUC Connect Presents: “Let My People Go:” Personal Reflections on Freedom and Injustice

HUC Connect Presents: Language and Racism in the United States Today

HUC Connect Presents: Race & Identity Today

February 2021

HUC Connect Presents: Judaism & Civil Society: Speaking Religious Truth to Political Power: Values & Voices 2021

HUC Connect Presents: Judaism & Civil Society: Scriptions: Jewish Thoughts and Responses to Covid-19

January 2021

A Call to Rebuild Our Democracy For a New Era of Decency and Hope

December 2020

The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series Presents: Thinking Jewish in a Changing America

The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series Presents: The Supreme Court in Transition

The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series Presents: Arguing about Immigration

The Dr. Fritz Bamberger Memorial Lecture Series Presents: American Jewry: Where Do We Go From Here?

November 2020

A Jewish Political Scientist’s take on the 2020 Election: lessons and opportunities, presented by Dr. Andrew Rehfeld – PARR, Temple Beth El Riverside

September 2020

Dr. Andrew Rehfeld on Judges 17:6 – “The Importance of Strong Centralized Leadership” – The Rabbi’s Husband Podcast

Points of Inflection and Infection: On the authenticity of Reform Judaism and its use in responding to our current crisis – Scriptions

July 2020

At the Intersection of Religious and Academic Values – The College Commons Podcast

CommUnity Pre Shabbat Gathering – UJA Federation

What the taboo on criticizing Israel can teach us about cancel culture – The Forward

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s new president, Prof. Andrew Rehfeld, is guest on Seekers of Meaning Podcast – Jewish Sacred Aging

June 2020

Statement on Anti-racism and the HUC Presidential Task Force on Safe and Respectful Environments

What’s Jewish about Jewish Political Thought? – JewishLive

Communication from President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: Important Announcement Regarding Year-In-Israel Program

WJC WebTalk with Randall Fried – World Jewish Congress

HUC-JIR President Andrew Rehfeld on His First (Pandemic) Year – Jewish Journal

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Addresses 2020 Ordinands

Alliance as a Force for Justice

Graduation Remarks

Let Us Not Be Silent Now

May 2020

Consecreation Remarks

March 2020

Communication from President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: Important Update about Campus Closures and Classes

Communication from President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: HUC Town Hall for Students, Faculty, and Staff

Communication from President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: Closure of All Campuses and All Classes by Zoom

From President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: Instruction Will Move to Zoom at Least Through Passover Break, Ending April 17

From President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: An Important Message Regarding Emergency Management Team for Planning and Preparedness

January 2020

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. on Unorthodox: Knowing, Doing, and Being – Unorthodox Podcast

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. on Take One: Berakhot 26 – Take One Podcast

The year in review: Change, progress and controversy mark 2019 – St. Louis Jewish Light

December 2019

URJ Biennial Address – [Watch the video]

November 2019

Israel Bonds Event, Jewish Home Gala, HUC-JIR Chief – Jewish Journal

October 2019

Reform Movement’s Rabbinical School Inaugurates a Non-rabbi as President for the First Time – JTA

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Inaugurated as 10th President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Video of The Inauguration of Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. as the 10th President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Inauguration Set for New Hebrew Union College president – Associated Press

Video of the Inaugural Address Delivered by President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

Inauguration Address – [Watch the video]

Meet the New Leader of Hebrew Union College – Cincinnati Public Radio

Three Things to Know about Hebrew Union College and its New President, Andrew Rehfeld – The Enquirer

From Political Scientist to Reform Seminary President – reformjudaism.org

September 2019

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. to Be Inaugurated as 10th President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

August 2019

President’s Report from Jerusalem

First non-rabbi head of Reform seminary says it’s time to redefine liberal Jewry – Times of Israel

July 2019

Liberal Judaism and Zionism, Shalom Hartman Institute [Watch the video]

Jill Jacobs & Andrew Rehfeld: Future of Liberal American Judaism & Zionism – Shalom Hartman Institute

Reform Movement Leader: Equating Intermarriage to ‘Second Holocaust’ Was ‘Needlessly Inflammatory’ – Haaretz

June 2019

Labor, Work, Action: Andrew Rehfeld MPP’94 and the Human Condition – University of Chicago

Tribute Dinner Address, Honoring Suzanne and John Golden

Ordination Remarks, Cincinnati

May 2019

Graduation Remarks, Cincinnati

April 2019

Passover Greetings from Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.

A Message from the New President of HUC-JIR, on His First Day – Union for Reform Judaism Inside Leadership

President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D.: Forging Our Future Together

Address to the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Cincinnati

HUC-JIR President Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D. Addresses Central Conference of American Rabbis Convention in Cincinnati

March 2019

Rehfeld looks forward to coming role as HUC-JIR president – St. Louis Jewish Light

HUC-JIR President, Dr. Andrew Rehfeld: My Jewish Journey

January 2019

A Conversation with Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., and Fifth-Year Rabbinical Student Hilly Haber

New President: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion – Inside Higher Ed

Transitions and Appointments -The Chronicle of Higher Education

In a First, Reform Rabbinical School Won’t Be Led By a Rabbi – Jewish Community Voice

Jewish Federation Searches for New Leader Ahead of CEO’s Exit – St. Louis Business Journal

Academic Prepares for Job of His Life – Jewish Exponent

December 2018

HUC-JIR Chooses Non-Rabbi as its 13th President – Jewish Exponent

Top 10 Jewish Stories of 2018: HUC-JIR Hires a Layperson as President – Religion News Service

The Remarkable Rehfeld Record – St. Louis Jewish Light

Personal Statement on the Move from CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis to the Presidency of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion – Jewish Federation of St. Louis

Non-Rabbi Heads HUC-JIR – Intermountain Jewish News

In a First, Reform Rabbinical School Won’t Be Led by a Rabbi – Jewish Standard

Leading from the Outside In: Examining a Different Institutional Leadership Model For JTS-HUC-AJU – eJewish Philanthropy

In a First, Reform Rabbinical School Won’t Be Led by a Rabbi – Times of Israel

Rehfeld Elected President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion – Washington University in St. Louis

Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., Elected 13th President of HUC-JIR – eJewish Philanthropy

URJ Leaders Welcome Election of Dr. Andrew Rehfeld as President of HUC-JIR – Union for Reform Judaism Inside Leadership

In a First, Reform Rabbinical School Won’t Be Led by a Rabbi – JTA