The Rabbinic Studies Program at The American Seminary for Contemporary Judaism is designed to train future Rabbis, Spiritual Leaders and Teachers of Jewish American and World communities of the 21st century.

WHO THIS IS DESIGNED FOR
This program is not for everyone who desires to come into the Rabbinate. It has been designed for the mature Jewish adult, who probably is already serving the Jewish community, who can readily document competence and expertise in traditional Judaic academic disciplines and has significant work experience. That information is evaluated by the Academic Council and then a specific program of study, which will lead to ordination, is developed for that person. The off-campus program is not for the inexperienced individual or even the recent college graduate. One must possess at least a Bachelors Degree in order to apply to the program. In addition, a personal interview with the admissions committee and a conference with the seminary’s psychology consultant may be required.

The instructional objectives of the Rabbinic Program center on providing students the most relevant and required skills, training, perceptions and protocols that they will need to effectively function as the religious role model and teacher at their congregations or community positions in the months and years following their ordination. In addition, students receive a well-rounded education on the etiquette and methods of effective rabbinic leadership as it relates to all aspects of the synagogue community, including its congregants, youth, and lay leadership components. The students from ASCJ’s Rabbinic Program will be prepared to take on the overall responsibility of facilitating and guiding meaningful Jewish living within their congregations and will be the kind of religious and educational leader the congregations of today demand of their Jewish professionals.

GOALS
The goal of our curriculum is to provide a course of study that will train future Rabbis as Talmedei Chachamim, as competent Morei Hora’ah for their future communities, as community leaders, as spiritual leaders, and as effective educators.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
Our philosophy is to develop in our students the necessary academic and professional skills to prepare them as leaders in the Jewish community. Classes include: Jewish Thought, Kaballah and Philosophy, Issues in Modern Jewish Thought and the Jewish Movements, History of Halacha including the periods of Mishnah, Talmud, Geonim, Rishonim, Ahrohim. Each year students will cover Tefilah, Brachot, Gerut, Aveilut, Medical Ethics, Niddah, Basar V’Chalav and Shabbat and Yom Tov.

Students will be prepared with the following skills and training required for ordination:

• A thorough working knowledge of Halacha (Jewish Law)
• Practical understanding of Jewish ritual and Tefilah (Prayers)
• Mastery of selected Rabbinic texts
• An understanding of the laws and Religious/Cultural implications of Kashrut (Dietary Laws)

In addition to textual study, classes and practica are required in the development of Rabbinic and pastoral skills in:

COMMUNAL LEADERSHIP
Working with Jewish institutions; interacting with synagogue lay leadership; outreach; activism; and fund-raising are covered.

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
Training in public speaking; informal education; visiting the sick; life-cycle events; pastoral counseling; exploration of different models of synagogues and Rabbinic Leadership. To learn more about our Rabbinics Program, please click here to view an online catalogue, and have someone contact you with more information.