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Read our new Strategic Plan
Hebrew Seminary is a pluralistic, egalitarian rabbinical school that educates people to become rabbis and pararbbis for Jewish and multifaith communities. Hebrew Seminary was founded in 1992 to meet the spiritual needs of the Jewish Deaf and hearing. As an outgrowth of its commitment to inclusiveness for all underserved communities, Hebrew Seminary has expanded its mission to serve the richly diverse Jewish community in all its facets. We believe that the Jewish community as a whole is strengthened when we recognize the validity of all those who contribute to our vibrant Jewish heritage.
Our curriculum is grounded in Bible, Hebrew, and Talmud, and incorporates Jewish ethics and history. Through elective classes and hevrutah study students are encouraged to follow their own interests and passions, especially as they reflect today’s dynamic Jewish communities.
Hebrew Seminary’s curriculum differs from the programs of all other American rabbinical schools by offering traditional Jewish healing meditations and practices, and American Sign Language and Signed English translations of Jewish liturgy and life-cycle events. Our founder, Rabbi Dr. Douglas Goldhamer, z”l wrote extensively on these subjects. Our online courses attract a diverse student body from across North America. While all required coursework for our programs can be completed online, we also host learning opportunities onsite in Chicago. The rabbinic program is a 5-year course of study for full-time students and the pararabbinic program is a 2 ½-year course of study for full-time students. The final year of the program will include immersive internships tailored to your geographic location. Students may also pursue their studies for either program on a part-time basis. American Sign Language interpreters are provided for students and faculty whenever needed.
Our graduates serve as congregational rabbis, spiritual counselors, professors, education directors, activists, Hillel directors, chaplains at universities, hospitals and more. Whether you are just starting out on your career path or you’ve always wanted to guide and inspire others along a Jewish path, Hebrew Seminary is here to guide you and support you along your journey to Jewish leadership.
“At Hebrew Seminary, I was taught ‘how to learn’ from wise and wonderful teachers while I was supported and learned from my dear chevruta (study partner) and classmates. I learned how to access our beloved Rabbinic texts in order to learn from our sages over the centuries. It was a taste of the olam haba (the world to come).”
Rabbi Marcey RosenbaumHebrew Seminary Ordinee, Chaplain at Rush University
“Hebrew Seminary’s approach was truly a blessing to me, to begin to understand that there was no single monolithic way to be or to do Jewish, and what that might mean in my own life and personal practice.”
Rabbi Dena BodianHebrew Seminary Ordinee, College Chaplain and Campus Rabbi of Wellesley College
“The signing has inspired me to become the woman I am today. I chose Hebrew Seminary as my rabbinic school because I never have to worry about an interpreter, classes are modified based on one’s needs and it’s an all inclusive place regardless of what abilities you have.”
Pararabbi Sari DaybookHebrew Seminary Graduate and Faculty
“One of the best things about Hebrew Seminary was that we didn’t just study mysticism; we practiced it. Rabbi Goldhamer had us doing meditations and healing prayer in class. Nothing beats that kind of real experience. There were other top notch teachers as well whose fantastic teachings and perspectives still inform me today.”
Rabbi Menachem CohenHebrew Seminary Ordinee, Spiritual Director of Makom Shalom Mitziut
“My rabbinic cohort is comprised of Jews of Color, LGBTQ+ Jews, Deaf Jews, Jews in interfaith/multicultural relationships, people who’ve previously been told that we don’t belong in Jewish communities, let alone deserve to lead them. Instead of sticking to that narrative, Hebrew Seminary is empowering us to learn from our people’s past and create a more just and inclusive Jewish future.”
Ezra Kiers Hebrew Seminary Rabbinical Student
“I wanted a school that had an innate spiritual approach to Judaism, and I found it. The things I want to accomplish in the rabbinate require training through a diversity-centered lens; as soon as I was exposed to the pedagogy that allowed me to tap into the world of the mystic, ASL, and deaf culture and modern approaches to the trends of Jewish life, I knew that this school fit my niche interests. Hebrew Seminary has been the calm in my storm. I’m motivated by learning to be exactly who I am here and much more.”
Cohen KrausHebrew Seminary Rabbinical Student
“As someone coming to the rabbinate as a second career, I really struggled to find a seminary that felt right. Hebrew Seminary’s student-centered approach, legacy of Deaf and disabled accessibility, and inclusive values have created an environment where I can learn effectively and develop the skills I will need to serve the Jewish people in a rapidly changing world. I love that my learning objectives and needs feel prioritized by the excellent faculty, without sacrificing career preparedness.”
Leah Ariel RuzkowskiHebrew Seminary Rabbinical Student
“I remember that morning of the interview. It’s etched in my memory. I also remember the Rosh Yeshivah of Hebrew Seminary asking me if I wanted to become a rabbi. I thought for a brief moment and closed my eyes only to see myself standing at Mt. Sinai. Then I answered, ‘We were all standing on Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah.’ Dr. Goldhamer would become my mentor and teacher, especially in mysticism and Kabbalah, my favorite subject, a subject I continue to study to this very day.”
Rabbi Tirtzah IsraelHebrew Seminary Ordinee, Hebrew Seminary Faculty
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