Rabbinical School
Introduction
The Rabbinical School of Hebrew Seminary is intended for emerging Jewish leaders who seek to become ordained as rabbis and to serve Jews, Jewish communities, multifaith communities, and seekers.
Length of Studies
The trajectory of studies at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew Seminary amounts to 60 credits, capped by a Senior Project. Depending on prior studies and experiences of students, some portion of these credits may be fulfilled in recognizing equivalent or related coursework and/or experiences, as determined by the Rosh Yeshivah and Dean of Students. The full course of the Rabbinical School program is designed to take a full-time student approximately 5 years, but students may enroll in Electives and Independent Studies during Summer Semesters to accelerate their course of study. Students are discouraged from enrolling in more than 6 credits per Fall or Spring Semester, and students are discouraged from enrolling in more than 4 credits per Summer Semester.
Preparation for Study
Those seeking ordination are welcome to enroll as part-time students. Prospective students who seek admission into the Rabbinical School but are not yet ready to enter Hebrew Seminary’s Rabbinical School are encouraged to enroll in Hebrew Seminary’s 1-year Mekhinah (מְכִינָה, “Preparation”) Program. Completion of the Mekhinah Program does not immediately guarantee admission into Hebrew Seminary’s Rabbinical School but does help prepare students for the spiritual, social, and academic dimensions of Rabbinical School. To learn more about when a student is ready for our Rabbinical School, please view our Admissions Requirements.
Required Courses
Of the 60 credits typically required for graduation from Hebrew Seminary’s Rabbinical School, the following Required Courses–or, in special circumstances, the equivalent thereof as determined by the Dean of Students and Rosh Yeshivah–must be completed:
Biblical Studies: (4 credits required)
Survey of Torah & Early Prophets
Survey of Later Prophets & Writings
Biblical Commentary
1 elective
Diversity & Accessibility: (2 credits required)
Beginning American Sign Language**
Diversity in Jewish Community
**Courses in American Sign Language are not offered online by Hebrew Seminary itself. The Dean of Students and Rosh Yeshivah work with students to identify local opportunities (ideally in-person) for students to learn American Sign Language in partnership with local groups across the country who offer ASL courses.
Jewish History: (5 credits required)
Ancient Jewish History
Medieval Jewish History
Modern Jewish History
Israel, Palestine, and Zionism
Jewish Denominations and Communal Trends
Jewish Languages: (2 credits required)
Intermediate Hebrew I
Intermediate Hebrew II
Prerequisites: Beginning Hebrew I and Beginning Hebrew II (or equivalents as determined by Rosh Yeshivah and Dean of Students)
Jewish Liturgy: (7 credits required)
Liturgy of Shabbat
Liturgy of the High Holidays
Liturgy of the Three Festivals
Signing Shabbat & Weekday Liturgy
Signing Holiday Liturgy
Torah Trop or Signed Torah
Weekday Liturgy
Jewish Thought: (5 credits required)
Introduction to Jewish Philosophy
Modern Books in Jewish Thought
Survey of Jewish Mystical Texts
2 electives
Pastoral Care: (6 credits required)
Approaches to Jewish Healing
Bikkur Cholim Practicum
Human Development
1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education* (counted as 3 credits)
*Clinical Pastoral Education may not be taken prior to Bikkur Cholim Practicum or equivalent thereof, as determined by Rosh Yeshivah and Dean of Students.
Practical Skills: (5 credits required)
Homiletics and Communications
Lifecycle Officiation I
Lifecycle Officiation II
Pedagogy for Youth
Rabbinic Self-Care, Identity Formation, and Leadership
Rabbinic Literature: (5 credits required)
Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Avelut
Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Birth & Sexuality I
Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Birth & Sexuality II
Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Shabbat
Survey of Midrashic Literature
Prerequisite: Mishnah, Berakhot (or equivalent as determined by Rosh Yeshivah and Dean of Students)
The full Rabbinical School program consists of 41 credits of Required Courses, up to 3 credits of Prerequisite courses that may be counted towards the program’s 60 credits, and all remaining credits (16-19 credits) comprising Elective courses. All Required Courses are offered online. Most Electives and Independent Study courses are offered online, and select Electives and Independent Study courses may be offered in person.
Concentrations
During the course of a rabbinical student’s career, the student, under the supervision of the Dean of Students and Rosh Yeshivah, should select and/or design at least one Concentration, consisting of at least 7 credits of interrelated studies. Credits from Concentrations may be earned from relevant Required Courses, Electives and/or Independent Studies as supervised by a Faculty member and approved by the Rosh Yeshivah and Dean of Students. Although Concentrations are flexible and customized by nature, a few examples of Concentrations could include the following:
Biblical Studies Concentration
Survey of Torah & Early Prophets
Survey of Later Prophets & Writings
Biblical Commentary
Genesis
Leviticus
Numbers
Independent Study on Ezra and Nehemiah
Diversity & Accessibility Concentration
Beginning American Sign Language
Differentiated Education in a Jewish Context
Disability in Jewish History
Disabilities in Rabbinic Literature
Diversity in Jewish Community
Jews and Jewish Communities of Color
Jewish Denominations and Communal Trends
Jewish Mysticism Concentration
Zohar
Chasidut
Sefer Yetzirah
Survey of Jewish Mystical Texts
Modern Books in Jewish Thought
Approaches to Jewish Healing
Independent Study on Pardes Rimmonim
Pastoral Care Concentration
Approaches to Jewish Healing
Bikkur Cholim
Counseling
Human Development
1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education* (counted as 3 credits)
Sample Course Timeline
Although courses, except when indicated otherwise, may be taken in any sequence, the following is a sample of a 5-year trajectory for a full-time rabbinical student:
| Fall Year 1 | Spring Year 1 |
| Intermediate Hebrew I | Intermediate Hebrew II |
| Survey of Torah and Early Prophets | Survey of Later Prophets and Writings |
| Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Avelut | Survey of Midrashic Literature |
| Ancient Jewish History | Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Shabbat |
| Liturgy of Shabbat | Weekday Liturgy |
| Rabbinic Self-Care, Identity Formation, and Leadership | Homiletics and Communications |
| Fall Year 2 | Spring Year 2 |
| Beginning American Sign Language** | 1 Elective |
| Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Birth and Sexuality I | Bavli and Halakhic Literature on Birth and Sexuality II |
| Torah Trop or Signed Torah | Medieval Jewish History |
| Human Development | Modern Books of Jewish Thought |
| Signing Shabbat and Weekday Liturgy | Signing Holiday Liturgy |
| Lifecycle Officiation I | Lifecycle Officiation II |
**Courses in American Sign Language are not offered online by Hebrew Seminary itself. The Dean of Students and Rosh Yeshivah work with students to identify local opportunities (ideally in-person) for students to learn American Sign Language in partnership with local groups across the country who offer ASL courses.
| Fall Year 3 | Spring Year 3 |
| 1 Elective | Approaches to Jewish Healing |
| Bikkur Cholim Practicum | |
| Modern Jewish History | Survey of Jewish Mystical Texts |
| Introduction to Jewish Philosophy | 3 Electives |
| Pedagogy for Youth | |
| Israel, Palestine, and Zionism | |
| Biblical Commentary |
| Fall Year 4 | Spring Year 4 |
| Clinical Pastoral Education [3 credits] | Diversity in Jewish Community |
| Jewish Denominations and Communal Trends | |
| 2 Electives | |
| Biblical Commentary | |
| 1 Elective | |
| Liturgy of the High Holidays | |
| Modern Books in Jewish Thought | |
| Liturgy of the Three Festivals |
| Fall Year 5 | Spring Year 5 |
| 6 Electives + work on Senior Thesis | 6 Electives + completion of Senior Thesis |
Senior Thesis
In their final year of rabbinic studies at Hebrew Seminary, students will complete a Senior Thesis under the advising of a faculty member, as approved by the Dean of Students and Rosh Yeshivah. During their ordination ceremony, students are expected to present some aspect of their Senior Thesis and to communicate a portion in American Sign Language or Signed English.