Hebrew Seminary’s Rabbinic Internship Program is intended:
- to provide rabbinical students an on-site Rabbinic training program to observe, to learn, and to practice rabbinic duties–including but not limited to: youth pedagogy, adult education, delivery of sermons, crafting and/or leading liturgy, officiation of life-cycle events, and pastoral counseling; and
- to complement the work of local rabbis and to support the institutions they serve by providing high-quality rabbinic interns with a strong work ethic and commitment to Jewish service.
Prior to the graduation of each rabbinical student, Hebrew Seminary offers to match each rabbinical student with 1 internship after completing at least 26 credits of Rabbinical School. Students are eligible to begin their internship after completing at least 30 credits of Rabbinical School.
Agreements:
Hebrew Seminary awards fully participating rabbinical students—i.e., students who commit, over the course of approximately 10 months (between, e.g., September through June), to 400 hours of service to their internship’s hosting site—8 elective credits towards the credits students must complete at Hebrew Seminary prior to graduation. Rabbinical students participating in a 400-hour rabbinic internship arranged through Hebrew Seminary must pay a $3,000 Rabbinic Internship Fee to Hebrew Seminary. Although Hebrew Seminary does not offer direct monetary compensation in addition to the 8 elective credits, hosting sites may voluntarily enter agreements for monetary payment of their rabbinic interns. Requests for rabbinic internships designed to entail less than 400 hours and the number of credits awarded accordingly are subject to approval by the Dean of Students in consultation with the Rosh Yeshivah. As a means of tracking and assessment, students will meet with the Dean of Students at least three times—at least once in the first month of the internship, at least once near the middle of the internship, and at least once in the final month of the internship.
So as to protect both the rabbinical students and the hosting sites, prior to the start of any internship, both parties will negotiate and then sign a written agreement that reflects the parties’ mutual understanding of the responsibility each holds to one another. Hosting sites may modify Hebrew Seminary’s suggested internship agreement template to reflect any modified terms and conditions, but hosting sites must agree to permit an appropriately matching rabbinical student at least 400 hours of service for the site. Hosting sites must comply with all relevant Hebrew Seminary policies.
Mentoring Responsibilities:
Each rabbinic intern is assigned at their internship’s hosting site at least one rabbinic mentor—including at least one rabbi, rabba(h), or Maharat. These mentors provide the interns with overall administrative, programmatic, and planning supervision. Mentors are encouraged to meet approximately weekly for supervision meetings that allow the intern and mentor(s) time for such purposes as:
- reviewing and clarifying any responsibilities in the week ahead;
- exploring or practicing skills related to communal responsibilities;
- goal-setting, goal-tracking, and/or performance review;
- theological, spiritual, emotional, and/or psychological reflection; and
- other professional and/or vocational concerns.
Termination of Rabbinic Internship Program:
In the event where either the rabbinic intern or the hosting site of the rabbinic internship determines that the relationship is not beneficial to either party, the rabbinic intern or the hosting site may, in consultation with Hebrew Seminary’s Dean of Students, terminate the internship agreement.