If you are Jewish, and feel a calling to serve God and pastor people, you may have wondered what was involved in becoming a rabbi. This page will help you learn how to become a rabbi.
If you are Jewish, and feel a calling to serve God and pastor people, you may have wondered what was involved in becoming a rabbi. This page will help you learn how to become a rabbi.
Introduction
- Some rabbis know from a very young age that they want to lead services, minister to people's spiritual needs, and spend a lifetime studying Jewish law. Others come to the profession later in life, after spending time in a previous career. Each candidate must spend at least five years studying before being ordained as a rabbi.
How to Become a Rabbi Videos
Step 1: Each Denomination Has its Own Requirements
(Creative Commons photo by goldberg)
- Judaism is not a monolithic block of beliefs. Different Jewish denominations, while holding to certain core beliefs, have their own traditions and rules. The path to ordination may vary slightly, depending on which sect of Judaism you follow. Congregations within denominations also vary in the traditions they adopt, so that the rituals a rabbi will use in conducting services may vary within denominations.
Step 2: Rabbinical Education
- Aspiring rabbis are generally required to have received a bachelor's degree. After graduating from college, they will spend four to five years in a rabbinical seminary studying Jewish law in preparation to become a rabbi. If the student does not have a strong foundation in Hebrew or Jewish law before entering the seminary, a preparatory year of study may be required.
Step 3: Travel to Israel
- Most denominations require that a rabbinical candidate spend at least a year in Israel, the geographical and spiritual home of Judaism. The year in Israel not only helps the student to develop a relationship with the country, but also helps them improve their Hebrew.
Conclusion
Becoming a rabbi is a serious commitment, generally undertaken after a period of contemplation and personal examination. The years in seminary permit the student to determine if this is a path they are committed to, in addition to providing an educational foundation for the career. An ordained rabbi can lead a congregation, teach, or serve as a chaplain.
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