Rabbinical School Curriculum

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum is built around the two most famous cycles of traditional Jewish learning: Parshiyyot ha-Torah and Seder ha-SHaS. Torah study, including a range of commentaries from ancient Midrash to contemporary literary analysis, link the five books of the Torah to the five-year course of study. The Jewish Living Core follows (with some adaptation) the order of subjects in the Babylonian Talmud, covering the major areas of Jewish learning central to a text-based rabbinic education.

Students prepare for seminars in hevruta teams in the context of the daily Bet Midrash, with help from tutors. Several other courses are offered each year that relate to the theme of the Core Jewish Living course, offering an integrated, thematic curriculum.  These, too, may require Bet Midrash preparation.

Year I: Berakhot—Prayer and the Traditional Jewish Prayerbook
Study centers on mastery of the liturgy: its meaning, structure, history, versions and laws and customs associated with prayer.  

Year II: Mo’ed—The Jewish Year and Festival Cycle
The laws, liturgical practices and key themes of the festivals and their religious significance and interpretations.

Year III: Nashim u-Gevarim—The Jewish Life-Cycle
Life-cycle ceremonies, family and marital issues, and contemporary questions of gender in Jewish life. Students learn to perform life-cycle ceremonies, to counsel congregants regarding family issues, and to deal with halakhic questions regarding medical issues and personal status. 

Year IV: Nezikin—Institutional and Communal Aspects of Jewish Life
Students learn to work in the public arena and to deal with ethical and moral dimensions of religious leadership. Summer and fall semesters are spent in Israel, with an option to stay for spring semester, as well. Please note: Beginning in Fall 2010, a full academic year of study in Israel will take place in Year III. 

Year V: Kodashim—Theological issues
An in-depth exploration of several of the great theologies of Judaism, both classical and modern, provides the basis for students to clarify their own theologies through oral and written work. 

Elective Courses

Electives may be chosen from the following categories: 

• Advanced Hebrew Language and Literature—Hebrew language instruction is an integral component of the Rabbinical School curriculum in all core and core-related courses. Students are encouraged to choose electives, including Hebrew College courses offered entirely in Hebrew, that will improve their language skills 

• Specializations—Students choose a specialization in both academic (e.g. Bible, Talmud, Halakhah, theology, mysticism) and practical training (e.g. chaplaincy, education, geriatrics, congregational) areas. The academic specialization, consisting of two or more courses beyond requirements, may be pursued either via Hebrew College courses, reading courses with faculty or coursework arranged at graduate programs in nearby universities. Practical area specializations will be arranged through the Rabbinical School’s connections to counselors and institutions within the greater Boston Jewish community. 

Remedial Hebrew Instruction

For students who need additional Hebrew preparation to maintain an appropriate level of text study, remedial Hebrew language courses will be required.  If a year of such instruction, taken alongside regular courses, does not suffice, a student may be asked to take an extra year of full-time study to raise his or her Hebrew level. (Remedial Hebrew does not count toward elective credit.) 

Practical Rabbinics and Internships

Training in practical rabbinics commences in the second year. Each student is paired with a local rabbi for a mentorship and shadows the rabbi’s professional life, participating as the rabbi sees fit. After the second year, each student is assigned to a supervised internship or student pulpit under the guidance of a mentor rabbi. Students working in the Jewish community outside the formal internship program may also consult with staff for informal supervision and advice as time permits. 

Informal Education

Integral to the Rabbinical School curriculum are a variety of experiential learning opportunities that facilitate personal exploration and religious growth. Tied to the cycle of the Jewish calendar, these events and workshops are a core element in the overall course of study leading to the rabbinical degree, balancing academic achievement with personal religious maturation and leadership development.  

Informal education includes regularly scheduled Shacharit and Minchah davening, school-wide Shabbatonim during the academic year, workshops on tefillah skills and special study sessions. In addition, the Rabbinical School places a high priority on social justice and interfaith education. 

The Preparatory Program—Mekorot

Students who fulfill admissions criteria but whose level of Hebrew is insufficient to meet Rabbinical School standards are required to take a year of preparatory studies. Mekorot students are considered part of the Rabbinical School community and participate in Bet Midrash and other activities.