The official Wellesley College motto is Non Ministrari sed Ministrare: Not to be served, but to serve. As a Wellesley College alumna and rabbi (Jewish religious leader) responding to the needs of the community I serve, I did the following in the past month alone:
- officiated at a wedding, funeral and baby naming,
- led an interfaith service against violence against women,
- spoke with my congressperson about immigration reform in solidarity with several local grassroots organizations,
- visited with and learned from one of the first women to edit a prayerbook for gender neutrality,
- led and preached during weekly Shabbat (sabbath) services,
- planned a holiday play that fused the themes of the book of Esther with modern pop songs,
- and presided on a beit din (rabbinical court) for someone who wished to convert.
All of this activity is both sacred and profoundly satisfying. The position of rabbi in the Jewish community is a respected post rooted in a covenant of trust and intentionality, thoughtful ethical action, and appreciation for the Jewish people.
The Rabbi of the modern world needs to have two feet firmly rooted in vastly different periods– one in the deep textual treasure trove of historic Jewish tradition, and one in the contemporary world. In this way, the rabbi can determine what teachings, customs and practices best convey the Jewish values and how to translate them to a congregation of the contemporary period. Or, as 18th century philosopher Moses Mendelssohn described, one of the main tasks of the rabbis of the modern world is to separate the husk of tradition from the kernel of eternal Jewish truths.
What gives someone the authority to be this kind of shaper of culture?
Rabbinical school.
The graduate program that future rabbis attend is called rabbinical school. I attended Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR)– an institution that considers itself 1/3 graduate school, 1/3 rabbinical seminary and 1/3 technical training school. Attending a program like this gives a person, after approximately 5 years of training, the authority to be the kind of shaper of future Jewish life known as a rabbi.
So, what happens in those magical 5 years?
Rabbinical students gain appreciation for, and facility with, the scope of the Jewish textual tradition. They become proficient in Hebrew and Aramaic- the languages of the majority of ancient Jewish texts. They gain an understanding of the breadth of the textual tradition (with classes in various textual genres) by wrestling with it– pouring over the texts with study partners, asking probing questions, and learning what insight various commentators have provided over the centuries. Students gain an appreciation for the depth of rabbinic thought as they learn the tools and methods of how to delve deeply into various foci of their choice.
Rabbinical students gain recognition of the ever-changing nature of Jewish life. Students learn about Jewish literary traditions, theologies, and histories of the Jewish people. They recognize a full scope of what it has meant to be Jewish across time and what it means to be Jewish today. And, they complete a capstone thesis paper which serves to demonstrate passion and commitment, original thought, and mastery of a topic.
Rabbinical students gain real-world experience in an environment where they are mentored and taught practical rabbinics. They complete various internships in modern, functioning Jewish communities under the guidance of master teachers. They consider what appropriate responses to challenging interactions might be and they develop their own unique rabbinic style. They are supported by classes in leadership and build trusting relationships with one another that will sustain them and their rabbinate beyond ordination.
Along with Rabbinic Ordination, students may receive a Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature, a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters, or a Master of Arts in Education, depending on how the student structures his or her program.
My authority does not only spring forth from the foundational experience of rabbinical school, my Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature, and my certificate of ordination (in Hebrew: smicha). My authority also rests within the communities I serve, the activities of my daily life, and my personal integrity. Attendance at HUC-JIR gave me the tools not only to recognize, read, interpret and respond to the present varied needs of the community, but also how to vision, shape, and craft the future of the people I serve.
-Rabbi Heather Miller ’01