Rabbinic Life
Passion Yes, Charisma No
Hayim Herring
Many rabbis begin their first years with a sense of calling – the passion that brought them into the rabbinate. But the distractions of petty politics and the narrow concerns of congregational life can unconsciously become the focal point that, over the years, mutes a sense of higher calling. The result is that rabbis become less inspiring because they learn to play it safe rather than to speak from their authentic selves. That’s when rabbis become dull.
Cultivating the Soul
Rachel Cowan
As students develop skills in studying and analyzing texts, teaching, preaching, counseling, and leading services, they also need to understand the importance of cultivating their soul. Becoming a spiritual leader for a community is a daunting task and requires tools or practices for reflection, personal prayer, discerning truth, and listening to the inner truth.
Continuing Education
Kenneth Brander
The offerings of a continuing education program must be broad enough for the entire rabbinic community. We approach our rabbinate based on our own leadership styles, disposition, and community dynamics. And at different stages of our rabbinic tenure, our needs for support and professional development change.
Rabbis in the Field: A Roundtable
A Round Table with the heads of several rabbinical schools and other rabbis at work.
The Rabbinate?
David Glanzberg-Krainin & Sam Berrin Shonkoff
An exchange of letters between Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin and Sam Berrin Shonkoff, who is contemplating a career in the rabbinate.
Creative Collaborations
The Necessary Revolution: How individuals and organizations are working together to create a sustainable world; Peter Senge, Bryan Smith, Nina Kruschwitz, Joe Laur, Sara Schley (New York: Doubleday, 2008, $29.95, 416 pp)
Reviewed by Joseph Reimer
Discussion Guides – Rabbinic Life
How can synagogues help their rabbis stay fresh and spiritually fit?
Should some form of accredited continuing education be required of rabbis?
How might rabbis use artistic expressions as portals for community engagement?
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