The Academy for Jewish Religion was founded forty years ago with a mission to educate rabbis who would have an appreciation for the strengths of the various philosophies and approaches within Judaism, and who would know how to help Jews find win-win ways of living a meaningful and spiritually vibrant Jewish lifestyle.

Since very few Jews are raised in an atmosphere of religion tolerance and pluralism, we believe that seminary years are the crucial time to form and reform attitudes, and that this is best done by learning with and forming intimate relationships with Jews from across the spectrum. Students often teach the way they were taught, and therefore learning in a setting that models respect is important. Because of this conviction, our faculty are a balanced mix of learned men and women representing Conservative, Reform, Orthodox, Reconstructionist and Post-denominational approaches to Torah and Jewish observances. They aggress to teach passionately their approaches to Judaism, and to create a classroom atmosphere in which differing opinions are treated with respect.

Our students also represent a wide spectrum of ideological and halakhic differences, ranging from traditionally halakhically observant to liberal. They agree to learn from each other and to do the heard internal struggling that it takes to sort out one's beliefs in the face of differing but intellectually and spiritually valid positions. Our fundamental and fundamentalist position is that a religiously inclusive environment is the Jewish now and the Jewish future.

Rabbis And Cantors As Partners

All too often animosity and lack of support between rabbis and cantors impact negatively on the healthy functioning of synagogue communities. As in a marriage, partners bring different strengths to the relationship, and an underlying attitude, which seeks to empower each other's work, is vital to satisfactions and productivity. The Cantorial program at the Academy was added in 1992 to train cantors to serve clal Yisreal, and to give our rabbinic students an opportunity to learn to work as spiritual partners with cantors. Because we believe that the cantor and the rabbi serve as klei kodesh (holy vessels), we give semikhah (ordination) to our cantors as well as our rabbis.

Spirituality And Healing As Priorities-Personal, Communal and Global

The goal of tikkun olam (fixing of the world) has long been a Jewish mission. To achieve this we must personally have a strong sense of self-esteem and wholeness that allows us to manifest the love we seek for ourselves. Above all, we must learn to access the power of spirituality and faith, the power that brings "miracles" of Red Sea magnitude. American Jews are now openly hungry for this.

Spirituality cannot be learned from books alone. In Healing into Life and Death, Stephen Levine tells the following story:

"[There was] an intellectual youth who felt he could learn everything from books. He read about the stars and became an astronomer, he read about history and became an historian, he read about swimming and drowned."

Because we understand that text study is essential but not sufficient, for the past decade the Academy has been adding to its curriculum courses and workshops on spirituality such as Jewish meditation and healing, personal prayer, personal theology, personal mussar (ethical development), and issues in spiritual development.

We have been revisioning the role of mashgiach ruchani (spiritual director) so that is means one who has the wisdom to guide individuals with differing needs on the various pathways in Judaism. Is that our rabbis and cantors, having experiences the growth and healing that comes from spiritual guidance, will then be able to offer this mentoring to the synagogues and communities they serve.

An Example Of Spiritual Healing

Spiritual healing can manifest in many ways-in healing of faith, mental attitude, heart, or physical illness. This story is about the healing of a relationship, which required a shift in the first three categories.

Robert (not his real name) was a cantorial student in my mussar (ethics) class. He complained of the terrible way that the rabbi he worked for treated him, always finding a way to put down, or refuse his requests.

Believing that insensitive behavior is a result of personal pain, I suggested that he mediate for his rabbi's welfare, and pray that his rabbi receive whatever it was that he needed. At first Robert thought the suggestion preposterous. But I held my ground, and insisted that he try. Within two weeks, the relationship had shifted. The rabbi began to be a little more understanding, breaking the downward spiral. This breakthrough evolved into a wonderful partnership and friendship, and continued until Robert was ordained and left to take another position.

Serving The Wilder Jewish Community

We know that within every synagogue and Jewish organization, there exist people with varying Jewish needs. "One size fits all" does not work in the area of religion and spirituality. For example, in the area of prayer, some want traditional davvening, some want creative personal rituals, some want meditation, chanting, and silence. For this reason, we expose our students to teachers who are gifted in reaching out to Jews, whether in the manner of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (z"l), Rabbi Marshall Meyer (z"l), or Rabbi Roly Matalon, and Rabbi Shefa Gold.

Whether our students serve in affiliated or independent synagogues, chaplaincies or educational institutions, they can offer ways for the community to bond together while meeting the divergent needs of their constituents.

Providing For Today's Needs

It is so painful to see the tensions that individuals, families and communities are experiencing, here, in Israel, and around the globe. At the same time, it is inspiring to note the resurgences of interest in faith, in good works, and in tikkun olam, building a better world.

The best way to prepare a spiritual leader is to educate that person on the inside as well as on the outside. A rabbi whose sense of self-esteem is strong, who is able to give and receive love, and who experiences Jewish life as nurturing, life-enhancing path will be a magnet for all Jews.