JSLI is a unique, fully online Rabbinical School
For those qualified, JSLI’s Rabbinical School is an online program leading to Ordination as a Rabbi with one year of study. We are trans-denominational, meaning that students of all Jewish denominations and backgrounds can study with us and upon meeting our requirements for ordination, receive Semicha.
We explore Halacha (Rabbinical Law), Liturgy and Rituals and prepare you to utilize your skills and life-experience to become a rabbi.
At the end of your study, you will participate in an online Shabbaton weekend culminating in an ordination ceremony and be granted S’micha as a fully ordained rabbi.
At JSLI, there’s no need to relocate yourself or your family. Simply join your classmates live at our online rabbinical seminary every week.
We may not be learning together physically, but we still have a warm and thriving online community. And, after you become ordained as a Rabbi, we have a wonderful support system on our private JSLI Facebook page where we share life’s journeys and rabbinical resources.
Given that we are an online virtual technology driven program, you will be obligated to have appropriate hardware (i.e. a computer/iPad) and software to accomplish the required work. We will train you on the use of all technology related to JSLI. But as you know technology is always evolving. It is your responsibility to keep your hardware and software up-to-date.
JSLI’s mission
Rabbi and Cantor Blane is the founder and dean of JSLI. He believes there is a great need to train and prepare liberal rabbis to meet the needs of millions of unaffiliated Jews and interfaith couples and their families. These groups of people generally don’t belong to a synagogue and don’t attend synagogue regularly, but they still have a respect for Jewish life cycles and holidays. They are largely ignored by other communities, and Rabbi Blane – and rabbis trained by JSLI – make it their aim to focus on them. Also, Covid has forever altered the paradigm of worship and our rabbis are trained to use technology to the benefit of their communities.
The Jewish unaffiliated and interfaith make up more than half of the world’s population, and it’s important to remember them if we are to encourage the continuation of and respect for our religion.
JSLI’s Code of Ethics and Statement of Faith
The JSLI has its own Code of Ethics, which it strongly abides by. Prospective students of JSLI must ensure they agree with and will abide by both before committing to any one of our programs.