Traditionally, it takes around 4-5 years of time to get completely ordained as Rabbi from a mainstream seminary, with one year spent in Israel.

JSLI’s online Rabbinical school offers an all-inclusive one-year ordination program for applicants with the necessary skill sets. The institute recognizes your skills and real-life experiences and is considered a program for Jewish professionals seeking to fulfill a life-long dream.

At the end of the conclusion of your study with the Jewish Spiritual Leaders’ Institute, you will be ordained and receive S’micha at an online Ordination/Shabbaton weekend.

A Jewish person who possesses the necessary skill-sets and is called to serving the Jewish Community is welcome to apply to study at JSLI.

When a person converts to Judaism, she is Jewish. We welcome Jews By Choice to study with us and become ordained as Rabbis.

Women have generally not served as Rabbis up until the 1970s, when the elite Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion started ordaining women Rabbis. While Orthodox Judaism struggles with the role of woman as Rabbis, they are ordained within all the other branches of Judaism.

The online program makes the entire process of education very interactive with live classes and instant communication. You are literally saved from the trouble of traveling to a far-off seminary every week, as everything is planned for you to access within the comfort and convenience of home.

Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI) utilizes advanced technology with a virtual learning system that is accessible from even the remotest of locations. Students interact with the teacher and the other students through video conferencing.

In the course of online video conferencing, the subject areas include weekly Torah study, Shabbat, Eschatology (Life after death), Jewish Conversion, prayer liturgy, the High Holidays, Festivals and so much more.

Live demonstrations are done to train the aspiring Rabbis how to officiate at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, and how to prepare and deliver sermons.

In combination with the weekly classes, the entire course material and the assignments are accessible on the learning management system.

The classes include a healthy discussion on the topic for the day, giving an opportunity to clear the doubts by asking questions directly to the teacher.

JSLI’s  Rabbinical School is committed to making it financially feasible for potential candidates to pursue a comprehensive Rabbinical education at a fraction of cost, in comparison to traditional seminaries. Visit here to see the current fees.

Well, the short answer is a lot!

With the emergence of online schools in the 21^st century, things have become more convenient and affordable. For someone who does not have the financial means for a traditional seminary, studying at JSLI is a practical choice.

With the emergence of online schools in the 21^st century, things have become more convenient and affordable. For someone who does not have the financial means for a traditional seminary, studying at JSLI is a practical choice.

JSLI Ordains Cantors who complete their course of study in Nusach (religious melodies), liturgy and life-cycle courses.

Over the years, there has been a significant shift in the role of a Cantor. Rather than just being responsible for the musical elements of the service, they have full clergy status. There is a difference between ordination and investiture, or more specifically the latter term is used to make a clear distinction between Cantors and Rabbis. However, different movements have different perception towards Cantors being ordained.

For Cantors who serve in association with Rabbis, it’s imperative for the congregation to realize that the Cantor is not there just as a musician, but (s)he is there to serve and help followers with all aspects of Jewish life. No one can take away the position of Rabbi as the final leader of the congregation, but understanding the role of a Cantor beyond musical elements is equally important.

The change that has been long thought of, is a matter of concern for many who believe ordination of Cantors will blur the lines between them and Rabbis. Those who fully support the decision to give Cantors a professional status are intellectual people rather than the passionate ones, who are firm on their opinion of ordaining Cantors as something that can challenge reason and reality.

Yes, they do get paid.

Also known by the name of Hazzan, the role of Cantor is one of the two ministerial positions in a Jewish Synagogue, the other being a Rabbi. The main responsibility of a Cantor is to present liturgical music that helps in clarifying studies and prayers in a synagogue or temple. This music augments the experience of worshippers, as the Cantor leads them in prayer.

When the congregation selects a candidate for this prestigious position, historically a starting salary is decided through negotiation. Part-time positions especially for the High Holidays are very common.

The Cantorial profession is in decline as memberships in communities have dwindled and synagogue budgets are greatly challenged. Still, there are Cantors who serve as sole Spiritual Leaders of their communites.

JSLI prepares students to “daven” (pray) with traditional “Nusach” (religious musical modes).

Yes, there are female Cantors. Up until the 1970s, becoming a Cantor was still deemed a male privilege. However by the end of 19^th century, Jewish women had taken on important roles in the rapidly developing cultural phenomena. Not only did they start participating in a wide assortment of dramatic productions, but also singing liturgical chants and religious hymns of spiritual significance.

Sally J. Preisand was the first female to be ordained as Rabbi in 1972 from the HUC-JIR. Till that time, women were only educated in liturgical music in order to serve congregations as choral leaders and music teachers. The Reform Movement began accrediting female music students for formal Cantorial studies, following the ordination of female Rabbis. The first woman to be ordained as a female Cantor was Barbara Ostfeld-Horowitz in 1975. It was just around this time when women started gaining elevated positions in religious institutions to carry out spiritual activities.

Not only do female Cantors exist in good numbers, but they have also changed the way in which prayer is offered, received or heard. Modern-day female Cantors hold positions in many synagogues and temples, breaking the gender stereotype.

Amid all the arguments that continue revolving around the female Cantorial profession, leading voices have increasingly come forth from the Jewish women leaders in observances of the faith. They present dedicated Jewish music programs, compose and arrange liturgical works, train choirs and fulfill vital duties as music educators, which includes training of both boys and girls.

JSLI provides a complete online Cantorial training with four musical modules of study; festivals, weekdays, Shabbat and High Holidays. All are welcome! Talk to us to learn more.

Yes. In fact, a Cantor with comprehensive knowledge about prayers and melodies, and someone with good moral character can perform religious ceremonies (weddings, funerals, etc.) and lead prayer services in synagogues. Cantors often take the leading position in absence of a Rabbi.

Professional Cantors are ordained clergy and their most important duty is to lead the worship Services and to chant Torah readings.

Cantors perform pastoral duties that were once restricted to Rabbis. This includes educating and inspiring the congregation, conducting rituals at funerals as well as weddings and paying a visit to sick congregants.

A majority of non-Orthodox Jews rejoice in the occasion of Bat Mitzvah in the same way as the boy’s Bar Mitzvah. Cantors are well equipped to train both girls and boys to prepare them for their B’nai Mitzvot and to lead the service.

JSLI trains Cantors to meet the needs of modern Jews.

Our Curriculum has been derived from the Jewish musical tradition.

At JSLI, we have found that it takes about two years to complete your study. We offer a practical, formal Cantorial program with a mission to teach our beautiful traditional “nusach” (liturgical melodies) for the High Holidays, Shabbat, Weekdays and Festivals.

Upon completion of study, the individual receives an ordination as Hazan/Cantor.

JSLI educates Rabbis and Cantors through the lens of Conservative Judaism because one must be rooted in tradition to understand the best ways to evolve to meet the needs of interfaith couples and unaffiliated Jews.

A rabbi ordained through JSLI is not required to adhere to the dogma of any particular Jewish movement, but rather encouraged to continue to grow in his or her personal faith and to meet the needs of the communities in which they serve.

Rabbi Blane is the founder of Jewish Universalism (UJUC.org).  Its seven key doctrines are:

• The Holy Book of Torah is divinely inspired
• Jewish Universalism honors our Jewish teachings, traditions, texts, and rituals, and seeks to repair the world through compassionate actions.
• There is one and only one god!
• Judaism is a continually developing spiritual practice
• One’s religion is not the single source of truth, and all paths to the divine are Holy in equal measures.
• People who follow the command to love their neighbors as they love themselves are the ‘chosen’ ones.
• Everyone is welcome to participate in Jewish worship and rituals.

According to Rabbi Blane, stepping a foot towards the path of the divine is all about understanding that G-d is communicated, explained, and established by ‘sacred myth’, which does not weaken the Torah or the holiness of its writings.

A Rabbi is not conferred with a holy status and a special authority to carry out sacred rituals. He is just like any other member of Jewish Community, but with a greater amount of knowledge than the others.

Rabbi is simply a teacher and a leader who is sufficiently educated in Jewish Law (Halakhah) and tradition. His/her main duty is to be an instructor and assistant for the congregants who seek advice regarding the religious activities.

After obtaining the Rabbinical ordination or S’micha, rabbis inform and guide decisions at the synagogue. Their role is not only confined to being a spiritual leader, but an educator, a counselor and a role model.

Typical duties of an ordained Rabbi include leading spiritual services such as officiating at life-cycle events of Bat Mitzvahs and Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, baby naming ceremonies, High Holiday and Shabbat services on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah.

A Rabbi is more than just an officiator of religious observances. He or she is the one required to encourage growth, and foster unity among his respective congregation and the greater community.

Known by the name of Chazzan in Jewish community, a Cantor is someone who is well trained in the musical choirs and elements of the religion, and is basically an ‘overseer’. A Cantor’s main duty is to lead the congregation in prayer in association with the Rabbi.

Modern day Cantors, especially the conservative and reform Jewish are generally trained in Cantorial schools and become an ordained clergy, with an in-depth knowledge about prayer services. Sometimes they act as both Rabbi and Cantor.

Apart from leading the prayer services, a Cantor typically has a number of responsibilities that may vary from one synagogue to the other. This is generally applicable to Conservative and Reform synagogues. Their duties include leading life-cycle events, working with the choir, teaching members how to participate in prayer services and teaching bat/bar mitzvah boys and girls to read from the holy book of Torah.

One of the most important duties of a professional Cantor is to educate young people to lead a Shabbat service or a part of it to chant the Haftarah or Torah reading ceremony. They can also participate in pastoral duties that were once confined only to Rabbis. Such activities include conducting funerals and weddings, teaching adult education classes and visiting congregants in a pastoral role.

An ideal Cantor is expected to work closely in association with Rabbi to instruct and motivate the congregation.

The Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI) is the world’s first liberal Jewish online seminary in which the participants attend live classes through web video conferencing (Zoom) and which offers a comprehensive online curriculum through a Learning Management System.

That being said, many of our students establish friendships and meet outside of class.

Since the arrival of Covid, we are a fully online institution.  You will meet your instructors and fellow students online every week. And you will spend Shabbat together online for our Ordination Weekend/Shabbaton!