A rabbi is, first of all, a teacher. The word rabbi means “my teacher.” A rabbi isn’t a priest or a go-between with God. A rabbi is someone learned enough in Jewish text, law and tradition to guide a community and make Judaism come alive for the people in it.
What rabbis do
- Teach: Torah study, adult education, conversion students and b’nai mitzvah
- Lead prayer: Shabbat, holiday and High Holiday services, and sermons
- Officiate lifecycle events: baby namings, b’nai mitzvah, weddings and funerals
- Offer pastoral care: visiting the sick, sitting with mourners, counseling individuals and families
- Guide decisions: helping people apply Jewish law and values to their lives
- Build community: encouraging growth, welcoming newcomers, and connecting the congregation with the wider community, including other faiths
Many kinds of rabbinates
Not every rabbi leads a synagogue. Rabbis also serve as hospital, hospice and military chaplains, educators, community leaders, and independent rabbis who officiate for families with no synagogue. JSLI graduates serve in all of these roles.
JSLI’s curriculum is built around this real work, with weekly sermon writing, pastoral counseling, and hands-on lifecycle training. See How to Become a Rabbi and the Rabbinical School Curriculum.