New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "My Rabbinic ordination from JSLI allowed me to fullfill a quest of 35 years. I was encouraged along the path by Rabbi Steven Blane and my fellow Rabbinical students from diverse backgrounds." Rabbi Norman Maybloom
The Jewish Spiritual Leaders'
Institute (JSLI) Online Rabbinical School has matriculated its 10th class of rabbinical students. These students will receive their semicha, or certificate of ordination, in January, 2016, and their class will yield the 101st rabbi to graduate from the JSLI's innovative online school.
The Jewish Spiritual Leaders'
Institute is multi denominational and candidates come from all branches of Judaism as well as all arenas of professional life. Class #10 includes Spiritual Leaders of Congregations across the country, Jewish Educators, Cantors, an Attorney, and a PhD. The students are also parents and proud grandparents, many who have wished for this opportunity for many years.
These students, whose beliefs cover a wide range of Jewish tenets, will be trained within the inclusive doctrinal context of Sim Shalom and Jewish Universalism. Jewish Universalism honors Jewish rituals, traditions, teaching and texts, and seeks to repair the world - tikkun olam - through acts of loving kindness. The core curriculum will include Torah, History, Rabbinics, Liturgy and Ritual, as well as professional development and the practicalities of leading Jewish Life
Cycle events.
In addition to attendance of and participation in weekly online study groups (via video conferencing), students are required to study weekly Torah segments, and present Divrey Torah each class session as either scholarly interpretations (drashot) or as sermons. They lead services, make a professional presentation to the school of 100+ student and alumni and write a final dissertation on a topic mutually agreed on by they and Rabbi Blane.
Students also attend weekly services at Jewish houses of worship, as well as occasional services at non-Jewish houses - to gain an intrinsic understanding of the modern world's array of faiths. "We can only accomplish tikkun olam by our unconditional acceptance of each other's peaceful doctrines, and we should never fear or diminish in any way the paths of all peoples of the world," said Rabbi Blane.
A previous graduate of the JSLI school, Rabbi Eric Morgenstern, noted: "Rabbi Blane and JSLI provided me with the rare sense in life that 'I am at the right place, at the right time.' The course of study creates a true sense of harmony."
About Sim Shalom and JSLI:
Sim Shalom is an interactive online Jewish Universalist synagogue which is liberal in thought and traditional in liturgy. Created in 2009 by Rabbi Steven Blane on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Sim Shalom offers a means of connecting the unconnected. Rabbi Blane leads accessible and short Kabbalt Shabbat services every Friday night using a virtual interface and additionally Sim Shalom provides online education programs, Jazz concerts, conversion and life-cycle ceremonies along with weeknight services at 7:00PM EST led by Rabbis and students of this online community.
Rabbi Blane is also the founder and dean of the Jewish Spiritual Leader's Institute,
https://www.jsli.net, a rabbinical school for professionals.
