Article about my rabbinic school
August 28, 2015
There's a lovely article by Rachel Kurland about the ALEPH Ordination Programs in the Jewish Exponent this week. Here's how it begins:
California students call in at breakfast. East Coast students sign on during lunch. European students check in at dinner. Israeli students log in at night. Some even chat at 2:30 in the morning.The ALEPH Ordination Program is not like any other rabbinical school or seminary. The program teaches people from all over the country and the world. And this year, the school will be teaching more students than ever...
Here's the part of the article which resonated most for me -- these are quotations from the dean of the program, Rabbi Marcia Prager:
Rather than just living with what Prager called “a schmear of Judaism,” Jewish Renewal embraces all aspects of Jewish expression for the body, mind, spirit and soul.“For me personally, Jewish Renewal as an approach to Jewish life has offered us a way to blend tradition and innovation, to bring artistry, creativity, engagement, joy, passion, embodiment, to all the forms of Jewish expression that make up Jewish life,” she said.According to Prager, this incoming class is comprised of a generation of students who are passionate about learning and committed to making a contribution to the world for the future of Jewish legacy, and students are attracted to what she called the “heart-centered” learning style of the program.She added that students must not only be masters of text but of heart and soul, which is why they choose to study with ALEPH.
Read it here: ALEPH Ordination Programs Welcomes Largest Incoming Class.
(And if that interests you, you might also enjoy a post I wrote last year: What was the ALEPH rabbinic program like?)