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 other rabbis trained by JSLI - make it their aim to focus on them. 

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.

Universalism

Rabbi Blane is a Universalist Jew, and while JSLI encourages the Universalist philosophy, students are multi-denominational and affiliate with the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist movements.

Jewish Universalism, as interpreted by Rabbi Blane, believes the following: 

• While traditional Judaism teaches that God chose the Jewish people to be in a unique covenant with G-d and were charged by the Torah to be a light unto the nations, this view does not preclude a belief that G-d has a relationship with all other peoples too. 
• All faiths are loved and supported by G-d, and all paths to the divine are equally holy. G-d does not choose a favorite child. 
• We should never fear nor diminish any other paths that people take to reach G-d. 
• We can accomplish "Tikkun Olam" (repairing the world through shared responsibility with G-d) through having an unconditional acceptance of each other's peaceful doctrine and through "G'milut Chasadim" (acts of loving kindness). 

Jewish Universalism therefore goes beyond religious tolerance, which is the condition of peaceful existence between adherents of different religions or religious denominations. 

Biblical references as well as rabbinic literature support this Universalist view. For example: 

• Moses refers to the "source of the breath of all flesh" (Numbers 27:16) to appoint someone over the community of Israel. 
• In the classic story of the prophet Bilam and his donkey, the Torah identifies and acknowledges a prophet outside the community of Israel. 
• The Mishnah states that anyone who kills or saves a single human - not Jewish - life, has done the same to the entire world. 
• The Talmud states: "Righteous people of all nations have a share in the world to come" (Sanhedrim 105a). 

JSLI's Code of Ethics and Statement of Faith

The JSLI has its own Code of Ethics and Statement of Faith, 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. 

About Rabbi Blane

Rabbi Blane began his professional cantorial career in 1991, at Congregation Beth Israel in Biloxi, MS. Although he was ordained a rabbi in June 2001, he continued to serve as cantor until 2006 at different (consecutive) Conservative and Reform temples around the country. During this time and until 2009, Rabbi Blane was a member of the Cantor's Assembly - an international and highly regarded association of cantors affiliated with Conservative Judaism. However, he resigned after being offered either resignation or expulsion when he began officiating at interfaith weddings.

Between 2006 and 2009, Rabbi Blane served as rabbi and spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tikvah (a Conservative community in New Milford, NJ). He has also led services in Lubavitch, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform communities since his ordination. However, he always feels most comfortable among the most progressive Jewish movements, and it was while serving at Congregation Beth Tikvah that he realized he had a progressive mission, too: 

"I was unhappy; I was sad. Yes, I was doing well - I was serving a lovely community and I was making a good salary. But I was not growing: my vision was much larger than I could realize in the Conservative or any particular movement. And so I left the traditional pulpit to journey on my own."

That journey has been extensive and fruitful. It has led to Sim Shalom - an interactive, online and free Jewish synagogue, which - like JSLI - meets the needs of unaffiliated Jews and interfaith couples and espouses the Universalist philosophy. Find out more about Sim Shalom.

It has also led, of course, to JSLI's Rabbinical School and other Judaism courses. 

Rabbi Blane's overarching commitment is to nurture, heal and bring joy to the community. His mantra? 

"No is not in G-d's vocabulary."

Rabbi Blane is a member of the International Federation of Rabbis - a professional organization whose viewpoint is closely aligned to his own: a commitment to Jewish tradition and yet a realization of the need to facilitate and adapt to a changing Judaism in the 21st century. 

Music has always played a huge part in Rabbi Blane's life - both inside and outside of synagogue. He majored in Voice and obtained a B.A. in Music Education from Jersey City University. Following college, he performed as a singer/actor off and on Broadway, most notably in the show "Strider" in 1978-1979. He was a film extra in "The Chosen" (don't blink) and wrote an Off-Off Broadway musical, which he produced in 1981. In 1986 he co-founded Blane & DeRosa Productions, an audiobook and children's audio production company. To date, the company has produced thousands of audio recordings for major publishers. 

Rabbi Blane plays guitar, piano and ukelele, and he loves to sing Jazz Standards.

For more information on Rabbi Blane, visit Rabbi.Net.