Why JSLI?

If you are on this website and reading this page, perhaps you've had a calling to become a rabbi or a cantor. We understand your desire- we too have traveled that path. So now you are researching your options and you are embarking on an exciting but contemplative journey. Your soul thirsts for renewal and you are driven to find the right place to begin your studies.

If your background is Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal, Humanistic or another denomination, your path may seem clear. Apply and get accepted to your denomination's Rabbinical or Cantorial Seminary and spend a minimum of four years in full-time study to become ordained.

But then again, perhaps your path is not so clear. Maybe you are not really sure about which movement- if any- truly resonates for you. You may consider yourself to be post-denominational, pluralistic or humanistic. Or simply you may not have the resources or even feel comfortable investing so much money in your studies. You may not even consider uprooting or separating from your family while you pursue your ordination. It should not surprise you that once you obtain your ordination from any movement, job placement is not a guarantee. 

JSLI offers a practical option for a liberal rabbinate. JSLI focuses on training Spiritual Leaders who will minister to the needs of the non-denominational, unaffiliated  and intermarried which comprise almost 50% of the Jewish demographic in the USA.

Many Conservative and Reform synagogues are merging, downsizing or closing. The entire synagogue employment paradigm is shifting. The traditional synagogue membership model is at best, challenged to even maintain the status quo and retain members. The future is certain to offer less opportunities for Jewish clergy within mainstream movements.

Your training will hone your skills and prepare you to create or maintain and grow your own community- one which is not dependent upon the synagogue model of the past, and one which will articulate and define the model of the future.


JSLI is multi-denominational and not affiliated with any particular Jewish movement. Now more than ever, there is a need for Spiritual Leaders trained in a new paradigm for a promising and exciting era.