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Dear Friends,
It is truly a blessing to be able to provide you with information about the most recent accomplishments as well as the kavod (honor or recognition) that the Academy and those affiliated with it are garnering on a regular basis. With your help, may we continue to go from strength to strength!
Tamar Frankiel, PhD
President
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ORDINATION 2013 
On June 10, 2013, the Academy will be celebrating our eleventh ordination and graduation ceremony. Held at Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles, the event annually draws hundreds of friends, family and Academy supporters who come to honor this tremendous milestone in the lives of the ordinees and graduates. Seven rabbinic students will be ordained this year. They are Ilana Goldhaber-Gordon, PhD, Dov Gottesfeld, Robin Hoffman, Cantor Ron Li-Paz, Belle Michael, Robin Podolsky, and Batshir Torchio. One student, Sandy Bernstein, will be receiving her cantorial ordination and three students, Marsha Ronnie Abrams, Stephen Macht, and Jennifer Eaves Nye will be graduating from the Chaplaincy School. The ceremony will begin promptly at 7 pm and we urge everyone to attend this very moving and memorable occasion. If you would like to make a donation to the Academy in honor of one of our 2013 ordinees and graduates, please click here.
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AJRCA ANNOUNCES NEW DEGREE SPECIALIZATIONS
Lay leaders play an essential role in the Jewish world. Indeed, the most successful institutions and organizations rely on their lay leaders to further their mission and agenda. Now, the Academy is offering a unique opportunity for those who would like to translate their commitment to the Jewish community into practical service and obtain a graduate degree at the same time. Beginning in the Fall 2013 semester, the Academy will be offering new specializations in our Master of Jewish Studies (MJS) degree. The four specializations are "Jewish Communal Life," "Jewish Values and Ethics," "Interfaith Relations in Jewish Communities," and "Music in Jewish Life".These programs can be completed in less than two years for full time students and part-time study is also possible. Students will engage in graduate level learning in a stimulating environment where an outstanding faculty guides future rabbis, cantors, and chaplains - and now lay leaders as well. They will expand their knowledge of Judaism while developing practical skills to enhance community life, contribute to the success of their synagogue, or "open doors" into other creative communal work. According to AJRCA President, Dr. Tamar Frankiel, the new MJS specializations are reflective of "our continued and successful efforts to actualize our core mission: to educate Jewish leaders who can create healthy communities where Jews of all backgrounds and denominations can grow together toward well-being and wholeness." Interested individuals should contact Director of Admissions, Robin Federman, at 310-824-1586. |
 A YEAR IN REVIEW: THE RABBINICAL SCHOOL In addition to its ongoing work during the current Academic Year, the Rabbinical School has also implemented an important new initiative. Under the direction of Rabbinical School Dean, Rabbi Michael Menitoff, PhD, for the first time, the School has sought to constructively critique and engage senior "sermonizers" in lunch-time discussions at which AJRCA President, Dr. Tamar Frankiel and Rabbi Menitoff have been present, along with students and other members of the faculty. The discussion has focused on the particular senior student's D'var Torah given earlier in the day during the Shacharit service and, often times, has served as a point of departure for broader conversation. Each discussion has been aided by a "faculty facilitator" who has brought his/her unique perspective and teaching style to the conversation. The discussions have been facilitated by Dr. Frankiel, Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Dr. Joel Gereboff, Rabbi Eli Schochet, and Judy Aronson. Rabbi Menitoff has described the discussions as "uplifting, stimulating and inspirational," and has deemed the new initiative "uniquely helpful to all of us." Since the latter part of April, senior rabbinical students have also been presenting synopses of their academic theses; opportunities to pull together research and applied experience in chosen sub-fields of rabbinic studies. In some instances, rather than simply summarizing, students have talked about major issues related to the thesis itself. Each presentation has been followed by question and answers with the audience, as well as open discussion. In other news, the Rabbinical School has been working closely with both the Director of Placement and the Director of Internships to develop new and enhanced placement and student field-work opportunities. Finally, among its programming efforts during the 2012-13 Academic Year, the Rabbinical School, along with the Cantorial and Chaplaincy Schools, hosted Rabbi Elliott Dorff, PhD, Rector and Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy at American Jewish University and Chairman of the Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards who discussed "Homosexuality, Human Dignity, Halachah and Other Rabbinic Responsa." |
A YEAR IN REVIEW: THE CANTORIAL SHOOL
One of t he benefits of having such a talented group of students is the opportunity to highlight that talent, and AJRCA did just that by encouraging Cantorial School student-led shiurim (lessons) during the 2012-13 Academic Year. Under the guidance of Associate Dean, Cantor Perryne Anker, the students led one shiur on "Songs of Peace," and a second entitled "LaShir B'Kolot" ("Singing in Harmony"). Students in all years of the Cantorial School are involved with this now annual and much-anticipated programming with the aim of exposing others ("non-cantors") to the wealth and diversity of Jewish musical heritage. Programs include solos, duets, trios, and choral works. Shiurim are open not only to the broader AJRCA community: students, faculty, board members, administrators, alumni but also to the general public. In other news, on March 15th, a number of AJRCA Cantorial students participated in "Cantorfest-A Celebration of New Voices;" a gala concert of solos, duets and choral Shabbat music held at Wilshire Boulevard Temple under the direction of the synagogue's cantor, Cantor Don Gurney, who is also a member of AJRCA's faculty. In upcoming news, the School will be offering two new classes during the summer trimester. These include "Music in the Hebrew Bible," taught by AJRCA Professor of Music History, Cantor Jonathan Friedmann, Ph.D, '10 and "Guitar and Song Leading," taught by Guest Professor, Cantor Patti Linsky.
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A YEAR IN REVIEW: THE CHAPLAINCY SCHOOL
During the 2012-13 Academic Year, there were a number of new developments recognizing the importance of the work being done by the Chaplaincy School. The AJRCA Faculty approved a measure that makes the completion of one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) mandatory before graduation/ordination for all students in all three schools. In terms of enrollment, the Chaplaincy School doubled its' Clinical Pastoral Education classes and twelve students earned one unit of CPE which will apply to their eventual eligibility to become board certified chaplains. Further, to expand public outreach, the CPE Program opened its doors to the community for four evening lectures. The topics included creating change through interfaith relationships, music for healing, and the spiritual tools of Shabbat in crisis care. To provide ongoing support to and professional development for its graduates, the Chaplaincy School has inaugurated quarterly meetings for chaplaincy alumni. During the summer of 2013, the Chaplaincy School will be offering area chaplains, students of chaplaincy, and spiritual care departments cost-free "day of learning" opportunities in interreligious chaplaincy education. This important initiative was facilitated by a $10,000 grant that the Chaplaincy School received from the Scholl Foundation. Also over the summer, the Chaplaincy School will run its first full-time summer intensive interfaith CPE unit for community clergy, AJRCA students, and CLU students.
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 OPEN HOUSE 2013 On April 14th, the Academy sponsored a very successful Open House attended by seventeen potential students; a 70% increase from the previous year. AJRCA President, Dr. Tamar Frankiel, opened the program and welcomed attendees. She was followed by Director of Admissions, Robin Federman who introduced an "ice-breaker" by asking everyone to take something out of their purse, wallet, or pocket that either held special meaning or best described them. Rabbi Michael Menitoff, Dean of the Rabbinical School; Cantor Perryne Anker, Associate Dean of the Cantorial School; and Rabbi Rochelle Robins, Dean of the Chaplaincy School and Director of Clinical Pastoral Education then introduced themselves and their respective schools. Dr. Frankiel provided attendees with information about Interreligious Studies and our work as part of Claremont Lincoln University (CLU). In addition, she announced the new specializations in our Master of Jewish Studies (MJS) degree for lay leaders. (See article: "AJRCA Announces New Degree Specializations") Besides presentations from members of the Administration, attendees also heard from Cantorial student, Seth Ettinger representing the Va'ad; the student leadership of AJRCA and a unique and integral part of the school and of student life. Upon completion of the formal presentations and a musical performance by Cantorial student, Marsha Attie, attendees had the opportunity to speak with the Deans and/or attend one of several classes - "Intro to Hassidut," taught by Rabbi Avraham Greenstein; "The World of Piyyutim," with Rabbi J.B. Sacks; or "Twelve Prophets" with Dr. Marvin Sweeney. Just since the Open House, five of the seventeen potential students have moved forward in their application process. |
 CLAREMONT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY MOVES FORWARD
Over the past year AJRCA, as part of Claremont Lincoln University (CLU), co-sponsored a number of community programs as well as enhanced the programming for faculty and students. With regard to community programming, on November 26th AJRCA hosted, "Humility and Humiliation in the Abrahamic Traditions," the first of a three-part "Voices of Wisdom" Series, thought-provoking interfaith seminars presented by renowned scholars. The second lecture, "To Have and To Hold - Exploring the Love of God through the Abrahamic Traditions," was held on January 24th and the final program, "Jesus the Jew," was held on March 11th. Other community programming included the "Planetary Dance/Earth Run," described as "a communal dance of spiritual intentions," and held at CLU on April 22nd. Both the "Voices of Wisdom" series as well as the "Planetary Dance/Earth Run" were supported, in part, by the Cutting Edge Grant that the Academy received from the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles. In other CLU-related news, chevruta study among faculty was expanded, with nine faculty members involved this year. The student programs have also been enhanced with a teaching assistant at CLU, Bhikshuni Lozang Trinlae, assigned to the Masters program in Interreligious Studies, and an AJRCA rabbinical student, Mindie Jo Snyder, assigned to event planning and coordination across campuses.
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ANGELL FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT
On January 30, 2013, it was announced that AJRCA was one of sixteen institutions/organizations selected to be part of the LA-based Angell Foundation's Organizational Spirituality Initiative (OSI). In addition to a $10,000 cash grant, the Academy is receiving support for inter-organizational gatherings, online learning opportunities, and the services of professional consultants, enabling AJRCA to adopt a new leadership training approach that will help sustain sensitive leadership and healthy organizational practices for the long term. On March 7 and 8, nine AJRCA leaders attended the first OSI conference held in Pomona. The group included our President, three of the Deans, the Director of Spiritual Development Seminars, the WASC Liaison, and our Registrar, as well as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the Board's Academic Affairs Committee. The conference facilitators, John Ott and Rose Pinard of the Center for Collective Wisdom, taught a framework for developing individual and collective leadership within the institutions/organizations. Under the Angell Foundation grant, the AJRCA delegation will now convene a design team to plan the next two years of work that will infuse creative leadership ideas throughout the Academy.
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 AJRCA "IN THE FIELD": INTERNSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHLAND AND BEYOND Over the years, AJRCA Rabbinical, Cantorial and Chaplaincy students have held internships at synagogues, hospitals and various other Jewish institutions throughout the LA area and beyond. This was also the case during the 2012-13 Academic Year. The value of our transdenominational approach to the training of Jewish spiritual leaders was reflected in the fact that AJRCA student interns worked at synagogues of various denominations including LA's Sinai Temple (Conservative), Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco (Reform), Shir Chadash in Lakewood (transdenominational), Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles (Reform), Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills (Reform), Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock (Conservative), Ohr Ha'Torah (transdenominational) in Los Angeles and Valley Village's Temple Beth Hillel (Reform). Our students also held internships at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, Skirball Hospice, Sinai Hospice and Beit Teshuvah. Two students held interfaith internships, one at California Lutheran University and the other at Woodland Hills Community Church. If you know of an organization or institution that would be interested in having an AJRCA student intern, please contact Rabbi Faith Tessler, '07 AJRCA Director of Internships, at 310-824-1586 or rabbifaith@ajrca.org. |
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If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming a student at the Academy, please contact Robin Federman, AJRCA Director of Admissions and recruitment at 310-824-1586, ext. 451 or rfederman@ajrca.org.
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