2nd ACRE Convention

On October 15^th at the second conference of Alliance for Continuing Rabbinic Education conference in New York, there was lively and thoughtful discussion about how Jewish community can move forward the field of Continuing Rabbinic Education (CRE). What has emerged for me strongly through my involvement in ACRE and was solidified at this year’s conference is that much of the need for CRE stems from the rapidly changing world of the rabbinate. It is not so much that the rabbi has abandoned the traditional roles and obligations of that position but that those historic modes are shifting and being added to and expanded on an ongoing basis.

The morning program for the conference was a perfect example of this expansion. Our opening Torah study session included not only the traditional Torah text but also quiet moments in which we were encouraged by presenter Shai Gluskin to Twitter thoughts about the text. Our second session included presentations by Tobin Belzer and Elie Kaunfer who spoke about the current trends for Jews in their 20s and 30s. Both Belzer and Kaunfer spoke about innovations but also stressed the continuities. While no one questions the importance of the traditional functions rabbis play in synagogue life, they much also adapt to a world in which there are independent minyanim, small interest groups of Jews, and young people who want to be engaged in innovative programming. There are more ways than every to reach Jews and Jews are demanding greater diversity of attention and connection.

Dr. Tobin Belzer

Study is at the core of excellence and agility. Content knowledge can feed the thirst of our community to know more and connect better. Skills and reflective practice will make us better able to respond to and lead change.

The question of how best to encourage study is highly political and will demand deep soul searching on the part of the existing organizations and interest groups. The what needs to be learned cannot be easily defined, not only because the work of rabbis is changing but also because the knowledge that rabbis have varies so greatly. The only point of consensus is that rabbinical school should only be seen as a beginning.

For a calendar of ongoing study options for rabbis offered by ACRE constituent groups please see the ACRE data base.

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