Rabbinical Ordination and Master of Arts
HUC-JIR has been educating innovative and visionary Jewish leaders for nearly 150 years.
A transformative step in educating rabbis for the 21st century.
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is meeting the post-October 7th reality with a new rabbinical school curriculum designed to prepare students for the opportunities, rewards, and challenges of being a modern liberal rabbi. Whether in person at one of our flagship campuses or through our new virtual pathway, our world-class faculty teach students to apply Jewish texts, ideas, and experiences to address the most fundamental questions and pressing issues of our day.
The new virtual pathway expands access to the rabbinate.
HUC-JIR is expanding access to our rabbinical program to enable qualified, motivated students in diverse locations and circumstances to become the visionary, learned, spiritually rooted rabbis needed today.
Learn More about the Virtual Pathway
Applied Jewish Learning in the Classroom
Through the study of foundational Jewish texts in their original language, students grapple with the great issues of Jewish life, history, and thought with academic depth and intellectual curiosity. In a range of classes, students learn to apply Judaism’s rich heritage of texts, ideas, and experiences to address the pressing contemporary issues and existential questions that matter most today.
Hands-on Learning in the Field
The curriculum takes an integrated approach to Judaic studies, professional/leadership development, and spiritual formation as students apply what they learn in class to their student pulpits and internships. The curriculum offers hands-on learning opportunities through our tefilah leadership program, supervised fieldwork, clinical pastoral education, spiritual direction, and clergy formation mentoring.
An individual approach for each unique rabbinical journey.
Recognizing that rabbinical education involves a process of spiritual and professional formation that occurs at differing rates for students who enter with varied educational and professional backgrounds — and with distinct strengths and growth areas — the curriculum allows for a flexible and personalized educational experience.
The Rabbinical School Director will help students chart a journey toward ordination based on their prior education and Jewish and professional experiences. Students who have successfully completed prior graduate courses or a graduate degree at an accredited academic institution can transfer credits toward their rabbinical studies at HUC-JIR. Students are also able to complete a Prior Learning Assessment portfolio to determine eligibility for advanced standing or credit based on mastery of program requirements gained through nonaccredited learning opportunities and other experiences.
Outcomes-Based Education Tailored to Each Student’s Success
Our curriculum is outcomes-based, meaning that a student’s learning and growth are measured not simply by the number of courses completed or credits accrued, but by their demonstrated mastery of specific competencies, literacies, commitments, and orientations integral to the contemporary rabbinate.
A Groundbreaking New Course: Jewish Textual Interpretation
Our redesigned curriculum features an innovative new learning module called Jewish Textual Interpretation (JTI) that combines a daily beit midrash laboratory with seminar blocks for contextual instruction, discussion, and analysis.
Israel Is Foundational for HUC-JIR’s Seminary Programs
Study in and about Israel is central to HUC-JIR’s academic programs. Our immersive Israel experiences are designed to foster an in-depth and nuanced understanding of Israel’s rich and complex past and present, and to cultivate a firsthand appreciation of the interconnectedness of the Jewish People in Israel and around the globe.
Year-In-Israel at the Taube Family Campus
For over 50 years, the Year-in-Israel program on HUC-JIR’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem has provided the foundational, cohort-based first year of study for clergy students. Built on the three curricular pillars: Hebrew; Israel: Ancient and Modern; and Living in Jewish Time, the Year-In-Israel enables students to explore, wrestle with, and experience Israel in all its nuances and complexities.
Unique Rabbinical School Enrichment Opportunities
- Earn an M.A. in Jewish Nonprofit Management or Certificate in Jewish Organizational Leadership from the Zelikow School for Jewish Nonprofit Management: A summer program for students seeking to develop nonprofit expertise and expand their leadership toolbox.
- Enrich your rabbinical toolbox with immersive learning in Jewish Educational Leadership: Take courses with HUC-JIR’s renowned School of Education faculty and take advantage of educational fieldwork and mentorship.
- Spend a summer at the Los Angeles campus Beit Midrash: Dive deeply into Jewish text study with dedicated teachers and classmates.
Preparation for a Life of Sacred Service
Over 96% of rabbis ordained at HUC-JIR in the past five years have full-time positions at the time of ordination, serving Jewish communities worldwide at esteemed institutions and local organizations alike.
- Our students go on to serve in synagogues across the United States and around the globe, including Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.
