ב"ה
Contact: Rabbi Ronald D. Price, dean
(201)801-0707 ext. 204
Teaneck, N.J., May 21, 2001 – To help fight the dearth of qualified candidates for rabbinic study affecting the Jewish movements throughout North America, the Union for Traditional Judaism today announced a unique program to provide intensive, one-year preparation for students who can then apply for training in the rabbinic program of their choice.
The new Mekhinah Program will be offered by the UTJ's Institute of Traditional Judaism (the Metivta). It will offer a year of in-depth study of classical Jewish texts. The program will also be open to lay people – both men and women -- interested in a year of intensive beginner's training in Jewish texts and observance.
“Many potential candidates for rabbinic study are intellectually capable and religiously committed, but cannot begin serious Torah study because of a lack of textual skills and experience,” said Rabbi Ronald D. Price, dean of the Metivta. “The American Jewish community cannot afford to lose these potential rabbis. The UTJ's Mekhinah program is a unique effort to address this problem for the benefit of all Klal Yisrael.”
The program will begin this fall at the Metivta's Teaneck, NJ campus with classes in Biblical and Aramaic grammar, Bible, Talmud, Jewish law and Jewish thought, with the emphasis on developing skills in reading and understanding classical Hebrew text.
“The motto of the Metivta is emunah tzerufah v'yosher da'at (genuine faith and intellectual integrity),” said Rabbi Price. “The Jewish community suffers from a dearth of rabbinic leaders and laypeople who are committed to both. We hope that a year in our Mekhinah program will help to create those rabbis and lay people, regardless of the movement affiliation they choose.”
The Metivta also offers a three-to-five year rabbinical training (smikhah) program and a Master of Public Administration degree with a specialization in Jewish communal service. The MPA program is a joint program with Fairleigh Dickinson University.
The Institute of Traditional Judaism (the Metivta) was created in 1991 as the rabbinical training program of the Union for Traditional Judaism. The Institute is headed by world renowned Talmudic scholar Rabbi David Weiss Halivni.
The Union for Traditional Judaism is a trans-denominational education and outreach organization that supports and encourages traditional Jewish practice among individuals, congregations, institutions, scholars and religious leaders across the spectrum of the Jewish community. Its programs and resources are used by synagogues, schools and other Jewish institutions from all Jewish movements. Its goal is to bring the greatest number of North American Jews closer to an open-minded, observant Jewish life
For more information on the one-year preparatory Mekhinah program, or any of the other ITJ programs, call 1(201 )801-0707 or email rprice@utj.org.