[HANASHIR:4801] Re: HANASHIR digest 763

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Although I have the greatest respect for those who have received their
ordination from HUC, I cannot left unsaid my feelings on this issue.

Somewhere along the way, liberal Judaism mistakenly adopted the model of
modern-day academia as its standard for training rabbis, cantors and
educators. While we all want well-educated leaders in these positions, the
insistence upon only one accredited institution (four "branches" still count
as one institution for Reform) and upon adherence to an American academic
model of training and certification that tends to make people jump through
all the same hoops leads to exclusivity, and is a detriment to Judaism. For
all the hundreds of students who have gone on to become rabbis, cantors, etc
at HUC, there are hundreds more who did not get the opportunity.

I am a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School. My Xtian friends have
opportunities that we Jews do not. The possibility of ordination is open to
anyone who chooses to pursue it. They may not get it, but they are certainly
free to try. They have (in many cases) a plethora of institutions at which
they may study. Most of them are fully accredited programs.

My orthodox friends have similar opportunities for study. In fact, one can
even get s'micha through independent study and the approval of a trio of
rabbis. It still happens these days. Why must the liberal Jewish movements
persist in resisting this time-tested model? Perhaps this is one reason
Xtianity flourishes while Judaism struggles along.

I have heard, over and over, the argument that students should not attend
and get the s'micha from AJR or RRC because they won't find work at UAHC
congregations. This is a shanda, and the UAHC, the CCAR, ACC et al and UAHC
member congregations should be ashamed. Would a Reform congregation turn
down a rabbi who was ordained at JTS or Yeshiva University, if that rabbi
happened to fit well with the congregation? Why should those who attend AJR,
or RRC not be given equal consideration? Isn't the way that HUC, CCAR and
the ACC look down upon other institutions just like the way the Orthodox in
Israel look down upon the liberal movements?!!!

Are faculty at HUC, JTS, UJ, YU the only qualified scholars in the world to
train potential rabbonim and cantors? When will the liberal movements drop
this bizarre adoption of tightly controlled academic ordaining institutions
in favor of a more flexible, open and truly Jewish system?

Adrian
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788 Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions) http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org]On
Behalf Of Judith Rowland
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 11:30 AM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:4793] Re: HANASHIR digest 763


To all those thinking about cantorial programs, you should understand
that graduates of these programs are not recognized by the ACC as
cantors. The best place to study for the cantorate is at HUC. The only
acceptable alternative is the ACC/HUC Certification program. If you want
more information on that program you should contact the ACC.
Cantor Judith K. Rowland
Baltimore Hebrew Congregation


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