[HANASHIR:4803] Re: HANASHIR digest 763

[Ellen Allard <ellen...>]

Yo Adrian! (Isn't that a line from the movie Rocky?) I couldn't have said it
better.

Ellen Allard
Worcester, MA

----------
>From: "Adrian Durlester" <durleste (at) home(dot)com>
>To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: [HANASHIR:4801] Re: HANASHIR digest 763
>Date: Thu, Jan 6, 2000, 2:03 PM
>

> 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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