The Need is Critical for a Reimagined Approach to Rabbinic Education
Our Response
CCJ is building a rabbinical school that serves the communities where access to congregational rabbis and rabbinical education has been severely limited.
The American Jewish community is facing a nationwide crisis in the congregational rabbinate, driven by accelerating retirements and a rapid decline in enrollment at non-Orthodox seminaries. This shortage is particularly acute in the Midwest, South and Mountain West regions, where congregations struggle to recruit rabbis.
By May 2026, there will be no non-Orthodox rabbinical school between our two coasts. CCJ will address the dire need for a rabbinical school for Liberal Judaism in the middle of the country.
Rabbinic leadership is vital for Jewish communities to thrive. Sadly, the retirement of baby-boom generation rabbis is accelerating, attendance at in-residence seminaries is declining, and Hebrew Union College is closing its Cincinnati campus. There is now a severe and growing shortage of rabbis nationwide, and especially between the coasts, leaving congregations in the Midwest, South, and Mountain West without access to strong rabbinic leadership. This, as many North American Jews across generations are seeking greater connections to Judaism and Jewish life. We see an opportunity to address these challenges and reinstate rabbinic education where it is urgently needed.
We are a team of rabbis, professors, and lay leaders reimagining rabbinic education in mid-America. Over the past several years, we’ve researched Jewish community needs, interviewed rabbis, and utilized Design Thinking to create an immersive, adaptable, and relevant learning experience anchored in Jewish tradition, yet focused on a vital Jewish future. Our seminary will cultivate rabbis who both learn and live Torah—compassionate leaders who embody Jewish wisdom, ethics, and values. Join us in shaping the future of Jewish leadership in America.
