Specialization in Aging

Students who wish to delve more intensively into aging issues and the rabbinate can choose to earn a certificate in aging.

Read about how the certificate training has proved valuable:
Rabbi Natan Fenner's story
Rabbi Yaffa-Shira Sultan's story

To earn the certificate, students must complete the following requirements:

• a prescribed set of practical rabbinics courses including Life Cycle, Homiletics, Group Work, Pastoral Counseling and Serving a Graying Jewish Community: An Introduction to Aging

• two of the following specialized courses: The End of Life: Theological, Pastoral and Ethical Perspectives; Crown of Glory: Classical Jewish Perspectives on Aging; Adult Jewish Education; and Jewish Biomedical Ethics

• two semesters of the seminar Shades of Gray: Exploring Spiritual Dimensions of Aging

In addition, students must complete: two full-year, clinically supervised, approved internships serving elders at least 10 hours per week, or one full-year and one summer clinical internship program with an equivalent number of hours. Students serving elders in these and other internships may participate in group clinical supervision at RRC to reflect on their work, develop new models of serving and engaging elders and shape their personal theology and ideology of aging.