Becoming a rabbi is a huge commitment in time, energy and personal resources. Our students spend five to six years in full-time, concentrated study, acquiring the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to assume positions of leadership in the Jewish community. We encourage you to evaluate this decision carefully from every possible angle.

To help you assess whether a rabbinic career might be a good fit for you, we suggest that you engage in the following activities before you apply.

Listen to Some of Our Students and Alumni
Listen to Faculty
Read About RRC Alumni
Visit Reconstructionist Congregations in Your Area
Read About the Movement

Listen to Some of Our Students and Alumni

Listen to students and alumni discuss their RRC experiences and what makes these experiences so unique.

(WMV FILE | 35 seconds) - Rabbi Benjamin Barnett, '06
(WMV FILE | 34 seconds) - Rabbi David Dunn Bauer, '03
(WMV FILE | 2:04 minutes) - Rabbi Elisa Goldberg, '99
(WMV FILE | 2 minutes) - Rabbis Sandy and Dennis Sasso, '74
(WMV FILE | 2:08 minutes) - Rabbi Shira Stutman '07
(WMV FILE | 1:49 minutes) - Darby Leigh
(WMV FILE | 1:03 minutes) - Rabbi Kevin Bernstein '07

Listen to Faculty

Listen to faculty discuss RRC's approach to educating students.

(WMV FILE | 29 seconds) - Jacob Staub, Ph.D., '77
(WMV FILE | 32 seconds) - Lori Lefkovitz, Ph.D.
(WMV FILE | 2:09 minutes) - Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, Ph.D., '82

Read About RRC Alumni

Our alumni, who come from many walks of life, are working in rewarding and interesting positions around the country. Their profiles suggest the range of opportunities available to you as a graduate of RRC.

Rabbi Amy Joy Small, '87
Rabbi Daniel S. Brenner, '97
Rabbi Gail Diamond, '93
Sharon Hordes, '02
Rabbi Seth Goldstein, '03

Read the Blogs of Faculty and Alumni

Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, Ph.D., director of RRC's religious studies program, writes about interfaith issues in her blog Leadership for a Multifaith World.

Rabbi Joshua Waxman, '03, addresses topical Jewish issues in the Virtual Talmud. Waxman is joined on the blog by an Orthodox and Conservative rabbi.
beliefnet.com/blogs/virtualtalmud/

Visit Reconstructionist Congregations in Your Area

There are more than 100 Reconstructionist congregations in the United States and Canada. Attending a service or program at a local congregation is a great way to learn more about the Reconstructionist movement. The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation maintains a directory of Reconstructionist congregations. If you are presently in Israel, you may want to visit the Jerusalem Reconstructionist Minyan—a monthly Shabbat morning minyan led by RRC students.

Read About the Movement

A number of resources are available for understanding Reconstructionist Judaism, its roots, relevance, growth and philosophy. You might begin with Reconstructionism Today, a journal of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation; The Reconstructionist, a journal published by RRC Press; and Exploring Judaism: A Reconstructionist Approach by RRC graduate Rebecca Alpert, Ph.D., '76, and RRC graduate and faculty member Jacob Staub, Ph.D.