All Joshua seemed to need from Moses was chazak vehehmatz - be strong and resolute - to take over his role, but we think it is more complicated than that today. The Boot Camp program is designed to help rabbinic students planning to enter synagogue and organizational life prepare for their roles as rabbinic leaders. Much of seminary training is appropriately devoted to preparing students to meet the intellectual and spiritual needs of congregants, with little formal training in leading organizations. Yet a good part of the work they will do, as rabbis, is leadership, helping to manage synagogues and organizations that effectively nourish the spiritual lives of their members, managing staff involved in implementing programs, collaborating with other staff and lay leaders, and serving as figures of authority.

Training for Leadership

These and the other tasks of leadership require various skills and behaviors, supported by a set of insights into the nature and practice of leadership filtered through the lens of Jewish values. The aim of this program is to enable young rabbis to become effective leaders without needing to struggle, in isolation and uncertainty, through years of difficult trial-and-error. The program is designed for rabbinic students in their final two years of training who are planning to lead or assist in leading congregations, Hillels, community schools, and other organizations, varying in size, spiritual practice, and organizational structure.

PROCESS - How it works

• Residential Sessions
• Faculty and Peer Coaches

CONTENT - What we teach

• Leading Congregations
• Synagogues as Organizations
• Spiritual development