Jewish Communal Agency Rotation

In this rotation, students have the opportunity to learn about issues such as lay-professional relations, programming, management, office administration, fund-raising, and public relations. Potential settings for the Jewish communal agency rotation include:

• Hillel: We urge students to consider fulfilling this rotation by working at a local Hillel, such as Columbia, New York University, Brooklyn College, Hofstra, or Rutgers. (A year as a Steinhardt Fellow satisfies this requirement.) Students who find themselves running a Hillel with no other professional should find a more experienced professional to provide guidance, consultation, and reflection.
• Camp Ramah: Students should look for a significant administrative position, such as rosh edah or director of programming.
• Jewish Funds for Justice: Students are invited to apply for the Rabbinical Student Fellowship Program. Contact Jeannie Appleman at jappleman@jewishjustice.org or (516) 375-9150.
• American Jewish World Service Annual Rabbinical Students' Delegation to Central America: January 4–14, 2009. Request an application via email or call Rachel Profeta at (212) 792-2918. Please click here for a program description.
• Jewish Organizations: Students can work under the supervision of a professional at a large or small agency in the Jewish organizational world. A broad range of options exists and students are encouraged to pursue their own placements. Examples include:
  • UJA-Federation of New York
  • Jewish National Fund
  • CLAL's Graduate/Rabbinical Internship Program. This internship carries a stipend. The program will not be available during 2008–2009.
  • A Jewish healing center, including: the National Jewish Healing Center with Rabbi Simkha Weintraub: (212) 399-2320, x215; sweintraub@jbfcs.org. Counseling work through the JBFCS or National Jewish Healing Center may count for a chaplaincy rotation or a communal-service rotation.
  • MetroWest Jewish Health and Healing Center with Rabbi Rebecca Sirbu: (973) 736-3200, x238; rsirbu@ujfmetrowest.org.
  • AVODAH, The Jewish Service Corps with Rabbi David Rosenn: (212) 545-7759; drosenn@avodah.net.
  • Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life: Please contact Rabbi Lawrence Troster at maltroster@optonline.net or (201) 833-5166.
  • Seminary Summer with the Interfaith Worker Justice: This full-time summer internship program begins with a week of training on practical issues affecting workers in America today, exploring the connection between religious traditions and workers' rights. This is a strong training program. Placement is possible at sites throughout the country. The application deadline is March 1.
  • International Synagogue at JFK International Airport: Contact Rabbi Bennett Rackman at BMRackman@aol.com or (718) 656-5044 (office) or (718) 614-4051 (cell). This rotation consists of four to six hours per week.
  • Mercaz USA: Contact Rabbi Bob Golub at (212)533-7800 or rgolub@mercazusa.org.
  • United Jewish Communities: Contact Dr. Eric Levine at (212) 284-6723 or eric.levine@ujc.org.
  • Hebrew Free Burial Association: See program description. Contact Amy Koplow at akoplow@hebrewfreeburial.org or by calling (212) 239-1662.
  • Jewish Outreach Institute: See program description. Contact Kerry Olitzky, executive director at kolitzky@joi.org or (212) 760-1440.
  • Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters: Community Mikveh and Education Center.
  • JACS: Rabbinical students are welcome to attend retreat weekends. Subsidies are available. The fall retreat will take place October 31–Nov 2, 2008.