Among the ways the Search Committee is preparing for upcoming interviews with applicants, the members are familiarizing themselves with the different rabbinical schools the applicants may have attended. Curious, yourself? Then in the second of our continuing series “Know Your Seminary!” we’ll be profiling the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (RRC).
Founded in 1968, the RRC is the only seminary officially affiliated with the Reconstructionist Movement. Located in Wyncote, PA (just a few miles north of Philadelphia), the school offers a five-to-six-year program, including a summer term in Israel. The school appears to screen potential students to ensure a good fit, hoping to enroll students who—among other values—have a desire to explore new ideas and thinking; possess a motivation to “give back” to community; can articulate a compelling vision; can collaborate, empathize, “read a room,” be open to criticism, and be able to handle pressure, multiple responsibilities, and difficult people with aplomb and composure. Generally there are 40-50 students attending the school at a time.
Unsurprisingly, the school has a progressive bent, promoting an embrace of diversity, including the LGBTQ community. Notable in the curriculum is instruction on how to organize for social justice, including environmental causes. There is a commitment to multifaith learning at the school “to promote relationships and alliances.” Students also receive extensive training in pastoral care.
All in all, the school seems committed to turning out graduates who are prepared to take on leadership roles in progressive congregations, in both spiritual and administrative capacities.
You can explore their website here: https://www.rrc.edu/
To be as prepared as possible, the committee has begun to familiarize itself with the different rabbinical schools the applicants may have attended. This is the first in a series called, “Know Your Seminary!” to share with the community what we are learning about these schools.
As always, the Committee welcomes your thoughts and concerns! Please share at this address: rabbisearch@wjcshul.org