Application Guidelines

Application to the Academy for Jewish Religion, CA is normally the result of a process of reflection and preparation. The Director of Admissions will serve as guide and mentor through this process, which may culminate in a formal application to an ordination program. The first step in contemplating study at AJR, CA will be an initial conversation with the Director of Admissions. The first contact might be by telephone or e-mail. After meeting with the Director of Admissions, candidates are invited to speak with either the Dean of the Rabbinical School and Chaplaincy Program or the Dean of the Cantorial School. Following this conversation prospective candidates are welcome to visit the school and sit in on a class session.

A person considering an application to an ordination program will be deeply involved in Judaism and in Jewish practice. Study to become a Rabbi, Cantor, or Chaplain is not to be regarded as a continuation of adult study; it is a high-level, profound education leading to a career as a leader of the Jewish people.

Entrance Requirements
Jewish Status. All applicants for a program leading to ordination and certification must be Jewish. This means that the biological mother of the applicant is Jewish, or that the applicant has converted through a bona fide Bet Din with mikvah and milah/hatafat dam brit as appropriate. The spouse, or partner, of an applicant to a program leading to ordination or certification must be Jewish. It is the conviction of the Academy that these policies enable AJR, CA and its community of students and graduates to serve the widest spectrum of the Jewish community as leaders and as exemplars of Jewish life.

College Degree. Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Preparation
Before applying to The Academy for Jewish Religion, CA it is helpful to already have leadership experience in the Jewish world. You may have assisted in leading services or have experience teaching in a congregation or havurah. You may have served on a committee or board of trustees of a synagogue or some other agency of the Jewish community - perhaps in a Hillel or other academic setting.

Preliminary Interview
Initial conversation(s) will indicate whether it is appropriate to arrange for a formal face-to-face Preliminary Interview. This Preliminary Interview is required before a formal application to the Academy may be filed.

Before a Preliminary Interview we suggest visiting classes at AJR, CA. This will entirely be at the discretion of the Director of Admissions. If proceeding with an application seems appropriate, you will receive guidance and help in preparing the many items that are required in support of his or her application. Otherwise, you will be offered considered feedback concerning the issues that weigh against such an application, and guidance on steps that you might undertake to prepare for a review of your status in the future.

Range of Contemporary Judaism
The Academy for Jewish Religion, CA does not define its students on the basis of current affiliation. We welcome applicants from all paths of Jewish life. We expect that applicants will have visited and prayed with different communities and be well informed about current issues in the Jewish world; any of the principal Jewish newspapers or journals are recommended as reading. The Jews our alumni serve, even in a denominational setting, will have family from the full spectrum of Judaism. The ability to see each of them as a unique soul will be very important for professional effectiveness.

Previous Life Experience
There are many individuals among the Academy's student body who are making mid-life career changes. There are teachers, professors, physicians, executives, attorneys, parents, therapists and many others. We believe individuals with prior careers and life experience make uniquely capable rabbis and cantors, and we encourage most applicants to take time after undergraduate training for personal development.

Sometimes, someone whose life history includes a variety of spiritual paths will consider application - such past experiences help deepen the work and will be respected. Others have spent substantial time in therapy; this is also viewed positively as an advantage for a career where deep self-understanding is crucial.

Hebrew and Judaica Preparation
Proficiency in Hebrew, as well as familiarity with basic Jewish texts and practice, is essential to serious Jewish study. We encourage all those considering application to commence study of Hebrew as soon as possible. As part of the Admissions process, applicants will be required to take a Hebrew Placement Test. An Entrance Examination for each school/program will measure whether the required standard is reached. Details of the Entrance Examinations will be found in the AJR, CA Application materials, and a sample may be obtained from the office.

It is not required that a person pass the Entrance Examination in order to be offered admission to AJR, CA. An applicant may meet with the Admissions Board and be offered a place. Matriculation into the Academy will then be conditional upon passing the Entrance Examination by the beginning of the semester that follows the anniversary of the offer of a place in the student body.