Rabbis are the spiritual leaders of their congregations and teachers and interpreters of Jewish law and tradition. They conduct religious services, preside at weddings and funerals, and provide counseling. There are four main types of congregations—Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist. Customs and rituals may vary among them, but all congregations preserve the substance of Jewish religious worship.
Rabbis also serve as chaplains in the armed forces, work in the many Jewish social service agencies, and teach in colleges and universities.
Newly ordained rabbis usually begin as leaders of small congregations, assistants to experienced rabbis, or directors of Hillel Foundations on college campuses.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Rabbis serve Jewish congregations in communities throughout the country. Those states with large Jewish populations have the highest concentrations of rabbis—New York, California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Depending on the size of the congregation and the number of assistants a rabbi has, his or her working hours can be very long and are often irregular.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
As do all clergy, rabbis must have a deep religious faith and a desire to serve people. Their ethical and moral conduct must be of the highest order.
Educational requirements vary depending on the branch of Judaism. College is required by most branches as a preparation before entering a seminary. The seminary training lasts from three to five years and includes the study of the Bible and Talmud, Jewish history, pastoral psychology, and public speaking.
Potential and Advancement
There will be good opportunities for rabbis in all branches of the religion, and they will generally be best in nonurban areas, especially in smaller communities in the South, Midwest, and Northwest. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not specifically list rabbis, the demand for clergy, in general, is expected to grow by 6 percent between 2014 and 2024.
Income
According to the Huffington Post, the average annual salary for a Rabbi is $140,000.
Additional Sources of Information
Anyone considering this vocation should discuss his or her plans with a practicing rabbi. Information is also available from the following:
- Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Reform)
- The Jewish Theological Seminary of America (Conservative)
- The Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Orthodox)
- Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
