Mindful of the changing needs of Jewish communal life, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and Rabbi Chaim Brovender dreamt of training a new generation of Rabbinic leaders who would combine their Halachic knowledge with an understanding of the particular needs of contemporary Jewish life. These two unique leaders worked toward establishing Torah as a unifying force rather than a divider, attentive to the importance of tolerance and openness, without compromising religious commitment. The result of their vision is the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary, which teaches its graduates to serve as a bridge between the religious and secular Jewish communities.

The Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary is unique in preparing its students with secular learning as well as Talmudic experience; with practical rabbinical training in addition to deep analysis and understanding of religio-legal texts. Combining Torah values and Zionist ideas with the best of Western culture and a sensitivity to human contemporary concerns, the curriculum provides its students with a sound foundation for their future communal work. Graduates are committed to enhancing Judaism throughout the Jewish world, with a special emphasis placed on bridging the religious-secular divide, both in Israel and in the Diaspora, through mutual respect, dialogue and sensitivity.

A letter from a Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Seminary alumnus.

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For more information about the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary contact: office@yhty.org

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