The International Assembly for Netzarim Judaism offers rabbinical training, leading to semikhah (rabbinical ordination), for those individuals who wish to become rabbis. This unique program offers a path for students to cultivate the knowledge necessary to become a rabbi and to develop the skills expected of a Torah teacher. This program helps people of the Jewish faith to serve their families and the Netzarim Jewish communities as teachers and spiritual leaders.
One of the most important qualifications for our rabbis is their own spiritual and ethical value system. Candidates for our training program should be committed to a life of personal spiritual development and service to God, the people of Israel, and humanity. Ongoing spiritual work is considered an integral part of the program of study. Our program also includes instruction in the practical aspects of rabbinical service as well as extensive education in the Torah, in Jewish history, Philosophy, theology, and varieties of Jewish spiritual experience.
The accepted student will be assigned a rabbinical mentor. That mentor will work with the student throughout their studies, will be responsible for discussing and approving the students work, and will ultimately be the one to recommend the student for ordination and be the primary signer for the smicha.
There is no charge for the rabbinical program through IANJ, nor are our rabbis allowed to charge for their time. IANJ is a voluntary organization in all aspects and this includes volunteering our time. We firmly believe that the Torah should be freely accessible to all those who with to learn. That does not mean that there are no costs involved as the student will be required to purchase their own books, materials, computer, etc.. However, building a comprehensive personal library will be of benefit to every rabbi, to their families, and the communities that they serve. This program includes a huge amount of writing along with very specific standards for how that writing is to be done. By the end of the program, the average student will write somewhere between 500-1000 pages, and read well over 10,000 pages of text, so those individuals who are not comfortable with reading and writing at a college level may want to consider additional college courses prior to applying.
The basic areas that are covered in our training program include:
- Torah and Tanakh
- Bible study accounts for about 70% of the study in our program and this is where the majority of writing will occur. The student will write comprehensive commentaries and essays on every single parsha in the Hebrew bible. In addition, there will be limited studies in the Christian New Testament, the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, and other non-canonical writings.
- Jewish Spirituality and Ethics
- The student will study Jewish approaches to spirituality and ethics from the past to the present as well as work to develop their own personal walk with God placing an emphasis on our understanding of the Kingdom of God.
- Jewish History
- The student will study the entire history of the Jewish people and look at the various movements within Judaism. Readings will come from a variety of perspectives as well.
- Hebrew
- Before graduation, the student must be able to read Torah from the Hebrew text.
- Halakhah
- The student will learn the basics of Rabbinical Judaism’s approach to halakhah from the Talmud and commentaries, as well as the halakhah of Netzarim Judaism which is Torah-based.
- Rabbinics.
- The student will study the basics of teaching theory, how to assist others in learning Torah, basic chaplaincy, spiritual leadership, and forming and leading small groups.
Our requirements for acceptance into the rabbinical program include the following:
- The applicant must be halachically Jewish and a practicing Netzarim Jew; absolutely no one who professes any form of messianic Judaism or Christianity will be considered.
- If the applicant is a convert to Judaism (regardless of who did the conversion), it must be a minimum of three years since the conversion before receiving semikhah.
- Must read and write English at a college level.
- Must have a four year degree or equivalent professional experience.
- A high school diploma or equivalent is also required.
- Must pass a comprehensive background check.
- Absolutely no one with any history of sexual abuse or violence will be considered.
- Must submit a resume along with their application.
- Married applicants must have the support of their spouse.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
Individuals who wish to learn more about our rabbinical program are welcome to contact us.