JSLI ordains nine rabbis to serve Jewish communities across North America

The Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute has ordained nine rabbis from eight states, expanding a network that now includes more than 250 rabbis and cantors across North America and beyond. The new clergy will serve in congregations, chaplaincy, teaching, counseling and other roles as Jewish communities seek more accessible leadership.

Why it matters: - JSLI is adding nine new rabbis to Jewish communities across North America. - The class reflects a broader range of professional and personal backgrounds entering the rabbinate. - Several graduates will step into immediate pulpit roles, while others will serve in chaplaincy, education, counseling and lifecycle officiation.

What happened: - The Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute announced the ordination of nine rabbis. - The graduates come from Illinois, California, South Carolina, Connecticut, Texas, Michigan, Florida and Maryland. - JSLI said the new clergy represent attorneys, social workers, pastoral care professionals, educators, community leaders and lifelong Jewish learners. - Some graduates are already serving congregations and will continue or assume pulpit positions after ordination.

The details: - Rabbi Steven Blane, founder and dean of JSLI, said each ordination class shows that Jewish communities need many kinds of rabbis. - Blane said the graduates bring professional experience and a commitment to serving others into Jewish spiritual leadership. - JSLI said the new rabbis will help support a model of Judaism that is compassionate, accessible and responsive to 21st-century needs. - JSLI has ordained more than 250 rabbis and cantors who now serve throughout North America and beyond. - JSLI graduates lead congregations, provide hospital and hospice chaplaincy, work in correctional facilities and senior communities, officiate at life-cycle events, teach, counsel and build Jewish communities in person and online. - The institute said testimonial videos about the newest class are available on the JSLI website. - More information is available at JSLI.net.

Between the lines: - The class underscores how rabbinical training is drawing people from careers outside traditional clergy tracks. - JSLI is positioning online rabbinical education as a pipeline for Jewish leadership in both local and digital settings. - The focus on inclusivity suggests an effort to meet changing expectations for Jewish communal leadership.

What's next: - The newly ordained rabbis will begin or continue service in congregations and other ministry settings. - JSLI alumni will keep expanding the institute’s network across North America and beyond. - The institute’s testimonial videos offer a closer look at the graduates’ paths into the rabbinate.