39 courses with the subject PRO, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PRO 001Core Concepts I
Dr. Ora Horn Prouser This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take four trimesters of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts I begins with the term emuna
PRO 002Core Concepts II - 2 sections register for only 1, see course schedule0
Dr. Ora Horn Prouser, Rabbi Ira J. Dounn This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take four terms of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts I begins with the terms nefesh/neshamah . These courses are for matriculated ordination students only. No tuition is charged for these courses but students must also be registered for credit bearing courses simultaneously.
Rabbi Ira Dounn (003) and Dr. Ora Horn Prouser (004) This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take four terms of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts III begins with the term ahavah , and Core Concepts IV begins with the term ne h amah. These courses are for matriculated ordination students only. No tuition is charged for these courses but students must also be registered for credit bearing courses simultaneously.
Dr. Ora Horn Prouser This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take four trimesters of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts V begins with the term ‘ot. (No credit)
Dr. Ora Horn Prouser This is a multi-year sequence of seminars. The seminars cover some of the fundamental values, concepts and vocabulary of Jewish tradition. Students are expected to first gain a basic acquaintance with these terms and to then delve more deeply into them so as to appreciate their range of significance. The goal of the seminars is not simply to gather information, but to develop an integrated way of thinking about and expressing these value concepts, so that students may grow from having an appreciation of the tradition to actively and creatively participating in the discourse of Torah. Every student is required to take two years of the seminars given in the sequence, but they need not be taken in order. Core Concepts II begins with nefesh/neshama and Textbooks: None
PRO 015Ritual Skills Workshop: Leading Shabbat Services
Rabbi Cantor Sam Levine This class will focus on one major block of ritual skills: leading all services for Shabbat. We will learn simplified versions of the (Ashkenazi) modes and motifs of Kabbalat Shabbat , Ma’ariv, Birkhot HaShahar and Psukei d’Zimrah, Sha h arit, Musaf, Min h a, and Havdalah. No singing background is required; the purpose of the class is to get students comfortable and fluent with basic davening skills for Shabbat. This is a great introductory class because certain musical modes and certain liturgical texts are transferable to other services (weekdays, holidays, etc), providing students with multiple reference points as they continue building their skills in leading public worship. (No credit)
PRO 140Ritual Skills Workshop - Weekday Nusa h /Liturgy
H azzan Marcia Lane This course is part of our new Ritual Skills Workshop structure of four workshops including Weekday, Shabbat, Festival, and Yammim Noraim . This trimester will focus on the liturgy of the weekday services - Arvit, Sha h arit , and Min h a - as well as on other situations that arise within weekday davening ( Havdalah , additional texts for h ol ha-moed, birkat hamazon, rosh h odesh, and shiva minyanim ). Emphasis will be placed on acquiring the skills to lead services with the correct nusa h and with correct pronunciation.
Rabbi Cantor Sam Levine This class will focus on one major block of ritual skills: gaining facility with leading the main parts of the service for the Yamim Nora’im . We will learn simplified versions of the (Ashkenazi) modes and motifs of Ma’ariv, Birkhot HaSha h ar and Pesukei d’Zimrah, Sha h arit, Musaf, Min h ah , and Neilah . No singing background is required; the purpose of the class is to get students comfortable and fluent with basic davening skills for the High Holy Days. Insofar as we will be exploring the basic musical modes of tefillah , this may also serve as a good basis to davening other services (weekdays, Shabbat, holidays, etc.), because certain musical modes and certain liturgical texts are transferable, providing students with multiple reference points
Cantor Michael Kasper This course is an introduction to the practice of pastoral counseling, offering the philosophical / religious /psychological underpinnings as well as developing actual practical skills. Emphasis is on acquiring the ability to actively listen and assess situations, and then respond appropriately, knowing when to offer various kinds of help, and when to recommend appropriate referrals. Specific issues in this course involve counseling for life cycle events, pre-marital meetings, helping people cope with illness, losses and grief/bereavement, as well as crisis situations and the stresses of life. We explore ways to use Jewish texts, song, prayer and ritual for healing. Classes often have an experiential component. (2 credits) Required Texts: Jewish Pastoral Care - A Practical Handbook, 2nd edition. ISBN: 9781580234276. $24.99 The Good Listener. ISBN: 9780877939436. $10.95 Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal. ISBN: 9781594482090. $9.49 Recommended Reading: Jewish Relational Care A-Z. ISBN: 9780789027061. $62.95 The Art of Jewish Pastoral Counseling. ISBN: 9781138690233. $44.95 Truth & Lovingkindness: Sources on Spiritual Care in the Midrash and in Modern Jewish Thought. ISBN: 9789657105801. $10.86 To Begin Again: The Journey Toward Comfort, Strength, Faith in Difficult Times. ISBN: 9780345413833. $18.00 The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. ISBN: 9780553447712. $7.13. Emotional Resilience. ISBN: 9780517702406. $7.70
Cantor Michael Kasper and Dr. David Aftergood This course has been designed to provide a framework for clergy to understand the basics of psychopharmacology. Teaching goals will include the rationale for prescribing psychiatric medicine, the nature of the conditions prescribed for, the mechanism of the drugs prescribed and the effects and side effects of different classes of medicine. Students will have an opportunity to learn about and think through their responsibilities toward congregants and community members who present themselves as in need of mental health services. These encounters can be difficult to understand and this intersession course will bring issues of psychiatric medication, their usefulness, and use into clearer focus for clergy who contemplate the need for making appropriate Textbooks: Patterson, JoEllen; Griffith, James L.; Edwards, Todd M.; The Therapist’s Guide to Psychopharmacology: Working with Patients, Families, and Physicians to Optimize Care, ISBN: 1462547664, $28.08 Wegmann, Joe, RPh, LCSW, Psychopharmacology: Straight Talk on Mental Health Medications, 4th edition, ISBN: 1683732987, $14.88 Relevant Texts for Reference (not required to purchase): Peterson, Ashley L., RN, BSN, BScPharm, MPN, Psych Meds Made Simple: How and Why They Do What They Do, ISBN: 1999000803, $12.49 Vanderpot, Lynne, PhD, Psychiatric Medication and Spirituality, ISBN: 1785921266, $29.95
PRO 300Who Are Our Adult Learners and How Do We Engage?2
Susan Werk and Leah Kahn, 2 separate sessions Adults bring independence, self-direction, life experiences, readiness, and motivation to their learning. In this course we will better understand the unique opportunities and challenges that synagogue educators face when teaching the different stages of adult learners. At the end of the course, in addition to analyzing and preparing for adult education, AJR students might understand their own learning style better. This is an intersession course, online only. Required Texts Kahn: Parker, Priya, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, Amazon $12.00 ISBN 1594634939 Berger, Warren, A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas, Amazon $10.99 ISBN 1632861054 Schulman, Lee S., Signature Pedagogies in the Professions, available for free in PDF through MIT Press Direct Required Texts Werk: Purchase from Amazon: Tickton Schuster, Diane, Jewish Lives Jewish Learning, Amazon $11.67 ISBN 0807407887
Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses / Rabbi Scott Glass /Rabbi Jeff Hoffman Writing a sermon is a distinct art form made of primary and secondary materials. The primary material is Torah. Secondary materials include one’s own heart and mind, pressing questions of our times, justice concerns and the needs of our communities at any given moment. We learn to create a sermon by weaving together Torah with these other threads, spinning words to open the hearts and minds of our listeners, sometimes offering comfort and sometimes inspiration. At other times our sermons will mobilize communities towards right action. Together we will practice this art, sharing with one another our creations, and with feedback and support from participants, deepening our powers of authentic and effective communication in the realm of the sacred. Thi 3 sessions (1 credit)
Rabbi David Seth Kirshner While synagogues are communities within themselves, they are also always a part of a larger community. It’s important to know how to connect with political authorities, police and fire departments, and to be a relevant part of a larger community. Additionally, it’s important for clergy to be savvy about communication, whether through press or social media, and to recognize the kind of outreach that is not meant just to bring in new members, but to serve the functioning congregation. All of these skills become that much more important during times of communal crisis. This course will give students guidance and a toolbox in dealing with these types of external pieces in leading communities through times of crisis. This class will count toward the entrepreneurship requirement or as an elective. Required Texts: TBD
Clal - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership Rabbi Julia Appel, Rabbi Elan Babchuck, and Rabbi Joshua Stanton This cross-seminary course is for rabbinical, cantorial, and educational students who are preparing to take leadership roles in the rapidly changing landscape of Jewish life. The course pulls from design thinking, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and changemaking leadership. Students will learn how to develop a new offering based on community members’ real needs under the guidance of course facilitators. The course progresses through three stages of leading through innovation: The Reflect module invites students to individually reflect on their spiritual leadership journey, the shifts going on around us, and how we might adapt to the changing reality in which we lead. The Reframe module presents a human-centered methodology through which to bett Please note dates & times of course: Wednesdays at 4:00 - 6:00 pm ET - January 31, February 7, 14, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, May 8, 15 Final paper due May 22
Dr. Hariette Wimms This course will provide students with a neurobiological and social-emotional understanding of how to negotiate difficult conversations. Students will explore what can make social interactions uncomfortable and how to approach communication in effective and compassionate ways. The course includes opportunities for developing the skills and confidence to handle these difficult situations more comfortably. Students will learn how to manage anxiety about and avoidance of difficult dialogue, how to explore what makes these conversations personally problematic for them, and how to structure conversations that can promote shared understanding. Classes will include discussion of ideas as well as experiential practice and role-playing of
Cantor Michael Kasper Counseling II builds on concepts developed in Counseling I (PRO 215) and will emphasize effective ways for clergy to assess and respond to difficult life transitions, complicated family situations, illness (both physical and psychological), personal and community crises, addictions, and conflicts that arise in everyday life. Students will begin to discern the difference between situations appropriately handled by clergy and ones that call for referrals to other counseling professionals.
PRO 700FWSS - 2 sessions, register for only 1, see course schedule0
Rabbi Ariel Russo, Rabbi Scott Glass This seminar group focuses upon issues that arise in the course of rabbinical and cantorial work. Students will explore the challenges that they face in their work and in their developing rabbinate/cantorate through the presentation of a case study. Participation is required of all students whose work is counting as a required internship experience. All Fieldwork must be approved prior to the beginning of the trimester by Rabbi Jeffrey Segelman. typically offered every term Required textbooks: none
