The William H. Fern Program in Field Education gives students extensive experience in a wide range of rabbinic settings, allowing them to develop the skills they will need as rabbis while still in rabbinical school. In the early years of the program, students begin to develop rabbinic skills through coursework and field placements. In the final two years of the program, students engage in immersive and intensive internships, supported by ongoing supervision and coursework led by rabbis and expert Jewish professionals. Group and individual supervision enable students to reflect on and learn from their field experience. Mentors and peers facilitate student’s reflections on the theological, professional and personal aspects of work experience.
RRC students work in paid internships in an ever-expanding range of settings including congregations, college campuses, schools, summer camps, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.
Rabbi Rayna Grossman (RRC ’17), Director of Field Education, explains that students can travel to anywhere in the country to do their internships.
Congregational Placements
In congregational internships, students experience the day-to-day rhythm of the congregational rabbinate and learn how to lead flourishing communities. Students play meaningful roles leading services, offering pastoral care, and creating programing.
Sample of recent placements:
Adat Shalom, Bethesda, Md.
Am Haskalah, Bethlehem, Pa.
CBST Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York City
Germantown Jewish Centre, Philadelphia
Kehilat HaNahar, New Hope, Pa.
Kol Tzedek, Philadelphia
Kolot Chayenu, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia
Society for the Advancement of Judaism (SAJ), New York, N.Y.
Society Hill Synagogue, Philadelphia
West End Synagogue, New York, N.Y.
Woodstock Jewish Congregation, Woodstock, N.Y.
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Campus Placements
Campus interns build expertise in engaging students, fostering Jewish presence on campus, developing leaders and strengthening Jewish student identity. Among their many experiences, students with campus Internships facilitate Jewish learning, plan and oversee programing, act as a pastoral presence and lead social justice organizing.
Sample of recent placements:
Drexel University, Philadelphia
Goucher College, Baltimore
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
West Chester University, West Chester, Pa.
Haverford College, Havertown, Pa.
Arcadia University, Glenside, Pa.
University of Delaware, Newark, Del.
Temple University, Philadelphia
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Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education Placements
In chaplaincy internships, students learn to provide pastoral care for a wide range of populations. Some students serve in traditional chaplaincy settings such as hospitals and senior living communities. Increasingly, community organizations also look for Jewish chaplains who can tend to the needs of underserved populations such as immigrant communities, people living with HIV-AIDS and boarding home residents. We offer course credit for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Sample of recent placements:
Abramson Center for Jewish Life, North Wales, Pa.
Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia
Hebrew Senior Life, Boston
Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, N.Y.
Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, Penn.
Lions Gate Retirement Center, Voorhees, N.J.
Monroe Village Retirement Communities, Monroe Township, N.J.
Paul’s Run Retirement Community, Philadelphia
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Organizational Placements
Interns at Jewish community organizations plan and implement programming and education, engage in community organizing and provide spiritual support for activists. At the same time, they observe and experience firsthand the many facets of non-profit leadership.
Sample of recent placements:
American Federation of Teachers, District of Columbia
American Federation of Teachers, Philadelphia
Avodah, District of Columbia
Avodah, New York, N.Y.
Bend the Arc, Philadelphia
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), New York, N.Y.
JOIN for Justice, Philadelphia
The Shalom Center, Philadelphia
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Educational/Camp Placements
In education placements, students lead religious school or adult education classes and tutor b’nei mitzvah students. Frequently, our students serve as synagogue education directors, provide family education or oversee children’s services. In summer camp settings, students play an integral part in cultivating intentional, creative and joyful communities – leading services, planning activities and serving as a pastoral presence.
Sample of recent placements:
Beth David Reform Congregation, Gladwyne, Pa.
Camp Havaya, Wyncote, Pa.
Kol Tzedek, Philadelphia
Ramah Day Camp, Melrose Park, Pa.
