Professional Skills
These courses are designed to give Leaders, Educators, and Rabbis the skills to function effectively as full- or part-time professionals in their communities. When combined with the supervised fieldwork that is part of their training, our professionals graduate with both the academic and real-life experiences and information they will need to be successful and to support dynamic communities.
PS 310) Philosophic Guidance and Counseling Officiant and Leadership Programs – Developing proficiency through knowledge and practicum in order to provide professional philosophical guidance in matters concerning family dynamics and issues in executing life cycles. CR: 1
PS 370) Field Work for Officiant Program – Create a life cycle sampler under the direction of an IISHJ certified Leader or IISHJ Rabbi (can be text or video) of original or new compilations of one each of the following ceremonies: baby naming; bar/bat mitzvah; Secular Humanistic Jewish wedding or intercultural wedding; memorial, funeral and/or interment and/or ashes scattering. CR: 1
PS 390) Field Work for Leaders – A series of fieldwork projects to provide experience and demonstrate competence in areas of core responsibility. CR: 2
PS 400) Jewish Education and Curriculum Planning – An in-depth review of how to organize educational programs for children and adults, how to design an effective curriculum, and how to manage a school. Required for Leadership and Rabbinic Programs. CR: 3 Download a syllabus for PS 400
PS 410) Leadership, Management, and Community – Understanding the role of community leader, the requirements of community management, budgeting and membership growth, and the successful art of public relations. Required for Leadership and Rabbinic Programs. CR: 3 Download a syllabus for PS 410
PS 420) Homiletics – This course develops the skills of public speaking and writing. The focus will be on inculcating significant oratorical abilities in the future leaders of Secular Humanistic Judaism, but students also examine important past speeches in both Jewish and general public life. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR: 3
PS 430) Philosophic Guidance and Counseling – A focused study of how to provide philosophic guidance to people in need of counseling. Emphasis on personal growth issues, marital and family problems, personal crisis intervention, and issues surrounding life-cycle celebrations. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR: 3 Download a syllabus for PS 430
PS 444) Ritual and Celebration in Community – An Internship where the candidate will compile and lead services, and write and deliver sermons. Services include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Shabbat (not Havdalah), Havdalah, Youth service of any kind, Sukkot, Purim, and Hanukkah.
Elements may be combined where appropriate in consultation with the Internship supervisor. This course will be completed in a Fall term. Prerequisite: JC 501/JC502 – Jewish Calendar, Holidays, Liturgy, and Celebration and Recommended: SHJ 400 – Philosophy of Secular Humanistic Judaism. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR:1
PS 445) Jewish Education – For the Jewish Education internship, the candidate can select the holiday track, adult education track, or yout education track. The holiday track consists of the candidate conducting two, holiday educational programs. The adult education track consists of the candidate writing an article explaining Secular Humanistic Judaism or leading an introductory session on “What is Secular Humanistic Judaism?” The youth education track consists of the candidate writing an explanation of Secular Humanistic Judaism for parents of children in the school program and participating as an educator in a youth program.
Elements may be combined where appropriate in consultation with the Internship supervisor. This course will be completed in a Winter term. Prerequisites: SHJ 400 – Philosophy of Secular Humanistic Judaism or JC 501/JC502 – Jewish Calendar, Holidays, Liturgy, and Celebration, and PS 400 – Jewish Education and Curriculum Planning. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR:1
PS 446) Life Cycle Ceremony and Counseling – For this internship, the candidate shall explain the requirements for the performance of a life cycle ceremony as well as officiate two ceremonies. The candidate must al conduct two counseling sessions. Prerequisites: PS 430 – Philosophic Guidance and Counseling and JC 410 – Life Cycle Ceremonies. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR:2
PS 447) Professional Skills – For this internship, the candidate shall complete one activity in each of the following four: Social Action/Community Service, Organizational Leadership, Interdenominational Experience and Other Professional Skills. Elements may be combined where appropriate in consultation with the Internship supervisor. This course will be completed in a Winter term. Prerequisite: PS 410, Leadership, Management and Community. Required for Rabbinic Program. CR:2
Another Professional Skill: an additional skill competence to be determined and demonstrated in conjunction with and at internship supervisor’s prior approval. Examples of additional skills include attendance at an IISHJ-organized song leader training, attendance at the Mechon Hadar Singing Communities Intensive, Repair the World training, Jewish Federation training, JOIN for Justice Don’t Kvetch, Organize!, or other such organization with advance approval of the IISHJ Associate Professor of Professional Development.
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