The Rabbinic Study
The training of Rabbis at the internationally required academic and professional level is the first priority of the Institute. Rabbis are the prime keepers and carriers of the chain of tradition and they are the first responsible for transmitting this heritage to future generations in an authentic and contemporary manner.
The Rabbinic course of study in principle takes five years to complete. An Academic Year consists basically of 28 weeks of formal classes. Each week ten hours of lectures are given; for each hour of class an average of two hours of preparation is required. In addition there are one or two (international) intensive seminars per year, a number of hours needed for the practical training and for a some additional activities. Per year the students have to acquire 60 ECTS (European credits). The training is a full academic study, but classes are taking place in evenings and weekends and when needed in holiday times, in order to accomodate students' requirements in connection with work and personal circumstances.
The course of study is divided into an academic and a professional (vocational) part. In the course of the training these two parts become more and more integrated.
The lecture program is mainly provided by the Levisson Institute itself. However, where modules are available at the University of Amsterdam or another academic institution, the students register there and are then required to pass the University exams. Modules of this kind at the University of Amsterdam University have covered both classical and modern Hebrew, Aramaic, Midrash, Parshanut and Jewish Historiography. Modules at Leiden University have concentrated on Hebrew and Aramaic.
The lectures of the Institute are at an equal level with those at the universities, and are taught by the best, mainly Jewish, university lecturers available in The Netherlands. The content and way of presentation is, however, more directed to reinforcing the individual religious Jewish identity and experience of the students, something no university intentionally does. Certain modules are given in intensive week-long seminars by lecturers from the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem or the USA, and from the Leo Baeck college in London.
Next to the academic subjects, attention is given to the professional attitude and the practical skills of rabbinic work. An important part of this is the Professional Preparation classes, where thorough courses are taught in Pastoral Psychology, Pastoral Work and Congregational Dynamics. Presentation techniques (speaking and conduct in public and in the synagogue) and a number of practical rabbinical activities (such as conducting services, writing sermons and articles are also covered as is observing the work of the Beth Din.
Much attention is being paid to the personal development of the students, to which end they have each been assigned a professional supervisor, next to the practical coaching during their internships done by the local Rabbis.