Rabbinical College of America
Encyclopedia
The Rabbinical College of America is one of the largest Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic Yeshiva
s in the world. The Yeshiva is located in Morristown, New Jersey
and has trained thousands of Rabbinic students. The Yeshiva is supported by Jewish philanthropists such as David T. Chase, and Ronald Lauder
of Estée Lauder Inc.
The Yeshiva was founded and is under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Herson. The growth of the Yeshiva college has had a significant cultural affect on the community and has influenced many Jewish families to move into the area to be near the Yeshiva and the surrounding synagogues.
Licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
, the Yeshiva grants a four year Bachelor's Degree
in Religious Studies accredited by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools
.
The college is located on an 82 acres (331,842.5 m²) campus in Morris Township, New Jersey
. The campus is the New Jersey
Headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
s in the world. The Yeshiva is located in Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
and has trained thousands of Rabbinic students. The Yeshiva is supported by Jewish philanthropists such as David T. Chase, and Ronald Lauder
Ronald Lauder
Ronald Steven Lauder is a Jewish-American businessman, civic leader, philanthropist, and art collector. Forbes lists Lauder among the richest people of the world with an estimated net worth of $3.0 billion in 2007.-Life and career:...
of Estée Lauder Inc.
The Yeshiva was founded and is under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Herson. The growth of the Yeshiva college has had a significant cultural affect on the community and has influenced many Jewish families to move into the area to be near the Yeshiva and the surrounding synagogues.
Licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
New Jersey Commission on Higher Education
The New Jersey Commission on Higher Education is a government agency in New Jersey that is responsible for providing coordination, planning, policy development, and advocacy for the state's higher education system...
, the Yeshiva grants a four year Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Religious Studies accredited by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools
Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools
The Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools is a faith-based national accreditation association for Rabbinical and Talmudic schools...
.
The college is located on an 82 acres (331,842.5 m²) campus in Morris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township, New Jersey
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area...
. The campus is the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.
Academic programs
- Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim – The international network of Chabad Yeshivas, intended for college aged men (18–22). Hundreds of its graduates obtained ordination at advanced Rabbinical schools, and serve as Rabbis of Chabad HouseChabad houseA Chabad house is a centre for disseminating Orthodox Judaism by the Chabad movement. Chabad Houses are run by the local Shaliach , who was sent to that place by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who founded all Chabad Houses...
and community institutions around the world.- Recently, a Rabbinical ordinationSemicha, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
program was established for Tomchei Temimin graduates on-site under the supervision of Rabbi Chaim Schapiro. The ordination degrees have been signed by, and are recognized by former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.
- Recently, a Rabbinical ordination
- Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim – One of the first programs world-wide for Ba'alei TeshuvaBaal teshuvaBaal teshuva or ba'al teshuvah , sometimes abbreviated to BT, is a term referring to a Jew who turns to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Baal teshuva literally means, "repentant", i.e., one who has repented or "returned" to God...
founded in the summer of 1973 by Rabbi Avraham Lipskier, who served as its first MashpiaMashpiaMashpia lit. "person of influence", pl. Mashpi'im is the title of a rabbi or rebbetzin who serves as a spiritual mentor in Tomchei Temimim , in a girls' seminary belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, or in a Chabad community.-Definition:Although counterparts to the mashpia exist in...
(and who subsequently founded Yeshiva Tiferes Menachem in Seagate, NY). This program is accredited by the state of New JerseyNew Jersey Commission on Higher EducationThe New Jersey Commission on Higher Education is a government agency in New Jersey that is responsible for providing coordination, planning, policy development, and advocacy for the state's higher education system...
to grant a Bachelor's DegreeBachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Religious Studies.- There was an ordination program instituted in 1978 with seven students under the supervision of Rabbis Dovid Wichnin, the first Rosh YeshivaRosh yeshivaRosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
(Headmaster) and Boruch Yorkovitch. The examination committee consisted of Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon from New Jersey, and Rabbis Avraham Osdoba and Bogomilsky from New York. However, it was phased out in 1979 due to low enrollment. The remaining four students (Rabbis Simcha Frankel, Tzvi Freeman, Shlomo SawilowskyShlomo SawilowskyShlomo S. Sawilowsky is professor of educational statistics and Distinguished Faculty Fellow at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he has received teaching, mentoring, and research awards.- Academic career :...
, Menachem Schmidt) continued their advanced ordination studies after graduation elsewhere. Many other graduates of Tiferes Bachurim subsequently received ordination at other rabbinical institutions. Examples are Rabbis Dovid Rothschild, author of a two volume series in English pertaining to the Lubavitcher Rebbe's holyday essays; and Herschel Finman, who has hosted a radio show (WLQV 1500 am and WPON 1460 am) since 1995. In 2009, the ordination program was reinstituted under the supervision of Rabbi Ya'akov Wagner. - Notable graduates include Dr. Dovid Lazerson, author of Skullcaps n' Switchblades, Rabbi Yaakov Werde, a MohelMohelA mohel is a Jewish person trained in the practice of brit milah "covenant of circumcision."-Etymology of the Hebrew and Aramaic term:...
who resides in South Florida., and Shimon WaronkerShimon WaronkerShimon Waronker is the headmaster of The New American Academy, PS 770, an innovative new public school in Brooklyn, NY. He is a doctoral student in the Urban Superintendents Program at Harvard where he developed the idea for the new school's approach to education. He is the former Principal of the...
, an extremely successful NYC principal who turned around a failing Bronx public school and went on to Harvard and back to Brooklyn to develop and open The New American AcademyThe New American AcademyThe New American Academy is a new, innovative and visionary approach to education. It was first implemented in New York City as a new public school, PS 770, in the fall of 2010...
, PS 770, in Crown Heights, a new school with a new approach to education.
- There was an ordination program instituted in 1978 with seven students under the supervision of Rabbis Dovid Wichnin, the first Rosh Yeshiva
- KollelKollelA kollel is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim and learning sedarim ; unlike a yeshiva, the student body of a kollel are all married men...
Tiferes Avreichim for married students, under the supervision of Rabbi Chaim Brafman.
- ChederChederA Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...
Lubavitch, an orthodox day school for boys and girls, directed by Rabbi Mendel Solomon.
- YeshivaYeshivaYeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
SummerSummerSummer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
Program, is a summer program for 13 to 14 year old boys that runs every summer. it includes half a day of learning and half a day of activities, and many trips. It is run by Rabbi Menachem Goldberg.