ACRE Research Study: Capturing a Snapshot of Today’s Rabbinate
ACRE’s Research Committee commissioned a research study designed to provide us with a
“snapshot” of the rabbinate today. The study asked the following research questions:
 Who are todays’ rabbis ? (i.e. basic demographic information, such as age, gender,
denomination, years in the rabbinate, etc.)
 In what venues are rabbis working?
 What are the positions these rabbis hold (primary, secondary and others)?
 What are the primary responsibilities rabbis have in their current jobs?
 In what CRE experiences have the rabbis participated over the last five years?
 What do rabbis perceive as their top CRE needs?
 What do rabbis perceive as obstacles to pursuing CRE?
To read the Summary Report of the research findings, click here. The CCAR, independently,
distributed this survey to its membership and we invite you to read their Executive Summary of
the results they gathered. (click here)
On December 10, 2012 ACRE Board members participated in a teleconference to discuss the
findings and implications of the ACRE Research Study. Dr. Shira Rosenblatt, the chief author of
the survey instrument and of the study summary, outlined some survey highlights and asked
the group to comment on what results they found to be surprising, affirming and worthy of
more in-depth study. Here are some of the observations and suggestions made by the group:
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The top six Continuing Rabbinic Education areas reported as “very important” in these
two studies and in a couple of other, smaller unpublished studies described on the call
are consistently the same. They are: spiritual practices, pastoral care/counseling,
organizational development, leadership training, articulating mission/vision and
board/lay relations
To some, having spiritual practices score so high was surprising due to the number of
programs that currently exist and that many respondents reported that they had
participated in those programs. This led the group to ask whether the respondents
were indicating that they, as rabbis, wanted CRE programs in this field or if they wanted
programs which would help them bring spiritual practices to their institutions.
Given the fragility of the financial model of congregations and other institutions, some
found it surprising that fundraising was not listed by more respondents.
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It was noted that 88% of rabbis indicated that teaching adults is integral to their work,
yet educational pedagogy did not score very high in the list of very important CRE needs.
It would be valuable to have a mapping of the types of CRE programs that are
currently being offered to analyze if the stated needs of the field are being met. ACRE
Board members observed that of the top six listed needs it appears that there is a
programming gap in the area of pastoral care/counseling. ACRE could convene CRE
providers to analyze the offerings to identify gaps and promote programming
collaboration between two or more groups.
It is important to know what percentage of rabbis is actually participating in CRE
programs. The collected data does not distinguish between “serial” and “individual”
participants.
Denominational conferences are the venues in which the highest percentage of rabbis
acquires CRE. There is wide variation in quality and intensity and these conferences
tend to focus their offerings on congregational rabbis, not meeting some of the CRE
needs of non-pulpit rabbis.
There are some meta-questions we should consider. E.g., Are the CRE needs reported by
rabbis the needs that will help their institutions remain vital in the near future? Are the
CRE needs reported by rabbis the same ones that their lay leaders would choose? It
was recommended that parts of this survey be edited and sent out to institutional lay
leaders for analysis.
ACRE can provide help and advocacy to deal with the challenges of CRE funding for
rabbis and time away from work. It can lead a conversation that helps rabbis think
differently and creatively about finding funding sources.
We invite all of you to respond to these observations and suggestions or offer your own as we
continue this important conversation.