ACRE Blog

Just about a year ago, then President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Peter Knobel, turned to the CCAR Board and challenged:  "Anyone opposed to Torah study?"

As of course there were no objections, our CCAR Professional Development Committee's proposal to create and implement a Keter Torah rabbinic continuing education incentive program was approved!


A voluntary program to encourage and recognize ongoing rabbinic learning and skills development by members of the CCAR, the program grants awards and other incentives to rabbis who engage in serious and sustained learning over the course of a Jewish year, acknowledging areas of learning include Torah, text study, rabbinics, professional development, counseling and education skills through CCAR and other program providers.

The Keter Torah program incentive learning levels are: 

1. Yad Torah- 54 hours of approved learning within a year
2. Hoshen Torah- 118 hours of approved learning within a year
3. Rimmon Torah- 180 hours of approved learning within a year 

Courses or workshops must each be a minimum of an hour in length.

At our CCAR Rabbinic Leadership in-person seminar in Los Angeles earlier this week, our first of 5770, we launched Keter Torah by distributing certificates identifying the number of hours participants had earned.  Our colleagues had not expected this, nor had they attended in order to achieve the hours.  Yet, when an active member of the Professional Development Committee presented the certificates and everyone realized how many Keter Torah hours they had accomplished in the two days, and that they were the first group ever to do so, a spontaneous Shehecheyanu erupted from the group.  It was indeed a special moment for them, for the CCAR and for all rabbinic continuing education.