What is the difference between a Rabbi and a Para-Rabbinic leader?
A Rabbi is an ordained individual who has completed the required five-year rabbinical program. A Para Rabbinic Leader is an individual who has completed a two-summer set of Para-Rabbinic Fellow courses at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. These courses are provided to enable individuals to lead congregations that do not have a Rabbi or to aid the Rabbi in larger congregations. A Para-Rabbinic Leader may not conduct conversions, marry individuals, or provide counseling. However, the Para-Rabbinic Leader can perform most of the other functions required in a congregation.
