A survey of 397 non-Orthodox congregations across the Midwest, South, and Mountain West finds that 77 percent could not attract enough qualified rabbis, and 38 percent received three or fewer applications for their pulpit.
Tagged: Congregations Religious Leadership Jewish
What is happening
A new survey of non-Orthodox congregations across the American Midwest, South, and Mountain West finds a rabbinical shortage across the heartland. The survey was commissioned by the College for Contemporary Judaism in Cincinnati and conducted by Dr. Ira M. Sheskin of the University of Miami. Every identifiable non-Orthodox congregation in the three regions, 787 in total, was invited to take part, and 397 responded.
Where the impact lands
Among the congregations that responded, 94 percent reported finding a gap in leadership skills during their most recent rabbinic search. Seventy-seven percent found too few qualified applicants, and 77 percent said their location deterred candidates who were unwilling to relocate. Thirty-eight percent received three or fewer applications. The region covered by the survey is home to nearly 40 percent of American Jews. A congregation that cannot hire a rabbi loses more than a preacher: schools, pastoral care, and the weekly rhythm of communal life all depend on the office.
What to watch
The survey is the first comprehensive study of the search process itself, and its findings frame the questions now before seminaries and congregations alike: how rabbis are trained, where they are willing to serve, and what smaller communities can offer. This post records the survey as The Algemeiner reported it on October 26, 2026; the source link on this page leads to the report.
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