Rabbi Charles Arian of Norwich has been selected to take part in Rabbis Without Borders (RWB), a new rabbinic fellowship program sponsored by Clal. Only 22 rabbis nationwide were chosen to join the second cohort of this initiative, which aims to help rabbis make Jewish wisdom accessible to the broader American Jewish community.

“Clearly, rabbis recognize the need to apply their skills in new ways to reach a wider audience, and make the teachings and tools from Jewish wisdom more accessible,” said Rabbi Rebecca W. Sirbu, RWB director. “This unique program offers that kind of support, helping rabbis to better communicate in both familiar and new venues, and to make Jewish thought and practice a real resource for the American public.”
Now in its second year, the RWB is designed to encourage rabbis to “think out of the box,” explains Sirbu, and create a network of interdenominational religious leaders who can make Jewish wisdom more available to people for enriching their lives. As the key conveyers of Jewish wisdom, rabbis who can disseminate the insights more easily will not only nurture better teachers and community builders, but will create religious leaders with unique tools to offer the broader culture.
The Rabbinic Fellows will learn from leaders in a variety of fields. The program is also developing a variety of resources to help rabbis enhance their skills for addressing different audiences.
Launched in 1974 by Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg and Elie Wiesel, Clal has formed a network of rabbis capable of translating Jewish wisdom and practice into useful idioms for contemporary life. RWB is the next phase of this work.