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Goren Bids Orthodox Jews Build International Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem

February 4, 1969
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Rabbi Shlomo Goren, chief chaplain of Israel’s armed forces, called on American Orthodox Jews today to help establish an international seminary in Jerusalem to train rabbis for service in Orthodox communities all over the world, particularly in Latin America and the Scandinavian countries, Rabbi Goren, who holds the rank of brigadier general and was recently named chief rabbi of Tel Aviv, spoke at the annual conference of the Rabbinical Council of America, an Orthodox rabbinical organization.

He also called for the creation in Jerusalem of a “Supreme Rabbinical Council” composed of rabbis from all over the world elected to three-year terms to deal with theological questions such as those raised by the rapid advances in science and technology.

Rabbi Goren said the rabbinical seminary he proposed would train rabbis in the language of the country in which they were to serve. He said the new generation of rabbis emerging from such a school would fill the gap left by the destruction of European Jewish communities which were once the seat of traditional Jewish scholarship and religion.

Rabbi Goren proposed as well the establishment of a “military yeshiva” in Israel to train rabbis who want to devote themselves to ministering to the spiritual needs of Jews in the armed forces of Israel and other countries.

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