Orthodox pulpit rabbis–those involved full-time in congregational and communal activities–are paid “shockingly low” salaries, according to a recent survey. Rabbinical students with bachelor’s or master’s degrees can look forward to a maximum salary of only $15,000 per year, even after many years’ service, while public school teachers can earn as much as $17,000 and lawyers more than $20,000 after only a few years, said Rabbi Herbert C. Dobrinsky, director of rabbinic placement at the Community Service Division of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, who conducted the survey. The poll was made of 1,014 alumni of the Seminary, which is affiliated with Yeshiva University. A spokesman for the university estimated the number of American Orthodox congregations at 3,000 with Conservative and Reform accounting for another 2,000 together. Thirty-five percent of the 1,014 were pulpit rabbis.
“It is unfair anachronism,” said Rabbi Dobrinsky, “for a rabbi who is expected by his congregation to cope with the modern age to be paid a scale reflecting the financial difficulties of three generations ago…A rabbi whose duties are scholar, preacher, teacher, counselor, program director and administrator cannot be regarded as an office employe of the congregation who has to punch a clock and have his position reviewed each year.” The rabbi recommended a conference of synagogue presidents to deal with the situation. He also asked rabbinic and synagogue groups to have their congregations reconsider rabbis’ current needs. He urged life tenure for rabbis serving more than 10 or 13 years in a given congregation, plus sabbaticals in Israel after seven years.
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