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Gratz College launches innovative Jewish chaplaincy program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gratz College launches innovative Jewish chaplaincy program

March 30, 2026

Jenkintown, PA – 

Gratz College announces a new Jewish Chaplaincy program that blends rigorous Jewish studies, advanced spiritual care training, and tailored clinical placements to create a direct, professionally recognized path to Board-Certified chaplaincy without requiring rabbinic ordination.

Designed for working professionals, the program pairs a 36 credit Master of Arts in Jewish Studies with an Advanced Certificate in Chaplaincy (24–42 credits) and customized placement in four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) (or one unit plus a residency) through ACPE-accredited agencies. Graduates complete the academic preparation required for Board Certification, widely considered the gold standard in professional chaplaincy, and are prepared to serve in healthcare, military, correctional, campus, and communal settings.

“Jewish communities and the institutions that serve them need more skilled spiritual caregivers—and they need multiple on-ramps to this vital work,” said Dr. Leslie Ginsparg Klein, Dean and Chief Academic Officer of Gratz College. “By offering a comprehensive, credentialed curriculum that does not require rabbinic ordination, we’re opening the door for talented Jewish professionals to pursue chaplaincy with the highest standards of training, ethics, and clinical experience.”
 
This alternative pathway to chaplaincy is especially appealing to Orthodox women who do not receive ordination. Through grant funding from Micah Philanthropies, Gratz offers a 60% scholarship to a select group of Orthodox women, with the intention of creating a community of practice in end-of-life care. “We are so grateful to Micah Philanthropies and to trustees Ann and Jeremy Pava for their commitment to advancing Orthodox women’s leadership and for recognizing the important contributions Orthodox women can make to the field of spiritual care,” Dean Klein stated.
 
Gratz’s program is fully online and primarily asynchronous, with live touchpoints to foster community and mentoring. Most students can finish in two to three years, gaining expertise in Jewish lifecycle pastoral support and trauma informed spiritual care across palliative and end‑ of‑ life‑ care, bereavement, mental health, and pediatric contexts. The program is structured to fulfill Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) Board Certification‑ requirements—without separate equivalency processes. Graduates are academically prepared to apply for certification upon completion.

To lead this initiative, Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, BCC has been appointed Director of Spiritual Care Studies and will serve as program director, faculty member, and advisor. A Board-Certified Chaplain and immediate past president of Neshama, Rabbanit Alissa brings more than 14 years of clinical and congregational experience, with specialties in palliative, critical, pediatric, and emergency psychiatric care. She currently serves at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where she provides spiritual care to patients, families, and staff; supports Jewish spiritual care volunteers; and precepts CPE students. 

“It is a privilege when another lets us into their vulnerability, hurt, and hope. Deep learning, reflective practice, and supervised clinical and educational training are the professional tools we have in our toolbox to provide expert spiritual care support in such holy moments.” said Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, BCC. “Gratz’s chaplaincy program uniquely integrates Jewish text and tradition with the professional competencies and CPE experiences that employers seek. Graduates are ready to serve diverse communities from day one.”

Program Highlights

  • Degree + Certificate + CPE in one integrated pathway, designed to meet NAJC Board Certification‑ academic requirements.
  • Online, asynchronous coursework, with synchronous opportunities for cohort connection and mentorship.
  • 2 to 3-year completion, preparing graduates for roles in hospitals, hospices, the military, correctional institutions, campuses, and community agencies.
  • Students with a master’s level degree can enroll directly into the advanced certificate
  • Students with prior graduate-level coursework or relevant professional training in spiritual care/chaplaincy may be eligible for advanced standing or academic credit, as determined through an individualized review aligned with professional chaplaincy standards.

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2026 start.

For details, curriculum, and admissions information, visit the Jewish Chaplaincy webpage.