Realize your musical, textual, and leadership passions with AJR’s Kol-Bo (all inclusive) Program!

Many spiritual leaders find that they need to serve their congregation as both a rabbi and a cantor. AJR’s Kol-Bo Program enables students to earn both rabbinic and cantorial ordinations simultaneously, preparing students to lead their communities liturgically, educationally, and pastorally. AJR trains cantors and rabbis as equal partners on the pulpit and thus there is a large degree of overlap between the two programs, allowing Kol-Bo students to earn both ordination with just one year of additional full-time study.

“After a decade of working as a cantorial soloist I was compelled to walk up to an AJR booth at a conference (I shocked myself that I did this), and declare that I was interested in not just Cantorial school, but Rabbinical school as well. Any school can teach you content, but AJR goes beyond that, inspiring students to be their best, and express their unique gifts. It’s more than a school, it is a family.”
– Andrea Shupack, Kol-Bo Student

Course Requirements

A total of 160 credits plus 4 trimesters of Core Concepts Seminar, two half terms of Clergy Formation Seminar, and 1 unit of CPE required for ordination (Master’s of Jewish Studies included).  In addition, students must fulfill the various co-curricular requirements of both the Rabbinic and Cantorial Programs, including comprehensive examinations, Ritual Skills requirements, and yearly Practica. (Please see the Rabbinical Program page and the Cantorial Program page for more information on requirements for the program.) Student must also demonstrate proficiency with an instrument.

Students can choose the pace at which they are comfortable studying. Those who want to study full-time all year round can finish the program in five years (provided they enter with a high level of Hebrew). Others will choose to study at a more measured pace, finishing the program in six years or longer, when completed through part-time study.

Please note: Courses are 2 credits each unless otherwise indicated.

Bible (12 credits)
Introduction to Bible
Introduction to Parshanut
Leadership in the Bible/ Nevi’im Rishonim
Electives (6 credits)

Hebrew (25 credits)
Hebrew I (2 trimesters, 4 credits each)
Hebrew II (2 trimesters, 4 credits each)
Hebrew IIIA (4 credits)
Hebrew IIIB (2 credits)
Liturgical Hebrew (1 credit)
Biblical Hebrew

History (8 credits)
Great Ideas and Debates of Jewish History (4 credits)
American Jewish History, Society, and Culture*
Israel Course 

Liturgy (10 credits)
Introduction to Liturgy
Shabbat Liturgy
Festival Liturgy
Yamim Noraim Liturgy
Tefillah and Seminar

Philosophy (11 credits)
Medieval Philosophy
Modern Philosophy
Personal Theology
Mysticism Elective
Pluralism
Bio-Ethics (1 credit)

Professional Skills (27 credits)
Pastoral Counseling I
Pastoral Counseling II
Homiletics (3 credit)
Education (2 trimesters, 2 credits each)
Life Cycle I
Life Cycle II
Conversion (1 credit)
Chaplaincy (1 credit)
Fieldwork Support Seminar (2 trimesters, 2 credits each)***
Core Concepts Seminar (4 trimesters, 0 credits, no tuition)
Clergy Formation Seminar (two half-trimesters, 0 credits, no tuition)
Difficult Conversations (1 credit)
Musical Skills I (0 credits)
Musical Skills II (0 credits)
Musical Skills III (2 credits)
Music of the Life Cycle (1 credit)
Entrepreneurial Skills
Responding to Antisemitism (1 credit)

Rabbinics/Halakhah (22 credits)
Introduction to Mishna
Introduction to Talmud (2 trimesters, 2 credits each)
Intermediate Talmud (2 trimesters, 2 credits each)
Advanced Talmud
Midrash I
Introduction to Codes
Intermediate Codes
Advanced Codes
Introduction to Responsa

Spirituality (4 credits)
Architecture of Ritual
Sacred Arts

Cantillation (6 credits)
Cantillation I: Torah and Haftarah (2 credits)
Cantillation II: Yamim Noraim and Eikhah (2 credits)
Cantillation III: Shalosh Regalim and Esther (2 credits)

Nusah** (25 credits)
Introduction to Modes (1 credit)
Shabbat I (4 credits)
Shabbat II (4 credits)
Yamim Noraim I (4 credits)
Yamim Noraim II (4 credits)
Shalosh Regalim I (4 credits)
Hol and Minor Festivals (4 credits)

Peace Studies (6 credits)
Introduction to Peace Studies
Music and Conflict Resolution

Total: 160 credits

* Note that students living outside of the United States may take a comparable course in the Jewish History and Culture of their country instead of American Jewish History, Society, and Culture.

** All nusah classes meet twice weekly, with one didactic session, and one ‘lab/coaching’ session to review and hone the application of the material covered. Attendance at both sessions is required.

*** Students who opt not to complete 1 unit of CPE will also need to take an additional 2 trimesters of FWSS (no credit, but tuition paid).

Master’s Project

Students must fulfill the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Jewish Studies, including a Master’s Project, unless they enter the program having already completed a Master’s Degree in a Jewish Studies field. (The Master’s does not add additional credits to the program.) Those who enter with an earned M.A. in Jewish Studies but have not already written a Master’s Thesis will need to complete a Master’s Project.