Chancellor THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (JTS)

The Institution

The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is a preeminent institution of Jewish higher education, training thoughtful, innovative leaders—rabbis, cantors, educators, lay leaders, and scholars—who strengthen our communities with a vision of Judaism that is deeply grounded in the Jewish past and thoroughly engaged with contemporary society while helping guide American Judaism’s future. JTS also provides high-caliber lifelong learning and professional development to our alumni, adult learners, and Jewish communities throughout North America. Through its Library, JTS preserves and provides global access to the largest collection of Judaica in the Western Hemisphere, serving students and scholars worldwide.

Students at JTS enjoy an unparalleled depth and breadth of resources. They are taught by a world-renowned faculty offering the most extensive Jewish Studies program in North America, as well as professional mentors deeply committed to developing the next generation of Jewish leaders. The five schools of JTS include an undergraduate institution, a rabbinical school, a cantorial school, a graduate school of education, and a graduate school for Jewish studies. JTS is also home to cutting-edge centers for pastoral education, spiritual arts, interreligious dialogue and immersive programs in Israel.

JTS students come from varied backgrounds, but they share a passion for and commitment to Jewish life and learning, and a devotion to bringing Judaism alive for the next generation. The passion of our students and faculty shines through—in classrooms, the Beit Midrash, and the JTS Library; in daily prayer and community learning programs and in their commitment to the Jewish community.

For 140 years, JTS has served as the intellectual and spiritual center of the vital religious center. The leaders and scholars of JTS, from Schechter, Kaplan, Finkelstein and Heschel to Schorsh, Eisen and Schwartz have been leading voices in American Jewish thought and practice. Through our training of outstanding leaders and our engagement with Jewish communities, we strengthen Jewish life in North America and remain a key voice in the ongoing conversation about the future direction of American Judaism.

COLLEGE & SCHOOLS

The five schools of JTS—List College, The Rabbinical School, H. L. Miller Cantorial School, William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, and Gershon Kekst Graduate School—each contribute uniquely to the Seminary’s mission. Each school reflects JTS’s commitment to rigorous scholarship, spiritual depth, and communal responsibility, while addressing the evolving needs of Jewish life in the 21st century.

List College

In 1953, students were given the opportunity to earn two simultaneous bachelor’s degrees: one in Liberal Arts from Columbia University and one in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). A similar dual-degree program with Barnard College was launched in 1979. Today, with a student body of nearly 200, List College is committed to preparing young adults for responsible Jewish citizenship and leadership. Beyond training students for careers as Jewish professionals, List College attracts a diverse group with a wide range of interests. Its alumni pursue careers in fields as varied as law, medicine, finance, politics, Jewish and secular education, the rabbinate, academia, journalism, and advertising.

The Rabbinical School

The Rabbinical School of The Jewish Theological Seminary provides an integrated program of academic learning, professional development, and spiritual growth ending in rabbinic ordination and the award of a Master of Arts degree. Courses in Judaic studies and professional and pastoral skills are complemented by a program of field education and a year of study in Israel. The incoming class of rabbinical and cantorial students in the autumn of 2025 is the largest in many years.

H. L. Miller Cantorial School

H. L. Miller Cantorial School provides a strong foundation in liturgy, music, and Jewish studies—complemented by innovative approaches to prayer—all preparing students to shape joyful and soulful Jewish communities. Our curriculum brings together musical creativity and spirituality, historic texts, and cutting-edge professional training, with a focus on developing cantors who can meet the evolving needs of today’s Jewish communities.

William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education

The William Davidson School provides an unparalleled academic experience for leaders in Jewish education. Our partnerships with key institutions in the Jewish and education worlds ensure that students at The William Davidson School have access to the most comprehensive catalog of programs and projects. It is the largest pluralistic school of Jewish education in North America and for over a century, has graduated leaders who go on to define the field of Jewish education and shape Jewish experience in schools, start-ups, congregations, nonprofits, and beyond.

Gershon Kekst Graduate School

The Kekst Graduate School offers the most extensive academic program in advanced Jewish studies in North America. It awards master’s and doctoral degrees in numerous areas of specialization, ranging from Ancient Judaism to Modern Jewish Studies and from Jewish Gender and Women’s Studies to Jewish Ethics. It is unique in the experience it offers students: a Jewish Studies faculty and library of unparalleled breadth and depth; rigorous study of Jewish texts in original languages and cultural contexts; engagement with scholarship that matters for the Jewish future, in a community enlivened by rabbinical, cantorial, education, and undergraduate schools; and the boundless professional and cultural opportunities of Manhattan.

MFA in Creative Writing Program

In the fall of 2025, JTS launched a groundbreaking Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing program, marking a significant expansion of its academic offerings beyond traditional rabbinic and Judaic studies. The program affirms JTS’s commitment to fostering Jewish creativity and cultural leadership in a rapidly changing world. This two-year, low-residency program is designed to nurture Jewish storytelling in all its forms—fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, and hybrid genres—while providing students with access to the rich intellectual and cultural resources of JTS. Directed by acclaimed Israeli author Etgar Keret, the program features mentorship from a distinguished roster of Jewish writers and artists, including Jonathan Safran Foer, Nicole Krauss, Ira Glass, Regina Spektor, and Deborah Treisman. The MFA responds to a growing need for Jewish writers to find supportive spaces for creative expression, especially in light of recent challenges in the broader publishing world.

CONVENINGS

JTS has begun biannual large-scale convenings that address subjects of great importance in the Jewish community and the world at large. During these two-day gatherings, JTS hosts a broad range of thinkers for conversations on weighty issues that pose challenges to our contemporary Jewish community, our nation, and the world.

Together, academics, religious leaders, politicians, artists, writers, and practitioners with a range of backgrounds and views tackle complex and often challenging topics with both depth and nuance. Attendees engage with experts in the field, learn from diverse perspectives, and participate in constructive conversations, dialogue, and collaboration.

JTS CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

In addition to the five schools, JTS’s centers of excellence reflect its commitment to holistic leadership development, interfaith dialogue, and ethical engagement. These centers serve as incubators for innovation, offering students and scholars opportunities to explore Jewish tradition in dialogue with contemporary challenges.

The Center for Pastoral Education

The Center for Pastoral Education is one of the only seminary centers accredited in North America under Jewish auspices. Providing in-depth training and certification to students, members of the clergy, and people of all faiths who seek intensive training in pastoral care. The center offers a variety of clinical programs, as well as flexible online options. JTS rabbinical and cantorial students complete a 400-hour unit of CPE as part of their training.

The Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts

The Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts offers training and mentoring for JTS students in prayer and prayer leadership, support for students' own spiritual growth, and programs for the public. The center has as its mission the re-embodiment of Jewish prayer as a way to open the heart, expand the mind, and grow the soul.

The Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue

The MCID sponsors timely discussions and activities among diverse leaders, continuing JTS's decades-long commitment to interreligious engagement. The center focuses particularly on fostering Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim understanding and partnership, and has been a trailblazer in both areas.

The Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies (LFI)

LFI brings together great thinkers from diverse academic, social, political, and religious spheres to wrestle with the most urgent challenges of the day. Recent LFI events have included welcoming World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to speak on the "Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty," as well as programs on the environment, feminism, and other issues of social justice. In the last few years, LFI has gained renown for its cutting-edge discussions of public policy and biomedical ethics.

The Hendel Center for Ethics and Justice

Launched in April 2019, the Hendel Center formally weaves the study of Jewish ethics and training in civic engagement into the curriculum at JTS. Rooted in Jewish history, teaching, and texts, the Hendel Center offers academic study, skills training, internships, panels, lectures, workshops, and research opportunities. The center convenes clergy, educators, and activists from various faith communities to study, share ideas, and collaborate to address pressing ethical issues. A key part of the center's mission includes partnering across faith lines to help bridge the divides confronting society today.

THE JTS LIBRARY

In addition to its schools and centers, the Library of JTS is one of the greatest Judaic studies libraries in the world. Along with its 400,000 circulating volumes, the library has an exceptional collection of rare materials, including the world's largest collection of Hebrew manuscripts, 43,000 fragments from the Cairo Genizah, extensive archives, and much more. A state-of-the-art facility to house the Library was created as part of JTS's 21st Century Campus, which has expanded access to the Library's unparalleled Judaic collection.

JTS and AMERICAN JUDAISM

The Chancellor and seminary leadership serve as visionary leaders of American Judaism and its vital center. This includes being a voice for the principles of Conservative Judaism, a movement rooted in the balance between tradition and change. Conservative Judaism, as articulated by JTS, is committed to preserving Jewish law and heritage while embracing modern scholarship and evolving social values. It upholds halachic pluralism, allowing for diverse interpretations of Jewish law within a unified framework. JTS’s intellectual foundation is built on the positive-historical approach, which views Jewish texts and practices through the lens of historical development and critical inquiry. JTS has long been a catalyst for progressive change, including the ordination of women and LGBTQ+ inclusion, while remaining deeply anchored in Jewish learning and ritual. The Chancellor will be expected to embody and advance these values, guiding the Seminary in its mission to educate leaders who are both rooted in Jewish tradition and responsive to contemporary challenges. This role requires a deep understanding of Conservative Judaism’s theological principles, a commitment to inclusive leadership, and the ability to engage with a diverse and evolving Jewish community throughout North America.

JTS ALUMNI, STUDENTS, & FACULTY

JTS alumni are influential across the globe, serving as rabbis, educators, cantors, academics, and community leaders. They are recognized not only for their expertise, but also for their commitment to enriching Jewish life and advancing social justice. Information on the student body, faculty, and alumni base can be found below:

STUDENTS

JTS degree students are the future leaders of Jewish life, joining a vibrant and intellectually engaged community enriched by world-class scholars. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, students receive highly personalized attention and mentorship. They come from diverse backgrounds but share a deep commitment to Jewish learning, leadership, and community.

FACULTY

JTS boasts America’s largest faculty dedicated exclusively to Jewish studies (30 full-time and 53 part-time), comprising renowned scholars and educators who bring depth, breadth, and passion to their teaching.

ALUMNI

JTS alumni hold leadership roles in over 600 congregations and schools, 100 Jewish organizations worldwide, 150 major universities, and 35 JCCs, federations, and summer camps. They are innovators and changemakers, having founded influential institutions such as Camp Ramah, The Jewish Museum, Schechter Institute, Avodah, Hadar, Ikar, and Encounter.

The Opportunity

Position:

Chancellor

Location: New York, NY

Reporting Relationship: Board of Trustees

Website: https://www.jtsa.edu/The Position

The Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS) seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as its ninth Chancellor in its 140-year history at this pivotal moment in the American Jewish experience. JTS’s new Chancellor will harness JTS’s long history, the momentum of its newly completed 21st Century Campus and the dynamic new programs it has instituted to shape the future direction of American Jewish education and communal leadership. This is a rare opportunity to lead a storied institution into its next chapter of relevance, innovation, and national impact. This leader will champion the seminary’s mission to integrate rigorous Jewish scholarship with bold leadership and meaningful action, setting the stage for its next chapter.

As the chief executive and academic head of JTS, as well as President of the Faculty, the Chancellor will lead a talented team of more than 200 full- and part-time employees, managing a $38 million operating budget, and a $150 million endowment, shaping and communicating a compelling vision for the institution’s role as the vital center of Jewish life and learning in North America. The Chancellor will actively engage in fundraising to ensure that JTS has the resources it needs to carry out that vision.

The successful candidate will be a primary thought leader in the Jewish community—steeped in tradition while fully engaged with the modern world. They will refine and implement an innovative strategic vision, enhance operational excellence, and uphold the highest standards of academic and institutional integrity.

In addition to stewarding JTS’s core programs and stakeholder relationships, the Chancellor will strengthen and expand academic partnerships with Barnard College and Columbia University and explore new collaborations to advance the seminary’s mission. The Chancellor will explore new ways to reach new audiences so that JTS can continue to fulfill its educational mission in the contemporary age.

Candidates should be prepared to be a thought-leader who will inspire, advocate, and engage both within and beyond the Jewish world, affirming JTS’s role as a beacon of Jewish thought and courage, providing leadership to Jews throughout North America.

The Candidate KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

JTS seeks a charismatic, passionate visionary who personifies its core values and mission. The ideal Chancellor will be an inspiring, credible, and articulate spokesperson and fundraiser, deeply committed to Jewish learning, leadership, and community engagement. This leader will earn the respect of senior figures in Jewish education, academia, and communal life—representing JTS at major events while forging and nurturing critical relationships as the seminary’s chief ambassador.

The successful candidate will bring exceptional interpersonal and diplomatic skills, a proven record of securing transformative philanthropic support, and the ability to unite and energize a diverse, talented team. They will invest in and expand academic and community programs, grow the student body and network of supporters, and build a sustainable pipeline of engagement across North America and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Vision and Executive Leadership

Design and drive a bold strategic vision that positions JTS as the premier destination for Jewish learning and leadership.
As President of the Faculty, it is critical to continue the existing strong momentum in building the next generation of tenured faculty of world renown scholars and to develop a vision of the specialties that need to be filled.
Articulate core values, shape institutional culture, and align organizational systems.
Mentor and evaluate a high-performing senior leadership team.
Ensure operational excellence by streamlining cross-departmental collaboration, optimizing resource allocation, and embedding accountability across all academic and administrative functions.
Cultivate an institutional ethos that embraces innovation, encourages intellectual risk-taking, and empowers faculty, staff, and students to shape the future of Jewish education.
Manage JTS’s budget to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with strategic priorities.
Champion JTS’s mission as its lead storyteller, forging powerful connections with donors, partners, thought leaders, alumni, academic partners, and the media.

Strategic Advancement

Mobilize a broad coalition of stakeholders—faculty, alumni, donors, and community leaders—to co-create and execute a strategic roadmap that drives institutional relevance, growth, and long-term sustainability.
Strengthen JTS’s public profile via active engagement with academic, religious, civic, and philanthropic communities, using contemporary communication tools such as social media and streaming in addition to in-person outreach across the country.
Forge transformative partnerships across sectors to amplify JTS’s reach, enhance programmatic offerings, and position the Seminary as a global thought leader in Jewish education and civic engagement.
Reaffirm and strengthen our presence in Israel, as an essential part of the educational experience provided by JTS.
Position JTS as a leading global center for Jewish scholarship and leadership, responsive to the evolving needs of the 21st-century Jewish community and broader society, including strengthening the Library as a preeminent cultural and intellectual resource.

Revenue Generation

Lead and grow JTS’s fundraising efforts across individual, corporate, foundation, and event-based channels.
Drive the successful completion of capital campaigns while laying the groundwork for future initiatives that align with JTS’s evolving mission and strategic priorities.

Board Relations and Governance

Provide the Board of Trustees with timely, accurate information to support informed decision-making.
Activate the full potential of the Board by facilitating high-impact committees and strategic working groups that harness trustees’ expertise to advance institutional goals.
Partner with the Board to identify, cultivate, and recruit new trustees and advisory members.
Engage prospective donors alongside the Board to expand JTS’s philanthropic network.

Key Relationships

Reports To: Board Chair; accountable to the Board of Trustees

Direct Reports: Provost, Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, Vice Chancellor for Religious Life and Engagement

Key Internal Contacts: Faculty, students, and administrative staff across academic and operational departments.

Key External Contacts: Donors, foundations, alumni, academic partners, Jewish communal leaders, government officials, and broader community stakeholders.

Education

A doctorate and/or Rabbinic ordination is required. Additional degree(s) in business administration, education, or a related field a plus.

Compensation

JTS offers a base compensation of approximately $400,000 - $450,000. Additional benefits will be provided to the successful candidate.

Application Process

While the requisition will remain open until the role is filled, preference will be given to interested and qualified candidates who submit a CV and cover letter by October 20th to: JTSChancellor@KornFerry.com

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