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Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Rabbis obtain experience by taking classes and participating in an internship in the seminary. Most importantly, rabbis must feel a calling to religious life. They must believe that they have received a call from God to serve others. 

In addition to the ordination requirements, a primary consideration in choosing a career in the clergy is a strong religious faith coupled with the desire to help others. Rabbis should be able to communicate effectively and supervise others. They must have self-confidence, initiative, and the ability to deal with pressure. They need to be impartial and attentive when listening to the troubles and worries of congregants. They must be tactful and compassionate in order to deal with people of many backgrounds. They must set a high moral and ethical standard for the members of their congregation. Orthodox seminaries accept only men, but all other denominations accept men and women into the rabbinate.