Should rabbinical ordination, semicha, be considered equivalent to a bachelors degree?
Perhaps, or at least partially towards a degree, in my opinion. It could definitely replace many of the more liberal arts courses that help populate the requirements of a degree. My yeshiva studies and semicha were used to give me a percentage of my required credits towards my degree. I still had to take all the required courses for my specific field of study, but the semicha took care of many of the other required credits that were general studies, liberal arts courses, that weren't necessarily necessary for any given degree but were required nonetheless.
What semicha should be acceptable towards a degree? any private semicha or only one that is publicly recognized, or perhaps with proof of study and curriculum? I can say that the Rabbanut semicha should be recognized as such, as well as other recognized rabbinic groups or rabbinic study programs, but many others where somebody just gets a document from a private rav with no documented study - how can that be verified to qualify for a degree or towards a degree? Maybe somebody just wrote up a nice certificate, or the holder bought one?
Regardless, right now in Israel semicha is not equivalent to a degree. And the courts have just upheld that.
Kooker reports that people cannot apply for jobs that require a degree using the semicha as that degree, nor will salary scale take semicha into account as a degree.
Two rabbis had submitted a bid in a tender published by the Ministry of Education for supervisors. Being disqualified from the tender, they petitioned the court saying that such a requirement is discriminatory against the Haredi community and not recognizing semicha as a degree is demeaning and damaging to the freedom of employment and equality of the Haredi community.
The Ministry of Education's response is that to be accommodating to the Haredi community, they already lowered the normal requirements from a second degree and only required a first degree. Semicha for the rabbinate does not train the applicant in in writing ability nor in expressing criticism, while the requirement of the degree is to expose the candidate to a variety of approaches and opinions, while encouraging original and critical thought.
The judge accepted the Ministry's opinion and said requiring a first degree is reasonable, and this complaint does not justify the courts involvement.
So, Semicha in Israel is still not good enough to be counted as a degree, but I think th system should start considering it as fulfilling some of the requirements towards a degree. This also might encourage more people from the Haredi community to seek out higher education. The idea of it won't be so daunting, as part of it will already be covered, as well as positively making people approach it as it would be good to get a degree and the controversial topics (any required liberal arts topics) are already taken care of.
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