Canadian Catholic School of Theology to House Rabbinic Seminary

‘Coming of age’ for Canadian Jews: Jewish seminary set to open in Catholic institution

Charles Lewis - National Post

Nov 25, 2011

... the first mainstream Jewish seminary in Canada [Canadian Yeshiva and Rabbinical School] will be housed inside a Catholic school of theology and be part of seven Christian schools that comprise the Toronto School of Theology ...

The school, which will be officially launched at a ceremony Sunday on the University of Toronto campus, will be housed inside the University of St. Michael’s College, on St. Joseph Street, a school renowned for its graduate program in Catholic theology.

Professor Ann Anderson, the school’s president and a Catholic nun, sits on the rabbinical school’s board and was instrumental in bringing the Jewish seminary to the campus ...

The new rabbinical school will follow a form of the religion known as Classic Judaism — a decision that will make it distinct from the American Jewish experience...

The linking of the rabbinical school with Christian institutions fits with a greater trend of Christians seeking out the roots of their faith through Judaism and the Old Testament. Pope Benedict has made it a large part of his teaching to emphasize the Jewish roots of Catholicism.

The yeshiva is now operating and acts as a place for the Jewish community to learn more about their faith. The actual rabbinical school will open at the earliest in September but it could be later, Rabbi Tanenbaum said.

Alan Hayes, director of the Toronto School of Theology, said moving from just Christian schools to a multi-faith milieux completes a process started in the 1960s.

After Vatican II Catholic schools were allowed to share space with Protestants, which took place very quickly in Toronto, he said ...

full article:

http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/11/25/coming-of-age-for-canadian-jews-jewish-seminary-set-to-open-in-catholic-institution/

also see:

"Opus Dei members helped me, right from the beginning of my [rabbinic] seminary studies, to persevere in my [rabbinic] vocation and I have also seen them do it with other rabbis..."