The Shehebar Sephardic Center in the Old City of Jerusalem is supported by contributions to the American Friends of the Shehebar Sephardic Center, a 501c3 nonprofit organization as designated by the Internal Revenue Service. All donations are tax deductible.
The only institution of this kind in the world, the SSC fills a critical need by training and placing rabbis, shochets, dayans, mohels and sofers – all trained in Sephardic tradition – to Sephardic communities worldwide. With each rabbi placed, especially in new or struggling communities – it is estimated that dozens of future generations of the Jewish people are saved.
In addition to training rabbis, the SSC helps communities build synagogues, sends rabbis to the remotest areas of the globe to help with holiday services, opens schools to educate the forgotten young in places such as Uzbekistan, where after decades of communism, the Jews needed help reconnecting with Judaism. Finally, the SSC provides ongoing counsel to its graduates, helping them with the everyday issues they face in their communities.
The SSC has trained more than 150 rabbis, 20 dayanim, 60 teachers, 40 mohalim, and 25 shochetim. These spiritual leaders now serve Sephardic Jews in 70 cities on five continents around the world.
Seen as the global source for Sephardic training, the SSC receives calls daily from Diaspora Jewish communities looking for rabbinic leadership to build a kahal, lead holiday services, to teach in a school, or to oversee the kashrut of a restaurant.
No matter what the need, the SSC fills the void by sending its graduates to the remotest towns or the most highly populated cities, to serve and inspire the people there.
Your contribution to the SSC can help with daily expenses, student scholarships, or be designated to support a specific program. Every contribution is appreciated.