With the 2025 spring semester in full swing, we are delighted to highlight our talented and dedicated community members.
Today we are thrilled to spotlight AJRCA board member, Chaplain Muriel Dance, PhD.
The Academy for Jewish Religion California proudly offers the only chaplaincy program in the world with a Masters in Jewish Studies degree and a certificate in Chaplaincy. We are very proud to have Muriel Dance among our esteemed Academy chaplains. As Chaplain Muriel stated, “The Academy for Jewish Religion opened my heart and mind to the importance of song and prayer, especially in the form of Psalms; tools I used in all my hospice work.”
The program began in 2003 and continues to graduate a group of highly trained caring individuals. As students earn a Masters degree, they study with cantorial and rabbinic students as well as learn and practice spiritual care skills.
Like many of our graduates, Chaplain Muriel began her career in another profession. A University of California PhD graduate in English literature, she moved from professor to academic dean; she held many leadership positions at University of Washington, Antioch College of Seattle and Hillel at the University of Washington, as well as being a senior educator at Hebrew University’s Melton Centre in Jerusalem. She taught an introduction to Judaism class and Hebrew at Beth Shalom in Seattle and Open Temple in Venice. Taking a sabbatical in Israel contributed to her motivation for pursuing a spiritual path at The Academy for Jewish Religion California.
After graduating from the Academy in 2011 and serving as a chaplain at Skirball Hospice, she served as Executive Director of Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din (SCCBD). The Bet Din is a pluralistic rabbinical court of 120 rabbis who act as judges during the conversion process. The position combined her knowledge of Judaism, the conversion process and the spiritual care needed to shepherd new Jews by choice through their conversion.
Wherever she goes, Chaplain Dance’s abilities are recognized and she is tapped for leadership positions. Recently, she joined the Board of AJRCA and has been using her skills to help update the Academy’s bylaws and board development. Thank you for all that you do for AJRCA
Written by Susan Casamassima