The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) was founded in 1886 through the efforts of two distinguished rabbis, Dr. Sabato Morais and Dr. H. Pereira Mendes, along with a group of prominent lay leaders from Sephardic congregations in Philadelphia and New York. Its mission was to preserve the knowledge and practice of historical Judaism. In 1887, JTS held its first class of ten students in the vestry of the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue, New York City’s oldest congregation.  A Jewish university with a world-class faculty and a diverse student body, JTS grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees through its five schools and offers enriching programs for the Jewish community in the United States, Israel, and around the world. Its mission is to preserve the knowledge and practice of historical Judaism while sharing a vision of Judaism that is learned and passionate, pluralist and authentic, traditional and egalitarian. 3080 Broadway New York, NY 10027 Telephone: 212- 678-8000 Website: www.jtsa.edu