Modern American rabbis face a profound crisis of legitimacy, caught between the imperatives of Western secular enlightenment and traditional Judaism's doctrinal demands. This fundamental "misalliance" manifests most clearly in rabbinical seminaries, where the competing aims of academic inquiry and religious authority create unresolved tensions. Through historical analysis and institutional critique focusing on the Jewish Theological Seminary, Cohen examines how approximately 3,000 Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbis serving 1,782 American congregations navigate between halakhic law and contemporary expectations. Combining sociological observation with theological analysis reveals that seminaries have failed to bridge the divide between their dual roles as academic institutions and rabbinical schools. The research finds that heavy emphasis on Talmudic studies without corresponding theological grounding leaves rabbis ill-equipped for modern pastoral and intellectual challenges. As authority has shifted from traditional halakhic sources to denominational movements, the crisis deepens. Renewal of the rabbinate requires restored emphasis on Jewish apologetics, stronger theological foundations, and recognition that modern Jews approach Judaism essentially as converts requiring systematic religious pedagogy rather than legal instruction. Only through renewed commitment to Jewish truth claims and speculative thought can the rabbinate effectively serve third-generation American Jews seeking renewed connection to synagogue life.