When congregants face personal crises, rabbis often serve as first-line counselors - yet their effectiveness and proper role in addressing mental health needs remains largely unexplored. The Morris J. Bernstein Center for Pastoral Psychiatry at the Jewish Theological Seminary developed a comprehensive training program to examine this critical intersection of pastoral and psychological care. Through academic lectures on human behavior and mental illness, practicum experiences in Jewish social service agencies, and a structured counseling center with interdisciplinary case conferences, the program tracked 30 clients during its inaugural year. Of 13 completed cases, 6 achieved their counseling goals while 7 withdrew prematurely. Analysis revealed five primary categories of issues presented to rabbis: transition after loss, emotional distress, concerns about marriage prospects, overt marital problems, and undefined complaints. Rabbis encountered significant challenges including transference dynamics and the crucial need to identify cases requiring psychiatric referral. The findings demonstrate that effective rabbinic counseling depends on understanding psychodynamic principles, maintaining realistic therapeutic expectations, and recognizing the boundaries of pastoral intervention. This research establishes foundational frameworks for training rabbis in counseling while clarifying appropriate divisions between rabbinic and psychiatric care within Jewish communities.