Synagogue Updates

Two years ago, we each received a call from Joel Freedman, then President of the Synagogue, asking us to co-chair a Rabbi Search Committee. Two years ago, we set in motion a process that is expected to culminate in about two weeks. It has been quite a ride!

We’ve learned a great deal over the past two years. Together, with our incredible committee, we’ve spent thousands of hours speaking to and learning from you, our members; and from the staff, lay leadership, Ken Krivitzky, Rabbi Cooper and Hazzan Rosner. Our process has been deliberate and inclusive – beginning with a congregational survey and Zoom focus group sessions – all before we posted a very detailed job description for candidates to review.

We interviewed 15 candidates for the position of Senior Rabbi (this is a record number of candidates in a year in which some synagogues received only one or two applications). We brought 7 rabbis to the committee for interviews and three rabbis were invited to our congregation for an interview weekend. Next Shabbat, we will meet our final candidate, Rabbi Ethan Witkovsky, and his wife, Erin Beser. Rabbi Witkovsky, along with Rabbis David Englander and Michael Singer, are all impressive and accomplished clergy. We hope you had the opportunity to “meet” either live or virtually, our first two candidates – and we hope to see you next weekend as well. It is worth noting that each candidate brings a special set of skills to our synagogue community. In preparation for their participation in Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat morning services, the rabbis worked directly with Hazzan Rosner. Likewise, they spoke in advance to Lisa Richman and Judith Scarani to prepare for meeting with our students.

You can learn more about Rabbi Witkovsky here and you can RSVP to the events for the Rabbi Witkovsky weekend here. 

Please be sure to complete the two surveys you will receive next Sunday afternoon. One will be about Rabbi Witkovsky and one will be on overall impressions. Your constructive feedback has been and continues to be imperative to our process. We will move quickly after Rabbi Witkovsky leaves on January 30, and we will remain deliberate and detailed in our process – taking into account the survey results and your comments. There will be a shorter time to complete this survey than the other two so that we can begin the recommendation process. Our goal is to announce the name of our new spiritual leader early in February.

Finally, some personal reflections: When each of us and our husbands decided to join TBH-BE many years ago, we attended services, enrolled our children in Magic Moments and the ECC, met with Rabbi and Hazzan, and got to know members who would soon become dear friends. We knew then what we know now – our sacred community is wonderfully special and truly unique. We are diverse, learned, warm, friendly and fun. And we are lucky. In our 60-year history, we’ve had just two senior rabbis, and that speaks volumes about the quality of our congregational family. Each of us cares deeply about our spiritual home. We, and our committee, care deeply about each of you. Thank you for participating in this process.

With gratitude,

Holly Nelson and Ranita Thomas