Rabbi Search

• By June 2014: Identify the profile of the new Rabbi
• By November 2014: Complete review of candidate applications
• By November 2014: Submit information about the recommended candidate to the Board of Trustees
• By December 2014: Submit the recommended candidate to the congregation for a vote to approve
• By January 2015: Offer the position to the chosen applicant

(Taken from “Rabbi Search Committe: Introduction”)

We will be offering three ways for the Congregation to have a voice:

1. A dedicated and confidential email address has been established to which you can email a statement. That address is: RabbiSearch@vassartemple.org.   
Your comments will be shared within the committee; if you ask for anonymity, your request will be respected.

2. Written statements can also be sent to or dropped off at the Temple Office;  please place “Rabbi Search” on the outside of the envelope and it will be given to the Chair.

3. If you request a personal conversation with the Chair or other member of the Committee, every attempt will be made to arrange one. To schedule an in-person meeting, contact the Chair via email at the address above or by telephone at 914-456-3524.

Sandra Mamis, Chair
Rabbi Search Committee

(Taken from “Rabbi Search Committe: Introduction”)

The search committee has been working actively over the summer.

The first phase of our effort – collecting input from our congregants – was completed by June. We received a good deal of guidance from your collective comments; these will of course provide the basis of the competencies we will be looking for in the candidates.

As of today’s date, July 20th, initial resumes have been received; one of the rabbis did sign a contract with another synagogue subsequent to submitting his application to us. Each of the rabbis was contacted by telephone giving both the candidate and the committee an opportunity to engage in a casual conversation related to the individual’s interest in Vassar Temple; to discuss some of the needs of the Temple; and to touch on general information about the community.  It is important that a rabbi who ultimately accepts an offer to serve our temple have his or her professional aspirations met and know that their family will be suited to living in the Hudson Valley which, thankfully, has a great deal to offer as we all know!  All of these conversations were well received by the rabbis who clearly appreciated a chance to ‘schmooze.’ 

The next step in our process will be to have more formal interactions with the viable candidates utilizing visual electronic media. In depth questions regarding worship style, engagement with members, scholarly endeavors and outreach are but a few of the topics that will be on the table.

The intensity of the committee’s work in September and October will depend in part on the outcome of our summer activity and on the availability of candidates to interact with us, especially as some who currently have a pulpit must attend to the obligations of High Holy Days in their current temples during the early Fall.

The Rabbi Search Committee remains committed to identifying and recommending to the Trustees that individual who will help make Vassar Temple an inviting place of spirituality, of learning, of social consciousness, of extended family wholeness: to keep Vassar Temple the place “Where You Belong.”

Sandra Mamis, Chair
Rabbi Search Committee

The Rabbi Search Committee [RSC] of Vassar Temple is completing the first phase in a nearly year long initiative to identify the best candidate to replace our retiring Rabbi who, as you know, will be leaving at the end of June 2015.

Seeking the input of the congregation in order for the committee to be fully informed about the needs and wishes of Temple members was critical to the process. Forums called “Conversations” gave all members an opportunity to speak openly about their vision for the Temple’s future and, given the goals and concerns, what attributes and skills the individual needs to possess in order to help us be successful.  Approximately 60 people attended in total, representing a range of ages and perspectives; thoughtful and respectful discussion occurred in the sanctuary followed by two related activities in the social hall, where attendees were asked to prioritize the qualities we should be seeking.  Member opinion had been provided in other forms as well: in writing, by telephone and in personal discussions.   The data captured graphically and in text was then distributed to all committees members.

As expected, there was a range of responses, with some members feeling more or less strongly about certain elements both of the profile being developed and of the challenges we face going forward. But there certainly were some galvanizing opinions.  Virtually everyone expressed concern for securing stable membership and with that financial security.  There was considerable emphasis placed on the importance of engaging our young families and children, helping them to connect more strongly with their Judaism in a positive way.  And having Vassar Temple actually promote inclusivity – demonstrate sensitivity to all seeking a relationship with Judaism with our synagogue serving as a portal to that connection – was repeated at all sessions. 

With regard to the profile then, a unifying message was that the next Rabbi needs to be able to fully engage with all of our families, across all age groups; to be able to promote a love of Jewish learning in all who walk through our doors; and to help members find joyful and meaningful reasons to embrace Judaism in their daily lives. Also, our next Rabbi will need to be mindful of the diversity represented by our temple families and embrace all members and potential members in all life cycle events that are so important to them.

The RSC will transform the input into a profile to be used as candidates are interviewed.  The formal application has been submitted to the Central Conference of American Rabbis [CCAR]; Rabbi Henkin, the Director of Rabbi Placement, will in turn make it available to all eligible candidates.  The interview phase likely to begin in July, will take place over the subsequent months and involve a review of applications; electronic means of engaging in face-to-face meetings; and ultimately on sight visits, perhaps with committee members visiting home congregations and candidates spending time at Vassar Temple.

Respectfully submitted by Sandra Mamis, Chair, RSC

Rabbi Golomb has announced that he will retire in June 2015 after serving as Vassar Temple’s Rabbi for 15 years.  A Rabbi Search Committee (RSC) was convened with Sandra Mamis as chairperson.

By this time all congregants should have received a letter, available below, outlining several pieces of information regarding the process to be followed, including the identity of the Committee members, the means by which input will be solicited from the entire congregation, and a general overview with timelines for the process.

Every attempt will be made to keep Temple members abreast of the progress being made.  This site as well as the monthly Bulletin will keep you informed of relevant details and progress.  Of course, there will be a bit of a delay between when information is submitted and when the Bulletin arrives either electronically or by regular mail; but, this lag should not result in any significant delay in the transmission of information that you need to have.

As was stated in the letter, the RSC initiative will be reflective of the Temple members’ interests and concerns, will be transparent to the extent possible, and will be an intensive, serious and enlightened effort in keeping with the importance of the task set before the Committee.

Updates will be continue to be included in this area as the process evolves.

[Letter to the Congregation]

Dear Fellow Congregant,

The Rabbi Search Committee has begun its work to identify qualified candidates for the position of Vassar Temple’s next Rabbi.

The committee members are Linda Cantor, Melissa Erlebacher, Susan Hecht, Daniel Katz, CJ Kelly, David Lampell, Mark Metzger, Lisa Rubenstein, Michele Sinn and Daniel Teich; I am serving as chair. The committee, which itself is an extension of the temple family, includes individuals who represent the demographic diversity we enjoy at Vassar Temple; they are committed to engaging in a collaborative, transparent and intensive search effort. That said we expect the entire Congregation to communicate their thoughts and opinions regarding the personal, intellectual, spiritual and ethical qualities that we seek.

In addition to defining and prioritizing the characteristics we are looking for in our new Rabbi, it is also necessary to articulate who we are as a Congregation and what makes us unique. We need to consider not only where we stand at this moment in time, but also in what direction we see ourselves moving in the future. What is it we want for our temple?  What role can our new Rabbi play in bringing us closer to our goals? The Rabbi Search Committee’s responsibility is to make a decision that speaks to as many of our needs and preferences as possible.

With all this in mind, we will be offering four ways for the Congregation to have a voice.

1. A dedicated and confidential email address has been established to which you can email a statement. That address is: RabbiSearch@vassartemple.org.   
Your comments will be shared within the committee; if you ask for anonymity, your request will be respected.

2. Written statements can also be sent to or dropped off at the Temple Office;  please place “Rabbi Search” on the outside of the envelope and it will be given to the Chair.

3. If you request a personal conversation with the Chair or other member of the Committee, every attempt will be made to arrange one. To schedule an in-person meeting, contact the Chair via email at the address above or by telephone at 914-456-3524.

4. A series of 3 ‘Conversations’ – open forums in the Temple Sanctuary to which all are invited — will be held at the following times: Thursday, May 8th at 7:30pm, Wednesday May 14th at 7:00pm, and Sunday May 18th at 9:15am.

The entire search process is expected to unfold over the next 9 months. Here is our timeline:

• By June 2014: Identify the profile of the new Rabbi
• By November 2014: Complete review of candidate applications
• By November 2014: Submit information about the recommended candidate to the Board of Trustees
• By December 2014: Submit the recommended candidate to the congregation for a vote to approve
• By January 2015: Offer the position to the chosen applicant

As the months progress, the congregation will be kept apprised of the committee’s progress via the Vassar Temple Bulletin; look for a column identified as “Rabbi Search”.  We have been blessed with stable spiritual leadership for the past 14 years. Now we are faced with both an opportunity and responsibility to shape the future of Vassar Temple.  Please help us to be successful in this endeavor by participating.

Sandra Mamis, Chairperson
Rabbi Search Committee

As of this date the Rabbi Search Committee [RSC] has convened several times. The members have reviewed materials provided by the Central Conference of Rabbis [CCAR] which will help guide our work.

In addition we had an opportunity to conference with Rabbi Alan Henkin, the CCAR Director of Rabbi Placement, who will be providing support as the process unfolds.  The Committee is preparing for three open forums, called “Conversations,” giving all the congregants an opportunity to provide input. The Committee continues to invite all Vassar Temple members to also contact the chair either by phone 914-456-3524 or by email RabbiSearch@vassartemple.org to provide members with a comfortable means of communicating with the RSC.

The information collected will be carefully reviewed and referenced as the profile of our next rabbi is developed.  Information from outside sources, including other temples which have recently completed a clergy search, is being accessed as well.

Sandra Mamis, Chair
Rabbi Search Committee