VT Rabbi Search

April 28, 2014: 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


 

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