Rabbinic Search

RABBINIC SEARCH UPDATE ~ JULY, 2021
We are delighted to inform our congregation that the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) has approved our application and has posted the application on their website. 

Our application reflects the multitude of comments and suggestions our Rabbinic Search Committee received from you—our members through your participation in the focus groups and surveys. We are proud of our application and are proud and grateful to our Beth Emeth community for your valuable and thoughtful input. THANK YOU!

CLICK HERE  to view the application. 

What is next? The Rabbinic Search Committee believes that we will receive many strong resumes from excellent candidates in the coming weeks.  The first assessment of these candidates will be made by the search committee, likely in August/ September 2021.  Then, a small number of candidates will be invited to travel to Albany in fall/winter 2021 to meet with our community.  Details will be forthcoming.

September 1, 2021 UPDATE:
Since the last update in July, resumes have been received on a rolling basis and are being reviewed by the Rabbinic Search Committee. In early fall, the committee will be conducting preliminary zoom interviews with highly qualified candidates. The interview questions are being composed based on YOUR responses from participating in Focus Groups and from completing the Survey. THANK YOU for your ongoing support! Stay tuned for more updates in next month’s bulletin. And as always, please feel free to contact us with any questions!
On behalf of the Rabbinic Search Committee, we wish you and those whom you hold dear, a happy, sweet, safe  and healthy New Year! L’shanah tovah!

Please address any questions to our RSC co-chairs, Garry Sanders or Robyn Marinstein 

RABBINIC SEARCH TIME LINE:  CLICK HERE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q:  WHO SELECTS THE RABBI?
As per CBE by-laws, the Rabbinic Search Committee selects the Rabbinic candidate finalist to be recommended to the Board of Trustees.  Upon the approval of the candidate by the Board, the rabbinic candidate will be submitted for approval by vote of the congregation's membership.

Q: IS THERE A  SPECIFIC PROCESS WE WILL BE USING TO SELECT A NEW RABBI?
We are fortunate to have a framework for this process that has been developed by the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR).  If you are interested in learning more about he CCAR process, CLICK HERE.

Q: WILL I BE ABLE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SEARCH PROCESS OR OTHER IDEAS I HAVE WITH THE SEARCH COMMITTEE?
Yes.  We encourage you to participate.  All Beth Emeth congregants are invited to attend a focus group (via Zoom) and participate in a survey (available in March 2021 on-line or paper format).  The focus group and survey are designed to learn from our congregants what matters most to them in terms of rabbinic characteristics and skills as well as what areas of emphasis they believe a senior Rabbi should focus us in leading Beth Emeth forward.  CLICK HERE for more information and to register for a focus group.

Q:  WHAT IS THE TIMING FOR THIS SEARCH?
The end goal is recruiting a new Senior Rabbi who will join Congregation Beth Emeth on or about July, 2022.   The new Rabbi will overlap with Rabbi Shpeen for one year.  Rabbi Shpeen will become Emeritus at that time.  Reaching this goal requires time, energy, some flexibility, and most important . . . a congregational commitment to a successful and transparent search process.

Q:  HOW WILL THE TRANSITION TAKE PLACE BETWEEN RABBI SHPEEN AND THE NEW RABBI?
There will be a Rabbinic Transition Committee established following this search.  The Committee will have the role of working with both Rabbi Shpeen and the new Senior Rabbi to ensure a fluid, warm, and collaborative transition in the best interests of the Congregation.

RABBINIC SEARCH COMMITTEE:
It is with great pleasure that we announce the members of the Rabbinic Search Committee:
Gayle Abrams
Dan Dembling
Craig Alfred
Cheryl Gelder-Kogan
Liz Albright
Steve Ostroff
Michael Bigley
Donna Rosen
Jennifer Colman
Steve Shrager
Dan Cotton
As a group, they represent our diverse and warm community and are prepared to embrace their responsibility for an historic, emotional and awesome task of leading our congregation forward from Rabbi Shpeen’s illustrious and lauded rabbinate. As individuals, each brings good judgment, strong engagement, interesting ideas and a personal commitment to CBE. As we, the Beth Emeth community say and pray: Going from strength to strength.  CLICK HERE to learn more about our Search Committee.

Robyn Marinstein - rmarinstein@gmail.com
Garry Sanders - garrettrsanders@gmail.com