Rabbinic Search

RABBINIC SEARCH UPDATE ~ MAY, 2021
THANK YOU!
On behalf of the Rabbinic Search Committee,  we would like to thank the members of the congregation who completed the survey and/or participated in a focus group. Your input has been invaluable! It is helpful knowing what YOU, our members are looking for in a new Senior Rabbi, and for our temple going forward.  We appreciate your candid opinions, thoughts and ideas. Your feedback is critical to our search and we are so pleased with the great response and participation received during the process! 

We want to keep you updated on what The Rabbininc Search Committee has been up to:

• Participated in Implicit Bias Training
• Facilitated, scribed and observed at 13 Focus Groups
• Compiled detailed notes from every Focus Group
• Assisted in composing the Congregational survey 

And... what the Rabbinic Search Committee is currently working on:

• Analyzing information from the surveys and focus groups to capture the congregation’s priorities for our next Rabbi
• Crafting the Rabbinic application

If you have any questions, please contact Robyn Marinstein, Garry Sanders or any member of the Search Committee.

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