Dear Shir Chadash family,
As we move through the process of finding our next rabbi, we would like to update you on the Search Committee’s work and our progress to date. We also want to share with you some important context for the search.
According to the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the body that oversees rabbinic placements in Conservative synagogues, this year’s placement process poses a unique set of challenges: First, a larger-than-usual number of rabbis are retiring—including for early and delayed retirements—or are leaving their pulpits. The RA attributes this change in large part to the professional demands imposed by Covid. On top of this trend, the RA is seeing a smaller-than-usual cohort of rabbinic candidates seeking congregational pulpits as current rabbis and soon-to-be graduates increasingly pursue non-pulpit roles.
In short, there are more congregational clergy positions open than there are applicants to fill them. To meet this reality, the search committee is working to minimize delay in moving desirable candidates through our process, while still ensuring that applicants seeking to lead our congregation receive full and thorough consideration.
Here’s where we stand:
Shir Chadash has had five applicants for our position so far, including one application that arrived at the beginning of this week and which is under review by the committee. Two of our original applicants voluntarily withdrew from the search to pursue other opportunities. To date, the committee has completed full interviews with two of the remaining candidates, and an initial screening interview with the most recent applicant.
Following full interviews, the search committee voted to invite Rabbis Daniela Szuster and Rami Pavolotsky (a husband-and-wife rabbinical team) and Rabbi Jesse Nagelberg for in-person visits in January: Rabbis Szuster and Pavolotsky on the weekend of January 14 and Rabbi Nagelberg on the weekend of January 22.
Prior to those visits, both sets of candidates will lead a Sisterhood class online: Rabbi Nagelberg on Dec. 22, and Rabbis Szuster and Pavolotsky on Dec. 29. We hope that you can join us for those classes.
We will communicate the schedule of events for each of the weekend visits in advance and we hope that you will be an active participant during our candidate visits. We want to show these applicants the beauty of our congregation, our beloved city and our Shir Chadash family. Your involvement is critical in ensuring we attract the best possible match.
Given the highly competitive landscape of this search, it is imperative that we put our best foot forward as a congregation when these candidates come to visit. We hope to convey the vibrant, familial spirit of Shir Chadash to these candidates, so we will need as many congregants as possible to participate in the events we plan over the course of each weekend. Each candidate will participate in Shabbat services, youth programming and educational activities, allowing us to see them in action - and vice versa.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments. We will continue to keep you informed as the process moves forward.
Regards,
Bob Kutcher
Nicole Tygier
Rabbinic Search Committee
Julie Finkelstein-Steinhaus
Rebecca Friedman
Ken Klein, ex-officio
Bob Kutcher, co-chair
Danny Mintz
Rochelle Sackett
Mark Schleifstein
Karen Sher
Laurie Sterbcow
Peter Title
Nicole Tygier, co-chair
