Shabbat Shalom!
Dear Co-Congregants,

Greetings! I am writing today, full of gratitude for our congregation, to share a brief report on significant progress for KHN’s Rabbinic Search and Transition processes. 

Cooperation is Key!  We have completed and activated the 2020-2021 Transition Plan and Transition Strategy documents to orient all of us to the roles and processes involved in the Congregational Rabbinic Search and transition.

  • The Transition Plan details the roles and lines of authority for the three congregational committees charged with stewarding the congregation through the transition and search processes: the Shammes Committee, the Search Committee and the Transition Committee.

  • The Transition Strategy document is in four parts: KHN roles, Search milestones, Search & Transition timeline, and frequently asked questions.

  • These documents will remain posted in the KHN “Members only” page (password breath#) through the transition. Please check them out!

Committees Announced!  I am pleased to announce the committees for the Search and Transition committees have been impaneled.

  • Thank you to everyone who stepped up to be considered for the Search Committee. It was enormously encouraging to see the love, dedication and show of support for our congregation!

  • The Search Committee co-chairs selected the committee based on bios submitted by nominees, skill sets needed for the process and a matrix aimed at diverse representation of KHN constituencies. Representation of the mixed-multitude of KHN, including diverse life experiences, Jewish Journeys, identities, family structures, spiritual practices and congregational histories was prioritized.

  • The Search Committee will be co-chaired by Alexa Huggins and Andrea Gerber and includes Sasha Astrakhan, Susanna Bluhm, Laura Crystal, Linda Dimeff, Anne Dwire, Ben Lipsky, Roberta Schur, Karen Weisser, Eddie Westerman.


  • The Transition Committee will be co-chaired by Jackson Holtz and Marie Poole and includes Michael Ninburg and Ilana Guttman. This committee is charged broadly with change management and specifically with integrating the eventual, in-coming congregational rabbi into community and spiritual life at KHN.

  • I hope you join me in extending our deep appreciation for the co-chairs and committee members who have agreed to take on this sacred work on behalf of our community. We are confident that your insight, ruach, compassion, expertise and experience will stand us all in good stead.

I am so thankful for all the thought, effort and energy that has brought us to these milestones and am excited to see how the Search & Transition committees, and their important work on behalf of our congregation, develops in the coming weeks and months.

Finally, I want to make sure that everyone has the Celebration Havdalah for Rabbi Zari on your calendar! Rabbi Zari has carried the ark of our sacred community these past ten years, and we have an opportunity to breathe in all the sweetness of our time with Rabbi Zari as we celebrate her tenure at KHN.  I hope you will join us Saturday August 29 th at 7pm via Zoom for this special Havdalah.

Please let me know if you have questions. president@khnseattle.org

Shabbat shalom, friends.

Jennifer Stewart
Shammes President

P.S. Hope to see you at services & study this Shabbat!