by the Rabbinic Transition Team
This past August, the Kehilla Board of Trustees formed a temporary Rabbinic Transition Team and tasked the team with facilitating community engagement in response to the announcement of our upcoming rabbinic transition involving Rabbi David and Rabbi Dev. We are excited to report that the first stage of this transition has been completed.
Our Transition Team communicated with and engaged Kehilla members in a number of ways, including:
- Producing a “Kehilla in Transition” newsletter outlining the many aspects of the rabbinic transition;
- Convening three open forums for Kehilla members, one aimed at Kehilla School families and two open to the congregation at large, at which congregants had the opportunity to share their thoughts on the transition;
- Communicating with individuals, either by email or in person about their thoughts and concerns.
The Transition Team recently presented a report to the Kehilla Board of Trustees outlining the process and what was learned, and offering recommendations going forward.
Highlights of what was learned:
- There is deep appreciation for all that Rabbi David has offered during his tenure as Kehilla’s Community Rabbi;
- There were many expressions of appreciation and support for Rabbi Dev’s contributions to Kehilla as Associate Rabbi and as School Director;
- There is great trust in Rabbi Dev’s capacity to fulfill the senior rabbi role and excitement at the prospect;
- Congregants let us know aspects of Rabbi David’s service to the community that they hope will be preserved, as well as aspects of the senior rabbi role that they hope will be prioritized under Rabbi Dev’s leadership;
- Congregants appreciated being informed and engaged in the process and want this to continue through out the period of the transition.
Going Forward:
- Kehilla’s Personnel Committee and the Board of Trustees, in consultation with the Finance Committee, will be overseeing the continuation of the transition process.
- They are working on the structure of the transition year, July 2016-June 2017, in which Rabbi David and Rabbi Dev will both shift their roles to become “co-rabbis.”
- They are also addressing the structural shifts that will happen in July 2017 when Rabbi David diminishes his role and Rabbi Dev moves fully into the senior rabbinic role.
The Board will inform the congregation once more details have been determined. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Executive Director, Michael Saxe-Taller (Michael@kehillasynagogue.org) and he will pass on your thoughts to the appropriate people.
Thank you to all who participated in the process.
Rabbinic Transition Team:
Karen Cohn, Barbara Petterson, Ralph Silber, Richard Speiglman, Naomi Tucker and Michael Saxe-Taller