Rabbinic Search Updates

Rabbinic Search Announcement
March 20, 2022

The Interim Rabbi Search Committee and the Associate Rabbi Search Committee are thrilled and honored to announce our new rabbis:

Rabbi Jordana Schuster Battis as Associate Rabbi.
Rabbi Darryl Crystal as Interim Senior Rabbi.

Both rabbis will join us on July 1, 2022.

Rabbi Battis
Rabbi Jordi Battis comes to us from Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, MA, where she has served as Associate Rabbi for the past four years. Her portfolio there has included everything from adult education to environmental action, inclusion to social engagement. Before arriving at TST, she served as rabbi-educator at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, where she helped to develop the nationally acclaimed Mayim and Etzim supplementary learning programs and led their B. Mitzvah program. She is coming to Isaiah at a time when her current congregation is moving from three full-time clergy to two full-time clergy, as is typical of a congregation of their current size.

She is an alumna of Williams College and Harvard Divinity School, and received her rabbinic and education degrees from Hebrew Union College in LA. There, she was part of the prestigious HUC Mandel Fellowship in education and rabbinic leadership. She has lived and worked across the Israeli and American Jewish communities, in experiential, camp, and Hillel settings, and is a published author.

Rabbi Battis believes that Judaism is a vocabulary that we can use to bring meaning and purpose to the everyday actions of our lives. She is deeply invested in creating community rooted in values of inclusion, learning, and social justice, in which each person is welcomed, honored, and supported for who they are.

Originally from Claremont, CA, which looks about as much like a New England town as anywhere in Southern California possibly can, Rabbi Battis lives in Natick, MA, with her husband, Seth, and their school-aged sons Gershom (Gersh) and Rachmael (Rocky). She’s happy to talk Torah, YA literature, cultural change, poetry, theology (or lack thereof), and other life quandaries with equal enthusiasm.

Rabbi Crystal
Rabbi Darryl Crystal is entering his nineteenth year as an interim rabbi, working with congregations around the country. Prior to that, he served North Shore Synagogue on Long Island for 18 years. Rabbi Crystal served as manager of the Interim Rabbi Training program for the CCAR from 2015-2018, where he developed curriculum and trained other interim rabbis.

As an interim rabbi, Rabbi Crystal will fulfill the responsibilities of the senior rabbi and be a guide for the transition year. He will work closely with the clergy, staff, and lay leaders, collaborating with them to provide pastoral care, officiate at life-cycle events, lead services, teach, and actively engage in Temple life. Prior to his arrival in July, he will work with Rabbi Jaffe to learn about Temple Isaiah.

Pastoral care is a foundation of Rabbi Crystal’s work, and he has trained as a chaplain and worked in hospital settings. Tikkun Olam has been a central part of his life since high school; he has lobbied elected officials, led vigils, and participated in demonstrations on issues including LGBTQIA+ equality, reproductive rights, immigration reform, racial justice, and the abolition of torture. He has worked with interfaith communities throughout the country.

He was ordained at HUC-JIR in 1985 and has studied widely since then, including at the PARDES Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, Hebrew College, and with Bratslav and Chabad rabbis.

To learn more about his approach to serving as an interim rabbi, see this article that he wrote for the CCAR (the rabbinic organization).

We will share additional messages about our rabbinic transitions in the coming weeks, and will offer opportunities to meet both rabbis over the summer. Watch the weekly email digest and other emails for details.

We feel excited and blessed to have these two rabbis join us, as Temple Isaiah goes from strength to strength.

Update on Clergy Searches
March 3, 2022

Dear fellow congregants,

The rabbinic search committee has now reviewed all the applications submitted for settled senior rabbi. We have agreed that this committee will now seek an interim rabbi for the temple. Candidates for interim have already been interviewed.  We, like many congregations this year, initially began searching for a settled rabbi, only to find that this year’s pool of candidates simply did not include our next senior rabbi. 

Each year, that pool is limited to candidates whose contracts are expiring or who have been given permission by their congregations to break their contracts. Of the 23 candidates whose applications we received, only five  have been placed in new congregations and two have negotiated to stay at their current synagogues. Our search was not a failure. It was a tremendous learning process, and it led to our decision to continue to seek the right rabbi for the Temple Isaiah of the present and the future. When we search again for a settled rabbi, every bit of our experience will inform that search.

Interim rabbis are experts in the role, not “also-rans.” This is their calling. They are trained to help congregations through change processes. They work with congregations to make sure the path is set for the next settled rabbi. Our interim senior rabbi will support our senior leadership team and partner with lay leaders. 

We have also submitted an application to the CCAR for a new Associate Rabbi. Our search committee for the Associate Rabbi is small, as it was when we last searched for this post. Sharon Grossman and Wendy Liebow agreed to co-chair this team. Jason Schneider from the Board joined the group and I am serving as well. It is late in the hiring season, but we already have a few applicants. The Board and senior staff will meet any finalist(s) and the Board will make the final selection. 

As a congregant at Temple Isaiah, I wonder who  our next rabbis will be. As the President of Temple Isaiah, I am here to tell you that your Board and Executive Committee are stepping up and leading, doing what you elected us to do—take us through to the next stage in the long and healthy life of our community. Our staff and clergy are continuing to perform their invaluable work to the highest standards. We will continue to deepen lives and inspire purpose—together.

Your questions and comments are welcome, as always at rabbinicsearch@templeisaiah.net.

Rabbinic Search Update
November 24, 2021

The Search Committee is excited to announce that we have invited three finalist candidates for in-person visits at Isaiah. The candidates will visit in December and will meet with our clergy, the staff, the board, and a few others. The committee hopes to make a recommendation to the Board in early to mid-January. For any questions, please email rabbinicsearch@templeisaiah.net.

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Rabbinic Search Update
November 1, 2021

The search committee is simultaneously involved in several stages of the search process: reviewing new resumes, holding preliminary interviews, and starting to schedule and conduct follow-up interviews. We continue to be impressed with the variety of experiences and talents that we're seeing in the candidates’ applications and their enthusiasm for Temple Isaiah.

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Rabbinic Search Update
September 23, 2021

The Search Committee has listened hard to what you have told us--in Zoom conversations, on surveys, in emails, and in personal conversations—about your needs and wishes for our next senior rabbi.

Clearly, we have big hopes and dreams. We cannot list everything that is important in one email, but here are the themes that we heard most frequently.

• Our next senior rabbi must be someone who will build strong relationships with each of us. They should be warm, empathetic, compassionate, non-judgmental,  approachable--an embodiment of menschlichkeit. We want someone with strong pastoral skills to guide and comfort us. And, of course, someone with a sense of humor.
• Our next rabbi should be a strong community-builder and be involved with all segments of our community, from youth and teens to our most senior members. We need someone who is deeply inclusive and who will help ensure that every member of our community feels that they belong. We would like a senior rabbi who will be involved in our local communities beyond Isaiah.
• We want a rabbi who will inspire us through meaningful, uplifting worship and life-cycle events and through teaching that helps us infuse Judaism and Jewish values into our lives. We want the inspiration of intellectual challenge. We want a rabbi with a deep concern for social justice who will inspire us to help repair the world and guide us in doing so.
• Our next senior rabbi must be skilled at making transitions, respecting and continuing the traditions that mean so much to us, while bringing new ideas and approaches.
• We want a rabbi with vision who can lead us in implementing the changes we will need to make in our rapidly changing world--someone who is an original thinker and innovator.  
• Finally, we need someone who is a strong supervisor and team leader, partnering with staff and lay leadership and setting a tone of collaboration and mutual respect. The rabbi should build consensus while making sure that things get done.

It may seem that we are looking for a rabbi who will be faster than a speeding Egyptian chariot, more powerful than Samson, and able to leap the Tower of Babel in a single bound. But these dreams and wishes that you have articulated are truly the ones we are using to guide our search. We will do our best.

And as a community we will warmly welcome our new rabbi, with the full understanding that they will not be exactly like any of our previous rabbis, but will bring their own unique talents and gifts.

As always throughout the search process, we value your input. You can reach us at rabbinicsearch@templeisaiah.net.

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Application Filed
September 5, 2021

We have filed our official application with the Rabbinical Placement Committee of the Reform Movement and expect to receive the first resumes shortly. We will begin interviews in the coming weeks. We will keep you posted as the search progresses, and we will also be reporting to you shortly on the results of the survey and conversations about what you want in our next senior rabbi.

We welcome your input and feedback throughout the search. You can reach us at rabbinicsearch@templeisaiah.net, and read updates in the weekly digest, special emails, and on the temple website.

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Announcing the Rabbinic Search Committee
July 8, 2021

Fellow Congregants—

Our rabbinic search process is now shifting into high gear. I’m happy to announce our search committee, open opportunities for your input on the attributes we seek in our next senior rabbi, and update you on the search process and timeline. Look for continued updates via email and in the weekly digest.

Search Committee
Let me introduce the nine people who have agreed to serve on our search committee. They were chosen to reflect a wide range of congregational interests, cohorts, and demographics. Some of their particular perspectives are reflected in their short bios. In taking on this job, they are committing to a substantial piece of work—sacred work. I am so pleased that we have such a capable group and, on behalf of our entire community, I want to thank this team for their commitment to our temple. They are:

• Gil Benghiat, his wife Ilene, and their sons Abe, Isaac, and Elias live in Lexington and have been active members of Temple Isaiah beginning with Rabbi Jaffe officiating his first Temple Isaiah bris for their youngest son. Gil is currently the steward for First Friday Torah study, a steering committee member and an active participant for the Brotherhood Family Camping Trip, and he helped start the biking group for TI Together. In the Lexington community, Gil has been town coordinator of the Destination Imagination program, coached youth soccer, and is the coordinator for the ACROSS Lexington Challenge. Gil's career has been in software and he is most recently a co-founder of DataKitchen, Inc. 
• Gary Fallick and his wife Bebe have been members of Temple Isaiah for 50 years, joining not long after settling in Lexington. Their son and daughter both attended Temple Isaiah religious school through high school graduation, and now live out of state and are married, with college age children of their own. A chemical engineer, Gary spent his career in R&D, consulting, technology marketing, and business development.
  
  He served as Temple President from 1984-1986, helping to plan 25th anniversary events and establishing the original Temple endowment fund.  Subsequently he twice served full terms as a trustee. Gary completed the two year Me’ah program, has participated in planning some Yom Shabbat events and was president of SAGE (Senior Adult Group Extraordinaire) for a number of years. Currently he is co-chair of the Second Thursday Coffee program. Both SAGE and his current role reflect his interest in maintaining a mix of activities to build and support the sense of community among the senior members of Temple Isaiah. He applies similar focus to the larger community through past or present service on boards and leadership roles for English At Large, Minuteman Senior Services and Lexington At Home.
• FayeRuth Fisher, her husband John and daughters Dylan and Molly have been active members of Temple Isaiah since 2010 and live in Belmont. Having grown up at Isaiah, FayeRuth has enjoyed watching her children enjoy their religious education at Isaiah. FayeRuth is currently the Temple Isaiah Board Secretary after serving as a Trustee. Professionally, FayeRuth is the Massachusetts Political Director for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. FayeRuth has been working in politics and legislative advocacy through the labor movement for more than 20 years with a passion for empowering communities. FayeRuth will bring her lifelong love of the Isaiah community and her relational-based organizing perspective to the search committee. 
• Sharon Grossman and her husband, Irwin, have been active  members of Temple Isaiah for over 30 years and live in Arlington. Their two grown children, Ben and Mia, attended Temple Isaiah’s religious school through high school and live in the Boston area. Among other leadership roles in Arlington, Sharon recently completed a stint as Co-Chair of the Arlington Human Rights Commission and continues as an appointed member. Throughout the years, Sharon has held leadership roles at Temple Isaiah, including when she was Vice President for Leadership and Community, as a trustee, and a Co-Chair of the Youth Education Team. She works as a school psychologist and will bring her skills and interests in community engagement and issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as an historical perspective to the rabbinic search team.
• Rachel Hayes, currently Temple Isaiah President, has been a member of the temple since 2003. She and her husband John live in Arlington. Their son Spencer attended Temple Isaiah religious school through high school, was a Bar Mitzvah, and is a rising senior in college. Rachel spent her career in marketing in both profit and non-profit organizations. At the temple, Rachel has been a trustee and First VP. She completed the Leadership Development Program. She has led kitchen crews for Mazon, Shabbat Together, Project Ezra and Mitzvah Day for many years. Particular perspectives she brings to the rabbinic search are about interfaith families, diversity and inclusion, music in worship, the rabbi as a member of sacred partnership and congregants raised with limited Jewish education.
• Meryl Junik, her husband Kyle, and their sons Evan and Aaron, live in Belmont and have been active members of Temple Isaiah since 2014.  Evan and Aaron attend Temple Isaiah's religious school, and Meryl’s family will see Evan become a Bar Mitzvah at Temple Isaiah in June. At the temple, Meryl has been a trustee, lead trustee, and nominating chair. She has been a Mitzvah Day project captain and an active member of Sisterhood and the Yud for several years. After a career in technology consulting and project management, Meryl transitioned into the classroom and currently works as a preschool teacher.
• Wendy Liebow (Co-Chair) and her husband, Scott Burson, have been members of Isaiah and Lexington residents since 1993. Their now-adult daughters, Allison and Esther, became Bat Mitzvah at Isaiah and attended religious school and Tichon Isaiah.
  
  Wendy practiced law before focusing on volunteer work. Currently VP of Jewish Living at Isaiah, she served as Board Secretary; VP of Programming; co-chair of Family Education, Yom Shabbat, College & Alumni committees; and a member of adult education and other committees. She has participated in previous searches for senior and assistant/associate rabbis. She will bring to the search knowledge of Isaiah history, a passion for broadening and deepening congregational engagement, and  familiarity with current trends and challenges in the Reform movement (and beyond).
• Dan Ostrower is Temple Isaiah’s First VP. He, his wife, and his three sons have been members for about 10 years, beginning shortly after they moved to Lexington from Brookline. They have deeply valued Temple Isaiah as a community that welcomes interfaith families. In February, Dan and Coreen will see their third son Bar Mitzvahed at Temple Isaiah. Dan has spent his career in innovation, design and strategy as both an entrepreneur and a consultant. He is currently utilizing these skills to co-lead Temple Isaiah’s Shaping Our Future project and will serve as a key liaison between that Visioning effort and this committee, helping to bring a perspective of innovation and modernization to the search.
• Sam Zales (Co-Chair), his wife Leslie, and their three daughters, Gracie, Jessie and Betsy, live in Lexington and have been proud members of Temple Isaiah since 2004.  They have greatly valued our community and the exceptional Temple Isaiah religious school, Tichon and LEFTY high school programs as powerful paths to a Jewish future for our next generation.  Sam has served as New Member Representative to our Temple Board, chairs the Lexington MLK Day Commemoration Committee, and is a New England regional board member of the American Technion Society. As Leslie has held numerous committee leadership positions, they both value the appreciation of interfaith families at Temple Isaiah. 

Community Input
Your input into the search process is so important and the time has come for you to provide your thoughts. You will have two specific opportunities to contribute to this process. First, starting this week, you may share your input with the search committee when you complete the survey that also seeks input on the next round of work on Shaping Our Future. You can participate in the survey here. Second, we will hold Zoom conversations led by members of the search committee to hear more from you. The survey questions and zoom discussion questions will be somewhat different, so please take the time to participate in both forums. The zoom meetings will take place in late July and early August via Zoom. These will be small group discussions for which you will need to register. More information to follow in the digest.

You may also share your thoughts at any time, as many congregants already have, via email to rabbinicsearch@templeisaiah.net.

Timing
We will submit our application to the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) this summer. The search committee will review candidates and then begin interviews after the High Holidays. In September, we expect to update our application based on the information produced by our Shaping Our Future Initiative. Such updates are common practice. I hope the importance of Shaping Our Future on our rabbinic search will encourage everyone to continue to participate in each step of our vision work.

In August, the Board will set the process for reviewing candidates beyond search committee interviews. Candidate visits will take place during late fall or early winter months. Please look for updates on the candidate evaluation process and timing.

Please view this important FAQ. I urge you to review it as it addresses the questions I have heard from congregants over the last few months.

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Update on Our Senior Rabbi Search
March 30, 2021

Dear Friends,

It’s the middle of Pesach—we still have leftovers to finish from our Seders and we’re already a little tired of matzoh in all its forms.

It is also time the to embark on our search for a senior rabbi. Our Board of Trustees, after careful and thorough consideration of the options, voted unanimously on March 25 to move toward selecting a settled (long-term) rabbi for our community, rather than an interim rabbi. We are most fortunate to have a passionate, thoughtful Board, committed to doing the very best for our community. You can feel confident that our lay leadership team, working in tandem with our senior staff and clergy, constantly strive to live our values and keep our community strong. It is an honor to work with this remarkable team.

 As the first step toward our transition, I will appoint a search committee and chair, with substantial input from the Executive Committee and Board. I had said earlier that I would chair the committee, but have recently learned that best practice is for temple presidents not to chair the search committee.

The search committee represents only one group that will be instrumental in this transition. Teams will also be formed to: plan our farewells to Rabbi Jaffe and Irene; welcome a new rabbi; coordinate communication on all of our activities with you; and to focus on special opportunities for philanthropy over the course of the next year. If you are interested in participating in any of these teams, please write to me at president@templeisaiah.net. There will also be broader opportunities for the community to engage in the transition as we seek input on what we are looking for in our next senior rabbi; please watch for more information to follow.

It’s the middle of Pesach. I’m full of the feelings of spring and hope. And I continue to be so optimistic about what comes next for our community. Rabbi Jaffe and I share a belief that we will do so much to advance our community during the remainder of his tenure, while we simultaneously anticipate with excitement what lies ahead. Our Temple Isaiah community will continue to deepen lives and inspire purpose—together.

L'Shalom,

Rachel Hayes
President

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Watch Rabbi Jaffe's Retirement Announcement
February 24, 2021

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