Micah Board Votes to Hire Full-Time Assistant Rabbi

Temple Micah members were notified last month that associate Rabbi Toby Manewith would be leaving the congregation a little more than a year from now. The temple board voted to restructure the position in order to hire a full-time assistant rabbi, most likely somebody fresh from rabbinical school.

President Betsy Broder explained the decision by placing it in historic context. Several years ago, the board envisioned hiring an assistant rabbi, who would help Rabbi Zemel with the burgeoning congregation.

The shift was intended not only to provide Rabbi Zemel assistance, but to give him the opportunity to train and mentor a recently ordained rabbi, who would stay for four to six years before moving on to his or her own congregation. In the rabbinical world, this is the traditional cycle of training and employment.

But because Rabbi Zemel was planning to take a sabbatical in late 2006, it became clear that a relatively new rabbi might be overwhelmed by the congregational duties. The board decided to hire a more experienced rabbi--and picked Rabbi Manewith--on a short-term basis. She joined the congregation in 2005 and worked half time.

Her contract initially was for two years, but last year the board extended it for a third year, through June 2008, also at half time . With the contract to expire again soon, board members decided to make some changes. They extended Rabbi Manewith's contract through June 2009. At the same time, board members decided to go back to the original plan to hire a full-time, assistant rabbi, likely a recent graduate of the Hebrew Union College.

"Rabbi Manewith has made many wonderful contributions to our community, and it will be difficult for us to see her go next summer. But after long and difficult deliberations, and consideration of Rabbi Zemel's recommendations, the board decided that the needs of the community would best be met by restructuring the position," said Broder.

"For many reasons, it is highly unusual for a synagogue of our size to have two rabbis of such seniority. We thought that, from a long-term perspective, a more traditional arrangement of a senior and full-time assistant rabbi would provide the greatest benefit for our congregation," she said. "This was an extremely difficult decision for the board because Rabbi Manewith has become such a valued member of our community."

The temple will select an assistant rabbi through the Rabbinical Placement Commission, run by the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

"Probably because of the nature of the job, we will get applicants from both next year's ordination class and also rabbis who have been in the field three or four years," Rabbi Zemel said. "We're going to attract a great candidate because we're a great congregation."

"Great" is also how Rabbi Zemel characterized Rabbi Manewith's tenure at Micah. "I've learned a lot from working with her," he said. "Her devotion, especially to a lot of kids in the congregation, has been wonderful. She's been a real presence for everybody."