We are delighted to announce that Healy Slakman, our former rabbinic intern and soon-to-be rabbi, will be joining Temple Micah as assistant rabbi and director of spiritual arts. Starting this summer, Healy will oversee our musical endeavors, designing and leading our music in worship, collaborating with our choirs and musicians, and managing the b’nai mitzvah program. Many of you will recognize Healy from the summer of 2021, when her remarkable voice and warm presence on the bimah made a deep impression on a good number of us.
Healy was selected following an extensive, nationwide search. Our cantorial search committee began the selection process fully intending to bring an ordained cantor onto our Micah staff. Over the course of a few months, as committee members considered many candidates, they recognized that the most critical goal was to find a person with the musical and spiritual presence to inspire and deepen our worship.
They decided to widen the search beyond ordained cantors. When committee members learned that Healy was considering positions as a musical rabbi, they invited her to visit Micah. Healy’s interview and audition with our committee was stunning in its beauty and soulfulness. As one committee member said of her, “she has musical gifts that cannot be taught.”
The committee decided unanimously that Healy was the right person for our community. We were thrilled that she also decided that Micah was the right congregation for her.
In closing we wish to thank our search committee for their dedicated and hard work: Martha Adler, Josh Berman, Jarrett Ferrier, Jamie Gardner, Ben Moss, Bill Page, Beth Rubens, Meryl Weiner, Sonia White, and Shira Zemel. The committee was chaired by the indefatigable Jodi Enda and Marc Levy. Beth Werlin, Rabbi Beraha and Rabbi Crawley represented the staff. This was a true full committee effort over many months. Again, many thanks.
We look forward to Rabbi Slakman’s arrival this summer and know that you will all warmly welcome her return to Micah in this new role. Even as we welcome Rabbi Slakman, we want to give our full thanks to Debra Winter for all she brought to our community. Please be on the lookout for details regarding our celebration of her.