Dear Valley Beth Shalom Community,
As we start the new year, we are excited to officially announce the VBS Community is embarking on a national rabbinic search. VBS has not conducted a rabbinic search of this level in over fifty years. We understand how important it is to identify the rabbi who will meet the spiritual needs of our large, diverse, and growing community. As co-chairs of the rabbinic search committee, we have been charged by the VBS Executive Committee to conduct this nationwide search in line with the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) guidelines. We are fortunate to have the support of Rabbi Feinstein, Executive Director Matthew Weintraub, and our Boards of Directors and Trustees as we launch this search. While we drive this process forward as expeditiously as possible, it may take as long as a year. We appreciate your patience, understanding, and support of this thoughtful and intentional search.
We are consulting with the Rabbinical Assembly and adhering to best practices for a rabbinic search of this scope. Per RA recommendations and best practices, the search committee consists of ten members from a diverse cross-section of our VBS community. In addition to our committee work, a key part of the process will be listening to our broader synagogue community. Findings from the recent listening campaign conducted by MMR Strategy Group (completed in January 2021) and the conclusions of the strategic planning committees will be taken into careful consideration. Most importantly, the final rabbinic candidates will be given ample opportunity to engage with you, our VBS membership.
Your input matters! Please click this link to complete a brief survey. In an effort to reach our young adult members, please forward the survey to your adult children who are college-aged, recent college graduates, or newlyweds!
We ask that you complete the survey by Friday, October 8.
B’Shalom,
Roslyn Grinberg and Nurit Robin
VBS Rabbinic Search Co-Chairs
