Rabbinic Transition 2023

WHY ARE WE HIRING AN INTERIM RABBI?

The Central Conference of American Rabbis, a Reform leadership organization, recommends bringing on an interim rabbi to help a congregation through the period of transition following the departure of a rabbi.

This interim period is especially important when a rabbi has served a congregation for a long time, as has Rabbi Folberg. Interim rabbis are specially trained to help a congregation process change.

The interim period will give us time to reflect together on what qualities are important for a new senior rabbi. The interim rabbi will not be a candidate for the senior rabbi position.

WHAT ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF RABBI FOLBERG’S TENURE?

Four years into his tenure, with CBI experiencing unprecedented growth, Rabbi Folberg oversaw the hiring of Congregation Beth Israel’s first assistant rabbi, Elizabeth Dunsker. Rabbi Dunsker was also the first woman ever to serve an Austin congregation. Under his mentorship, a series of gifted associate rabbis, including Rabbi Benjamin Sternman, Rabbi Cookie Lea Olshein, Rabbi Rebecca Epstein, and Rabbi Sam Rose launched their rabbinic careers and served CBI with distinction. All have gone on to serve at their own congregations across the United States. In that lineage, Rabbi Kelly Levy brings her own unique gifts to our community.

Rabbi Folberg encouraged the creation of CBI’s Alzheimer’s Respite group, Circle of Friends, and spearheaded CBI’s program hosting unhoused families in our building through the Interfaith Hospitality Network (CBI was the only Jewish congregation in Austin to participate). He also provided a steady hand through the expansion of our campus in the late 1990s, including the addition of the Shirley Barish Learning Center and the remodeling of Smith Auditorium and the Koen Foyer. He has been a community leader in connecting Judaism to the protection of the environment, advocating for the installation of solar panels on our Barish Learning Center.

Rabbi Folberg has long been a voice for LGBTQ inclusion at CBI and other Jewish communal spaces. Some of you will remember his Yom Kippur sermon on this subject in 1996 that elicited a standing ovation from the congregation. Today, CBI is recognized throughout Austin as a safe and welcoming space for all, regardless of sexuality or gender identity.

Most recently, we counted on Rabbi Folberg and his CBI colleagues to carry the congregation through the fear and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the arson attack on our sanctuary. Remarkably, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Congregation Beth Israel managed to thrive and grow.

Beyond his long list of accomplishments, Rabbi Folberg means an enormous amount to each of us personally. He has conducted our weddings, told wise and funny stories to our children, comforted us in times of loss, and inspired us with his teachings. His sermons are legendary, filled with truth, Torah, vulnerability, and humor. And in millions of one-on-one moments over the years, he has given us the gift of deep listening, compassion, and love.

Here's a recent article about Rabbi Folberg in the Jewish Outlook.

WILL RABBI FOLBERG CONTINUE DOING EVERYTHING HE’S DOING THROUGH JUNE 2024?

Yes!

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS AFTER RABBI FOLBERG STEPS DOWN?

Rabbi Folberg will become rabbi emeritus of CBI. 

In addition, he has announced that he has accepted the position of interim rabbi at Falmouth Jewish Congregation in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

WHAT DOES A RABBI EMERITUS DO?

Rabbi emeritus is not a formal job description. It is an honorary title that a congregation may bestow upon a rabbi, in appreciation for their past service, when their term of service to the congregation has come to a close. The ongoing involvement of the rabbi emeritus in the life of the congregation, if any, is typically worked out in conversations between the rabbi emeritus and their successor. The Central Conference of American Rabbis recommends that, when possible, the newly named rabbi emeritus take an extended leave of absence from the community to give their successor time to establish themselves with their new congregation.  

CAN RABBI DAVID YOUNG, OUR INTERIM RABBI, BE OUR NEXT SENIOR RABBI?

No, he is not eligible for that position. The role of an interim rabbi is to help guide a congregation through a rabbinic transition.

CAN RABBI LEVY BE OUR INTERIM OR NEXT SENIOR RABBI?

Because of the important work the interim rabbi must do to help the congregation transition to a new senior rabbi, hiring an interim rabbi from outside the community, without a vested interest in who is hired next, is crucial.

We welcome Rabbi Levy to apply for the senior rabbi position if she chooses to do so. 

WHAT DOES THIS TRANSITION MEAN FOR MY CHILD’S BAT MITZVAH IN AUGUST 2024?

We want to make sure that your family’s life cycle event gets the care and attention you deserve. The clergy team will work closely with you to decide who will support you on your important day. We expect to have an interim rabbi in place by summer 2024. 

HOW CAN I PLAY A ROLE IN THE SELECTION OF THE INTERIM RABBI OR THE NEW SENIOR RABBI?

The search committee absolutely wants feedback from our congregation about what members want in our next senior rabbi. That’s why we’re holding a series of parlor meetings with members. For those who don’t want to attend a meeting, we are collecting feedback via a survey. For information about the parlor meetings or the survey, email transition@bethisrael.org.