DAYTON
Beth Jacob Congregation officers to resign en masse Ousted rabbi sues previous congregation in Pa. claiming interference with his contract at Dayton synagogue Shorr began his work at Beth By Marshall Weiss Jacob the week of Aug. 5. He The Observer and his wife, Stacy, arrived from In an Oct. 23 letter sent to members of Beth Jacob Congre- New Castle, Pa. where he had served as rabbi of Temple Hadar gation, President Dr. Herman Israel, a merged Conservative Abromowitz wrote that he and the three other executive officers and Reform congregation, for of the synagogue’s board would seven years. According to Pittsburgh’s resign effective Dec. 31. Jewish Chronicle, Temple Hadar Abromowitz wrote that he Israel faces significant budgetand the officers — Executive Vice President Chuck Friedman, ary challenges and a declining membership. One of the ways Secretary Sara Horwitz, and the congregation tightened its Treasurer Barry Serotkin — announced their planned resigna- budget was to eliminate the full-time position Shorr held tions at the full board’s Oct. 16 in favor of meeting. a part-time The anclergy model. nouncement The suit came nearly two filed by months followShorr’s ating the officers’ torney, Jason abrupt dismissal Beth Jacob Congregation P. Matthews, of Rabbi Martin against Temple Hadar Israel Shorr after little more than two states that “on or before Aug. weeks on the job. 21, 2013, an agent of Defendant On Sept. 18, Shorr filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County (Temple Hadar Israel) contacted Congregation Beth Jacob by against his previous employer, placing one or more telephone Temple Hadar Israel in New calls to Montgomery County, Castle, Pa., claiming Temple Hadar Israel interfered with his Ohio and intentionally made false and misleading negative contract and employment with statements about Plaintiff’s job Beth Jacob. performance and character for “As your officers, it is our the purpose of interfering with shared opinion that it is now Plaintiff’s contractual relationtime for a change in the leadership and employment with Conship of our beloved synagogue gregation Beth Jacob.” and for others to step forward According to an incident and assume the helm of our history report on file with the congregation,” Abromowitz Montgomery County Sheriff, on wrote in his Oct. 23 letter to the evening of Aug. 21, Chaya Beth Jacob members, with no Vidal, then Beth Jacob’s execumention of Shorr. Abromowitz declined to com- tive director, called the Montgomery County Sheriff, Harment for this article.
The Adventures of
Bark Mitzvah Boy c O 2013 Menachem
Crazy Barkie’s Deep-Discount House of Menurkeys
Friday Nov. 29 No offer refused!
rison Township Substation to request an officer stand by while she was firing Shorr. The report stated that Vidal was concerned Shorr might not be cooperative. Shorr left without incident. The next day, those who inquired at Beth Jacob about Shorr’s status were told the synagogue and the rabbi weren’t able to come to an agreement on a signed contract. Abromowitz sent a letter to congregants on Aug. 26 in which he wrote, “we were unable to finalize a contract with Rabbi Shorr and both parties agreed to part ways.” Several congregants have confirmed that Shorr and his wife are still living in a house owned by the synagogue. Congregants voted to hire Shorr for a one-year contract at the beginning of August, following the board’s recommendation. After Shorr was relieved of his duties at Beth Jacob, its officers hired a cantor from Borough Park N.Y. to conduct High Holy Days services. Since then, in the absence of a qualified Torah reader, the congregation has not been able to conduct regular Torah services. Instead, congregants take turns reading from a tikun, a book used to prepare for reading from a Torah scroll. Shorr’s suit against Hadar Israel indicates that he is seeking lost wages and compensation “exceeding $25,000,” attorney fees, and costs of the suit. Matthews and Shorr declined to comment on the suit as did
From the editor’s desk
On Nov. 13, two representatives of the national Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium in New York led a community informational session at the Boonshoft CJCE about the importance of genetic screening. Marshall Those who showed up, mostly Weiss empty-nesters, shared a common frustration: how to talk to their marriage-age children about a topic they’re inclined to shrug off. “You don’t want to scare people,” said JGDC Chair Randy Glaser. “But one of my friends, her son is in his 30s and he’s married to a non-Jewish woman. He argues with his mom: ‘Do you know how much it costs to be screened?’ She asked me how to answer him. And I said, ‘Just tell him that if he has a child born with one of those diseases, let’s discuss how much it costs to care for the child.’” Glaser added she’s seen a rise in insurance companies paying for genetic testing, but it must come from the right doctor. “Seeing a genetic counselor is your best bet of getting this through your insurance company.”
Temple Hadar without a rabbi: Rabbi Israel’s attorney, Hillel Fox had taken a Charles F. Shane, sabbatical during the with Bieser, Greer last year of his 10-year & Landis. contract, which the The situation board didn’t renew. surrounding Shorr Leaders from Beth Jais the latest blow cob and Beth Abraham, to the stability of Dayton’s Conservative Beth Jacob, the synagogue, formally exonly synagogue plored merging in 2009 remaining in Rabbi Martin W. Shorr and 2010. Dayton’s north The merger would suburbs, once the center of the have consolidated both congrearea’s Jewish population. gations into one Conservative Beth Jacob brought in Shorr entity at Beth Abraham’s new after the departure of Rabbi home at Sugar Camp in OakMartin Applebaum, whose one- wood. year contract was not renewed Though Beth Abraham by Beth Jacob’s board. members voted for the merger Applebaum himself came in 2010, Beth Jacob members to Beth Jacob following a year overwhelmingly rejected it.
We know getting around during the winter can be a little challenging, so why fight it this year?
Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a very bad winter season for our area. • You can be cozy • You can have fun
Come where:
(happy hour is just one of the many entertainment choices)
• You can have the convenience of chauffeured transportation Our guest suites are furnished and available for one week or months.
Contact us today to book your stay
937.298.0594
It’s your home… just easier
590 Isaac Prugh Way, Kettering • LincolnParkSeniors.com
THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • DECEMBER 2013
PAGE 3