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bulletin 7 5 T H A N N I V E R S A RY 1 9 3 7 volume 76, no. 17 august 20, 2012
21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9
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Publisher: Mitchell Bellman
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2 0 1 2 elul 2, 5772
Editor: Michael Regenstreif $2.00
Agudath Israel names interim rabbi and new cantor By Stuart McCarthy for Agudath Israel Congregation Agudath Israel, Ottawa’s largest Conservative congregation, is entering the Jewish New Year with new clergy, a strong spirit of optimism and a positive outlook for the future. Following a comprehensive search, members of the 600-plus family traditional, egalitarian congregation ratified the hiring of Rabbi Barry Schlesinger as interim rabbi and Cantor Jeremy Burko at a special meeting of the congregation, July 12. “The Board of Directors is confident that our congregation will be very well served by our new clergy, who bring a wonderful mix of experience, training, innovative programming and congregational engagement to our shul,” said Agudath Israel President Jack Klein. “Our two volunteer clergy search committees did an excellent job in identifying and recommending these two fine candi-
dates to provide new spiritual leadership.” While the congregation initially started searching for a permanent rabbi, Klein said it changed the search to an interim rabbi, rather than rush into a decision with any of the permanent candidates available from the United Conservative Synagogue of Judaism (USCJ). “Shortly after our rabbinic search committee made that decision, the prospect of a potential amalgamation with Beth Shalom came to the forefront, so it turned out to be a decision that made even more sense,” said Klein. USCJ has separate candidate pools for permanent and interim positions and, after reviewing those candidates and meeting with Rabbi Schlesinger, the committee recommended him as an excellent choice to guide the congregation through the next year while the two congrega-
tions determine their future. Both Rabbi Schlesinger and Cantor Burko were aware of the potential merger during the hiring process and are excited by the prospects of what that could mean to Ottawa’s Conservative Jewish community, said Klein. As interim rabbi, “Rav Barry,” as he likes to be called, will provide strong, experienced guidance from the pulpit and help Agudath Israel continue its process of renewal. Rabbi Schlesinger has called Israel home since 1972. He started his career in social and community work and was the director of community centres in Tsfat and Jerusalem in the late-1980s. In 1993, he resumed studies for a master’s degree at the Schecter Institute. He continued studies at Schechter Rabbinical School, where he received smicha in 2001. (Continued on page 2)
Rabbi Barry Schlesinger has been named interim rabbi of Agudath Israel Congregation.
Daniel Gordis to speak at Annual Campaign launch By Michael Regenstreif As the world’s only nation-state uniquely devoted to the Jewish people – to both Jewish heritage and a Jewish future – Israel finds itself under attack on multiple fronts, according to commentator Daniel Gordis, from the physical and existential threats posed by terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, on its borders and the hostile Arab and Muslim governments in the Middle East, to attacks on Israel’s very legitimacy, seen in recent decades on university campuses and the media. But, says Gordis in his latest book, The
Promise of Israel: Why Its Seemingly Greatest Weakness is Actually Its Greatest Strength, published this month, Israel’s cultural nation-state model should be embraced, indeed emulated, by the Palestinians, and even by foes such as Iran, as a key to their own futures. Well known as a dynamic speaker, Gordis lectures around the world about Israel and its challenges, and will deliver the keynote address at the Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s Annual Campaign Kickoff on Sunday, September 9, 7:00 pm, at Centrepointe Theatre. He plans to discuss some of
the themes he addresses in The Promise of Israel. A Conservative rabbi who grew up in New York City, Gordis was dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles before making aliyah in 1998. He is now senior vice-president and the Koret Distinguished Fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem, and is the author of nine books on Judaism and Israel and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Jerusalem Post and other publications. Speaking with the Ottawa Jewish Bul-
letin from Israel, Gordis contrasted differences between Israel and such liberal democracies as Canada and the United States. “We live in a world where differences are being transcended. Both Canada and the United States are committed to humanity,” he said. “But Israel has a flag like a tallit,” its national anthem, “Hatikvah,” speaks of a Jewish soul and there is the Law of Return, which grants citizenship to Jews. Israel’s particularity is directly related to the concept of Jewish peoplehood. (Continued on page 2 )
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