Shir Hadash will be bringing in a new Assistant Rabbi in July, and the first candidate visited today. She held two teaching sessions, and I was at both of them.
I was a bit out of place at the first session, which was part of a continuing series about Nashim: Remarkable Jewish Women. The series is always open to everyone; the only men there today were Rabbi Nico, our Temple President, and me (I think that’s two more men than usually attend). Our candidate led the session and took us through some of what the Talmud says about Beruriah; she sparked a lot of discussion and I learned a lot.
The second session was a short Torah Study and informal discussion with the Board; she talked about social justice and the interesting coincidence that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s initials, MLK, are also the root for the Hebrew word for “king”, melech (מלך). Again, I learned a lot and really enjoyed meeting her.
We have another candidate coming on Saturday evening; I’m looking forward to meeting him, too.
I’m glad I’m not on the selection committee.