Ep. 162 The Farewell Class / A Shiur on Shimush

On July 9th I delivered my final class at The Stanton St. Shul where I have been the rabbi for the past six years. Unfortunately, my attempts to record the video and audio both failed, so I re-recorded much of what was relevant in a preview of future “seasons” of podcasting. While I am disappointed that much of the emotion and personality from the original presentation may not have come though, part of me feels that it’s only fitting to share full emotional range in the intimate setting comprised of the community which shared the very same experiences.

The purpose of this class was primarily to explain my approach towards leading the synagogue as its Rav, why and how I came to make some of the decisions I did, based on my own skills and capacity and the state of the shul as I saw it. At the very least I hope I can provide at least a partial sample of “behind the scenes” thinking and perhaps provide possibilities, solutions, or even just inspiration for those interested in leading or managing a religious community.