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Story on page 14
Temple Beth El
Hires Rabbi Daniel Syme
A 10-month search results in the hiring of a national Reform leader, son
of Temple Israel's spiritual mentor. His mandate: to heal.
PHIL JACOBS EDITOR
he way Temple Israel's
Rabbi M. Robert Syme
remembers it, his son
Daniel was 21 and get-
ting ready to accept a
University of Michigan
fellowship in psychology. What
stood in his way, however, was
cancer.
"When they were going to op-
erate and remove the cancer, he
asked me if I would please get
him an application to HUC (He-
brew Union College)," Rabbi
Syme said. "He said that he had
made a vow, and that if he re-
covered, he was going to devote
himself to God. I told him that as
a rabbi I could release him from
the vow. He said he didn't want
to be released. They didn't give
him much of a chance. It was one
of those miracles."
Daniel Syme knows what
healing is about.
Rabbi Daniel B. Syme, who
rose to the position of senior vice
president of the Union of Amer-
ican Hebrew Congregations,
whose books sit on the shelves of
libraries, temples and homes all
over the country, will be given the
task of healer.
Rabbi Syme was named
spiritual leader of Temple Beth
El, and will take over its pulpit
July 1.
The new rabbi comes to a tem-
ple that has seen its share of con-
troversy and divisiveness over
the past year. Beth El's board vot-
ed last January to place Rabbi
Daniel Polish, who has been the
congregation's rabbi since 1988,
on a sabbatical effective June 30,
1995. The yearlong sabbatical
will continue through June 30,
1996, the end of Rabbi Polish's
contract, which the board did not
renew. Declining membership
and spiraling debts spurred the
Beth El board's decision not to re- called Judaism, and in the past
we've said, 'Here's a place that's
new Rabbi Polish's contract.
Beth El's cantor, Gail available, and you come to us,"'
Hirschenfang, the wife of Rabbi Rabbi Syme said. "That's won-
Polish, has a contract that also derful, but it's got to change. We
expires June 30. Temple Beth El have to bring Judaism to them,
will not renew that agreement, wherever and whenever they
according to its president, John are willing to start. I'm looking
at programs that will respond to
Kamins.
Beth El also had to survive di- the rhythms of the lives of the
visiveness among its membership unaffiliated now as real people.
over the decision to place Rabbi That has all kinds of implica-
Polish on sabbatical. An alternate tions.
"What I'm bringing to Beth El
slate for temple board was
formed, but the existing board's is a theme of hope," he continued.
slate won decisively last spring. "The rest are just details."
Annette Fink, a search-com-
When Rabbi Syme takes over,
he will succeed interim Rabbi Ju- mittee member, said the unani-
lian Cook, whom many at Beth mous vote was reflective of how
El credit with holding the temple the search committee came to-
together until a new rabbi could gether to find a rabbi.
"We were lucky in that we had
be found. Rabbi Cook, according
to Mr. Kamins, declined consid- an interim rabbi (Rabbi Cook) for
eration for the permanent posi- an entire year," she said. "We
tion. One reason is that Rabbi didn't have to rush, and it was
Cook does not perform inter- important that we didn't rush,
marriages, Mr. Kamins said.
The selection of Rabbi
Syme is seen as a unifying
step for Beth El. The 36-
member search committee
worked for 10 months, inter-
viewed 11 candidates, did ex-
haustive background and
reference checks and then
voted unanimously to hire
Rabbi Syme.
"We knew we could not af-
ford to make a mistake with
this candidate," Mr. Kamins
said. "When we checked him
out, we talked to people all
over the country. It was un-
believable. There were end-
less superlatives.
"He is a warm person with
integrity. He's a terrific peo-
ple person. He's immediately
likable. This is a blessing for
Temple Beth El."
Mr. Kamins said the for-
Rabbi Sine:
because we didn't
mation of the search com-
A time to heal.
want to make a mis-
mittee from diverse parts of
take. Some of those
the temple represented a
months were spent just develop-
healing process in itself.
"We became very close and to- ing our ideas about what we
gether as a group," he said. "We wanted in our future rabbi.
"We melded all of our lists, all
could feel Rabbi Syme healing us,
even over the phone. We have a of the aspects of whom we want-
tangible feeling, and the temple ed in a rabbi. We knew just
whom we were looking for before
has reached a turning point."
That turning point, Rabbi we started the interview process,
Syme said, will involve making and we felt we got whom we
Beth El into a "home for every wanted."
Steve Mitchell, who was a
Jew who wants a spiritual home.
I love people, and because I love member of the Committee To
people I want them to have a Save Beth El, the group that op-
place where they can feel safe, a posed the board, was optimistic
place where they can express about Rabbi Syme's appoint-
their joys and sorrows. I'll dedi- ment.
"My reaction is that I certain-
cate my energies to make Beth
El a home for Jews from pre- ly hope Rabbi Syme is the type of
rabbi that the temple wants,"
school age to their older years."
Rabbi Syme said one of his top said Mr. Mitchell. "He certainly
priorities is outreach to the un- has great credentials. I hope he
works out, and I hope the temple
affiliated.
"Here is this wonderful thing RABBI SYME page 10