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see what a small part of Judaism we
represent."
The rabbi calls Israel "a laboratory
for me, with the key aspects of my
Jewish identity developing there." He
was bar mitzvah in Jerusalem on the
day Israel and Egypt signed the peace
treaty. He participated in the Camp
Ramah seminar in Israel as a teen, and
spent a pre-college year (1984-85) at
Brovenders Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Road To Rabbinate

Married since 1990, the rabbi met his
wife, Lynn, in Boston, while she was a
student at Brandeis University and he
was studying at Harvard.
With a master's degree in history,
he found himself "faced with the
question of what my goals were —
purely academic, or also practical and
service-oriented."
His philosophy that Conservative
Judaism is "totally immersed in
modernity but with a profound love
and commitment for Jewish tradition"
brought him to the Jewish Theological
Seminary in New York.
Rabbi Nevins describes the rab-
binate as "offering me a more diverse
path — a lifetime of research to teach
and to study on many levels."
At the seminary, he was accepted as
a four-year Wexner Foundation
Fellow, a program of education con-
necting Jewish leaders and profession-
als of all movements.
Rabbi Nevins still keeps close con-
tacts from the program. "They insured
my rabbinical training was not insu-
lar," he says. "They helped me develop
a network of friends and colleagues
who are among the most creative and
competent young professionals in _the
Jewish world today."

Teaching Rabbi

At Adat Shalom, Rabbi Nevins is
immersed in teaching on all levels.
Synagogue President Terran Leemis
says, "There is no doubt that Rabbi
Nevins is a uniquely caring human
being and a very fine role model for
our children."
A focus on "demystifying the
Talmud with study sessions and lec-
tures on Jewish mysticism with specif-
ic texts" is part of his adult education
plan to open up traditions. His "Jews
of Asia" and "Jews of Spain" classes
reach 130 enrollees. Combining the
thought that "Jews like to travel and
have a real thirst for education," he
says next up for the armchair travelers
will be "Jews of Italy."

He and Adat Shalom's Rabbi
Herbert Yoskowitz have established
several adult education programs.
Together, they teach adult bar and bat
mitzvah classes and will share leader-
ship of 38 youths on this summer's
Teen Mission. "More importantly, we
pray together," Rabbi Yoskowitz says.
"We sit side by side and worship
together just about every day of the
week. Serving the Jewish community
together is a great joy for me."
Since Rabbi Nevins joined the congrega-
tion, several learners services have been
established, as well as a young adult out-
reach program, including a young adult
Shabbat service.
A current project is construction of
the synagogue's mikva (ritual bath),
behind the main sanctuary and clergy
wing. The hope is that it will be opera-
tive for pre-holiday immersions, family
purity and conversions by this winter.

Life Outside

Rabbi Nevins is incoming president of
the Michigan Board of Rabbis, an
interdenominational organization with
a goal to deepen the involvement of
all rabbis in the community.
As a member of the Conservative
movement's Rabbinical Assembly
Committee on Jewish Law and
Standards, Rabbi Nevins is working
on a responsum regarding exemptions
in handicap accessibility to religious
institutions.
He is on the board of the Jewish
Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit and the Jewish Federation's
Education Division. He is a vice presi-
dent of the Farmington-area Interfaith
AsSociation.
Describing himself as a pretty
informal person who likes to take off
his tie and go mountain biking or hik-
ing, he says he tries "to bring that
informality to the rabbinate and still
respect it as a sacred calling."
A musician, he plays the drums and
enjoys jazz, blues and Hebrew music.
On Chanuka, he joined with a band
performing at the synagogue. He
keeps a small set of drums in his
office.
Nicknaming himself "techno-
rabbi," Rabbi Nevins is quick to share
a slide show of his family installed in
his Palm IIIc, organized by schedule,
contacts, the text of the Torah and a
perpetual Jewish calendar.
"I used a digital voice recorder to
record a parsha [Torah portion] and to
e-mail it as a . war) (sound) file to my
sister, who is becoming adult bat mitz-
vah in New York," he says.

His parents, Dr. Michael and
Phyllis Nevins, live in New York. His
physician father has an interest in
Jewish medical ethics. His mother is
an artist and Hebrew calligrapher who
creates ketubot (Jewish marriage con-
tracts).
Adat Shalom President Terran
Leemis sees the rabbi demonstrating
wealth of talents and personal
attributes, which his congregants have
come to treasure." She says his sinceri-
ty and caring manner complements
"his zest for the great Michigan out-
doors, a new computer program or a
musical jam session."

The Challenge

Rabbi Nevins sees himself as a match-
maker, strengthening the connection
between Jews and Judaism.
"Our religion, on one level, is
about asserting our dignity and our
ability to interpret God's words, but
we are not the ultimate authority in
our lives. We can only be enriched by
living the rhythm and rituals of
ancient tradition," he says.
"The paradox of Conservative
Judaism," he continues, "is that it
embraces that tension, with the rab-
binate a tool for enriching the lives of
individuals and creating a community
inspired by the eternal values of our
Jewish tradition."
In the midst of a transitional year
within the 1,250-family synagogue,
Rabbi Nevins succeeds Rabbi Efry
Spectre, who after 22 years at Adat
Shalom has become the synagogue's
rabbi emeritus. Rabbi Spectre is now
spending a sabbatical year in New
York.
Sunday's installation ceremony
makes official an Oct. 11 board deci-
sion for Rabbi Nevins to become Adat
Shalom's mara d'atra, the individual
who makes decisions on Halacha
(Jewish law.)
Rabbis Nevins and Yoskowitz will
welcome the congregation's newest
clergy member, Rabbi Jay Strear, a
Denver native and 2000 graduate of
the University of Judaism in
California, this July. Rabbi Nevins is
certain the new rabbi will be treated
the same way he was: "From Day
One, we were made to feel wel-
come."
Rabbi Yoskowitz describes Rabbi
Nevins as "a joy to work with, convey-
ing to all of us, me included, a great
passion for the rabbinate and perhaps
an equal, if not greater one, for the
Jewish people. He will shine and he will
make othersaround him shine." ❑

