Spirituality

Crosstown Bound

Shir Tikvah's Rabbi Starr to fill Shaarey Zedek position.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer

F

or Rabbi Aaron Starr to be leaving
one Detroit-area synagogue for
another isn't altogether remark-
able. But the Reform rabbi's announce-
ment of plans to become a Conservative
rabbi is no doubt unique.
Rabbi Starr — who has served as the
Troy Reform-Renewal Congregation Shir
Tikvah's director of lifelong learning since
his 2004 ordination from the Reform
movement's Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion in Cincinnati — will
leave the synagogue this summer.
He will become direc-
tor of education and
youth at the Conservative
Congregation Shaarey
Zedek of Southfield and
West Bloomfield (CSZ).
"Rabbi Starr has been
on this incredible jour-
ney, taking him person-
Rabbi
ally and theologically
Krakoff
into greater observance
said CSZ's Rabbi Joseph
Krakoff. "It is Rabbi
Starr's intention to join
the [New York-based]
Rabbinical Assembly
[RA], the interna-
tional organization of
Conservative rabbis.
Rabbi
[CSZ's] Rabbi Eric Yanoff
Sleutelberg
and I are excited to serve
as his sponsors in this
process, something only six or seven rab-
bis from other denominations are involved
in each year!'
Rabbi Starr will begin his new posi-
tion following the departure of Hilary
Greenberg, CSZ's education director, an
attorney who is working on a Ph.D. in
teaching, learning and curriculum from
the University of Pennsylvania.
"When Hilary announced in January
that she would be going back east to fm-
ish her dissertation, something sparked
in Aaron and we had a conversation about
him coming to Shaarey Zedek," Rabbi
Krakoff said. "He and Rabbi Yanoff and I
are very good friends. I have tremendous
regard for him as a personal friend and a
very talented rabbi. He has a proven track
record and is a mentsh in every way. I was

ecstatic when he decided to
join us."
To fill the position left by
Starr, Shir Tikvah's Rabbi
Arnie Sleutelberg said, "We
will be seeking input from
the congregation in focus
group meetings to establish
the direction we wish to
pursue. We're confident that
we will find a wonderful
educator to join our warm,
welcoming, active commu-
nity!'

learn and try' Rabbi Starr
said. "Committed to egali-
tarianism and the desire
to live fully in the modern
world, I could not see
myself as Orthodox."
But Rabbi Starr has
been positively impacted
by an Orthodox rabbi,
Leiby Burnham, associate
director of the Jean and
Theodore Weiss Partners
in Torah program of
Rabbi Aaron Starr
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in
Southfield.
A Spiritual Journey
In addition to study, the two men
Starr has been on the road to the
along with Rabbi Yanoff have been teach-
Conservative rabbinate for quite some
ing a class called, "Three Rabbis, Three
time.
Opinions:' discussing differences and simi-
"My parents raised me to value deeply
larities among the three major streams
Jewish tradition and Jewish life Starr said. of Judaism. "Over time, we all laughed
"We were regular synagogue attendees and because my answers to questions sounded
I was active in our religious school and a
more and more Conservative Rabbi Starr
leader in [the Reform movement's] NFTY
said.
[North American Federation of Temple
Youth]. As I began my journey toward
A New Role
rabbinical school, I wrestled with my own
"Our plan is to "grow the position of direc-
connection to Jewish rituals and Jewish
tor of education and youth to better utilize
law. As a college student (at U-M), I began both Rabbi Starr's expertise as a Jewish
keeping kosher."
educator and his rabbinic experience
Toward the end of his studies, he met his Krakoff said.
wife, Rebecca, who he said, "was, and is,
"He will be a resource to the nursery
in love with Jewish tradition" and "pushed
school, run the religious school and
me to really study hard and look deeper at the new Conservative high school [now
our tradition."
forming as a collaboration of all area
While in rabbinical school, the Starrs
Conservative synagogues] and will be a
joined the Conservative Northern Hills
regular presence at Hillel [Day School of
Synagogue-Congregation B'nei Avraham in Metropolitan Detroit] and [the Frankel]
Cincinnati, where Rebecca was director of
Jewish Academy.
education and programming.
"He will be in charge of college out-
A summary of Rabbi Starr's rabbinic
reach, will run our adult education pro-
thesis, "Tradition vs. Modernity: The CJLS
gram, conduct youth services on Shabbat
(Committee on Jewish Law and Standards) and holidays and give an occasional
and Conservative Jewish Law" was pub-
sermon:' said Krakoff. "Having him at CSZ
lished in Conservative Judaism magazine.
will give us the opportunity to put educa-
Rebecca Starr holds a bachelor's
tion at the very top of what we do, from
degree in education and Judaic studies, a
birth to adulthood." Starr will also officiate
master's in social work and a certificate in
at life-cycle events when called upon.
Jewish communal service — all from the
Krakoff added, "Ironically, before Aaron
University of Michigan. She was an associ- came to us, we had discussed the pos-
ate director of the Jewish Federation of
sibility of a rabbi-educator, to spend the
Metropolitan Detroit's Alliance for Jewish
majority of time in the school, but also
Education until the birth of the Starrs' son, give us the flexibility of having a rabbi on
Caleb, this past spring.
the pulpit."
"The more I studied in rabbinical school
Starr fits that bill, bringing with him
and the more rituals I learned about and
many facets of rabbinic and educational
practiced, the deeper I fell in love with tra- experience.
ditional Judaism and the more I wanted to
He is the author of a Hebrew language

study book, created as a learning tool for
parents whose children are beginning to
learn Hebrew, and is completing work on a
Bible curriculum for high school students.
While at Shir Tikvah, Rabbi Starr offici-
ated at the full range of life-cycle events,
led services and delivered sermons. He
revamped the religious school and high
school curriculums and his reinvigorated
adult education program earned the Union
of Reform Judaism's Congregation of
Learners Award.

A Bittersweet Move
For Rabbi Starr, departing Shir Tikvah is
leaving the synagogue where he grew up.
"He feels so much love for them:' Krakoff
said. "He was very, very happy there,
but feels the need to move on toward a
Conservative lifestyle."
Starr's family has been involved at
Shir Tikvah since he was 7. "Rabbi Arnie
[Sleutelberg of Shir Tikvah] not only offi-
ciated at my bar mitzvah, he performed
Rebecca's and my wedding:' he said. "He is
an incredible mentor and friend."
Sleutelberg, too, has been impacted by
his colleague. "We will miss Rabbi Aaron
very much:' he said. "He has created a
family education program that is rich in
content and exciting to be a part of. He is a
fine rabbi and a fine human being. He has
been our teacher and our friend.
"Rabbi Aaron has been on a spiritual
journey for many years. A more traditional
expression of Judaism is what connects
him to God. We wish him every success as
he embarks on a new path. We're glad he is
not going far and that he will continue to
be part of the Detroit Jewish community."
And it turns out, that move will take
the Starrs back to a place of some of their
roots, with Rabbi Starr's grandfather, Wolf
Gruca of Southfield a current and long-
time Shaarey Zedek member, and Rebecca
Starr's late uncle, Dr. Samuel Krohn a past-
president.
"I hope to share with Shaarey Zedek my
commitment to in-depth Jewish learning
as well as a love for Jewish living;' Rabbi
Starr said. "I believe deeply in Jewish
family education and to offering learn-
ing experiences for children and adults of
all ages that are inspirational, enjoyable,
meaningful and relevant. I believe that the
best way to bring people to Jewish living is
by sharing a love for God and passion for
the Jewish people." ❑

iN

February 21 • 2008

A29

