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42
July 24 • 2014
JN
Editorial
Charting Shaarey
Zedek's Future
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oints of view
JN
n the aftermath of Rabbi
Joseph H. Krakoff's sudden
departure from Shaarey Zedek
despite several months left on his
contract, it's incumbent on the
synagogue's leaders and congre-
gants to pull together to assure a
smooth plan for moving forward.
This is a difficult time in the his-
tory of the 152-year-old congrega-
tion.
Krakoff, popular among many
congregants for his pastoral touch
and a rabbinic leader in the local
Conservative movement, leaves
effective July 31 after the syna-
gogue leadership raised questions
about his future role with the
Southfield institution. How that
pivotal meeting of the minds was
communicated with the congrega-
tion was overly opaque. A deter-
mined board can both communi-
cate effectively to its constituents
and retain a level of contract
negotiation confidentiality. That
involves a level of mutual trust
and respect.
One of Metro Detroit's old-
est, most storied congregations,
Shaarey Zedek has produced a
large percentage of the Detroit
Jewish community's leadership.
Getting it right not only is impera-
tive for the congregation and its
vitality, but also for the larger
local Jewish community, regard-
less of religious stream. Key con-
gregational changes must always
command an air of transparency
— of course, within the bounds of
any legal restrictions. In this case,
the issue is now how to best com-
municate the way forward.
An alliance of very unhappy
congregants formed a Save the
Synagogue Committee in hopes of
confronting what transpired during
the weeks leading up to Krakoff
descending the only full-time pul-
pit he had known since graduat-
ing from the Jewish Theological
Seminary 16 years ago.
The congregation's future
hinges squarely on how deftly the
synagogue board, under President
Mary Kroll, strives to further
engage the SOS Committee and
A spirited show of
teamwork would
deflect the divisive
wind sheer stirred
in the wake of the
Krakoff-board
tension.
others beyond the well-attended
July 15 town hall meeting. A spir-
ited show of teamwork, open and
inclusive, would deflect the divi-
sive wind sheer stirred in the wake
of the Krakoff-board tension.
Rabbi Krakoff was a mentsh in
choosing to urge everyone associ-
ated with Shaarey Zedek to look
to the future to invigorate and
redirect the synagogue where he
spent his formative years as a
spiritual leader.
As part of the healing process,
it would be useful for the congre-
gation to engage as broad a cross-
section of its membership as pos-
sible — not just board members,
past presidents and major donors.
The plan could include a series of
"visioning" conversations about
what the Shaarey Zedek of 2020
and beyond should look like — and
what it would take to get the
congregation from here to there.
The wider Jewish community also
might be represented.
This could lead to a resourceful
roadmap with hundreds of con-
gregants and Jewish community
members feeling personally vested
in the outcome. A vibrant and
dynamic vision for Shaarey Zedek
would uplift all of Jewish Detroit.
What a blessing it would be if
Shaarey Zedek commits as a con-
gregation to recalibrating from
a vantage point of strength, not
disillusionment, especially dur-
ing a time of national transition
and change for the Conservative
movement.
❑