metro >> on the cover
Making An
Impact
Beth El's Rabbi Miller seeks to
engage, energize members.
Shari S. Cohen I Special to the Jewish News
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
"Temple Beth El is a place with a lot of his-
tory; and Jews are connected to our history,
but not stuck in the past. There is great depth
and experience to build on and wonderful
people at the temple Miller said.
He hopes to energize and engage con-
gregants, helping to make the temple more
meaningful in their lives at a time when
people live in a world with many options.
"Spiritual life is not just about services, ifs
about how do I learn, pray, volunteer and
spend time with my family," Miller said.
Temple Beth El President L. Steven Weiner
said, "Mark comes to Temple Beth El with
an impressive track record, including notable
successes at two major progressive Reform
congregations in Los Angeles and Houston.
He's an outgoing, enthusiastic, high-energy
professional, well grounded in Torah, with
wonderful musical talents and a deep spiritu-
ality that's contagious.
"Mark is committed to exploring new
approaches to congregational engagement
while maintaining respect for the traditional
workings of the congregation that many
people hold dear:'
Since taking on his new position at the
Bloomfield Township temple, Miller has
devoted time to conversations with temple
members to learn more about their interests.
"There was a wide range of opinions:' he
said. "People expressed an interest in taking
actions. They want to find things to do with
their families:'
Temple Beth El plans to expand its popu-
lar music-oriented services that are usually
held during the summer to the first Friday of
every month. Miller is a guitarist and played
and sang during Temple Beth El's High
Holiday services last fall. The result, he said
was a different spirit — the room changed:'
and only a few temple members were unhap-
py about this innovation.
"
Challenges
Like other American Jewish congregations,
Miller said, Temple Beth El is challenged by
demographics and changing views about
the role of religion. Intermarriage rates are
high and, according to a recent national Pew
Research Center study on religion, many
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February 12 • 2015
American Jews no longer claim an affiliation
with a particular congregation or branch of
Judaism. Beth El currently has more than
1,000 member families.
A critical point to maintaining Jewish
communal life, Miller said, is to recognize
that many people want to access institutions
differently. Some dorit feel there is a purpose
to a temple or want to interact with it in a
different way.
"People have spiritual needs but feel that
the institution is not what they want:' he
said. "We need to break out of the four walls,
but not break them down:'
He believes the challenge is to translate
Judaism into aspects that individuals can use
and do throughout their lives.
"Every one of us is on our own personal
Jewish journey, and my greatest hope is to
help each of us realize our highest potential
in that regard:' he wrote in a message to
Temple Beth El members last year.
Outreach
Prior to his ordination in 2007, Miller
spent 11 years working at Jewish camps —
Shwayder Camp in Colorado and Wilshire
Boulevard Temple Camps in Los Angeles. He
views the Jewish camp experience as useful
to his role as a temple rabbi.
"Camps are immersive — everything is
Jewish:' he said. "We need to figure out how
to be involved in Jewish life beyond lifecycle
events:'
Miller emphasizes the core Jewish belief in
the importance of holiness — its meaning in
Torah and prayer, but also in "how we treat
other people, how we act as a community.
We need to recognize the value of how we
treat people:'
The concern about interactions with
those around us is also reflected in Miller's
involvement in community outreach and
social justice. He is part of the national core
team of 20 rabbis who comprise the Union
for Reform Judaism's Just Congregations
Initiative. This effort is intended to promote
social justice through community organiz-
ing and policy changes. As an example, he
mentioned the need both to feed the hungry,
and make sure that there is no hunger in
America.
:
Rabbi Mark Miller and his wife, Rachel Ann, with sons Abraham, 8, and Mori, 10
"I believe our long-term success
will be measured by the sense of
friendship, family, learning and
worship we create at Temple
Beth El."
– Rabbi Mark Miller, Temple Beth El
"We want to give people an opportunity to
do good things by making meaningful choic-
es:' he said. Miller is a longtime board mem-
ber for Livnot U-Lehibanot, a member of the
Rabbinic Advisory Council for Fair Trade
Judaica and of the President's Rabbinical
Council of HUC-JIR.
Israel was Rabbi Miller's strongest Jewish
connection as a boy, and he had his bar mitz-
vah there. After graduating with a degree in
history and psychology from Northwestern
University, he traveled to Israel and then
sought greater involvement with Judaism,
which led to work at Jewish camps. Later,
seeking more involvement with the entire
Jewish community, he decided to become
a rabbi and was ordained at Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2007.
Miller's wife, Rachel Ann, is an outreach
provider at the Birmingham Area Seniors
Coordinating Council, helping low-income
seniors who are eligible for special home
repair loans. Sons Mori, 10, and Abraham, 8,
attend Pierce School in Birmingham, where
the family lives. In October 2015, the rabbi
and his wife will lead a congregational trip
to Israel.
Miller said that he and Rachel Ann love
the Midwest and were pleasantly surprised
when they first visited Detroit. Now they are
proud to explain that their Shinola watches
were made here.
"Mark hit the ground running:' Weiner
said. "He has already expanded our staff,
added creative programming, improved
our communications and is re-visioning
our educational offerings at all levels. His
changes are objective-driven, based upon
strengthening congregational engagement
and attracting and retaining young fami-
lies with children. We are excited for the
future!"
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