As your Board of Governors started the search for a successor to Rav Baruch, who will retire in July 2019, we learned that Rav Adam would be leaving us at the end of March. As a result, we decided to strike an Associate Rabbi Search Committee to fill our short-term and longer-term need. Our two search committees are working together to ensure the best fit and smoothest transition for our membership from one generation of rabbinic leadership to the next.

Senior Rabbi Search Committee

Co-chaired by Norman Kahn, Bernie Gropper and Dr. Eudice Goldberg, the committee members are Jay Feldman, Daniel Heller, Lianne Leboff, Dena Libman, Adam Storm, Sara Urowitz, Harold Wolfe and Josh Zelikovitz. Guided by the Strategic Plan and direction from your Board, this committee has submitted an application to the Joint Placement Committee, the combined resource of USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly for the placement of Rabbis in the Conservative/Masorti movement. We have also engaged DRG Search, a professional consultancy with expertise in recruiting top talent for Jewish non-profits. They will partner with us in assessing the skills, depth of knowledge and experience required to lead our kehillah forward. We believe these combined resources will help us engage the finest rabbinic talent available to serve our members and lead Beth Tzedec now and into the future.

Associate Rabbi Search Committee

This committee is co-chaired by Dena Libman and Ted Zittell. The co-chairs of both search committees and the Board of Governors believe that the new Senior Rabbi should play a lead role in hiring this key member of our spiritual leadership team. As the need for an associate rabbi is immediate, the Associate Rabbi Search chairs, as an interim measure, focused on bringing us rabbinic support for the first period of transition following Rav Adam’s departure. The chairs, the Board and Rav Baruch have agreed to fill the “position” of associate rabbi on an initial basis with two Toronto rabbis, known to most members and familiar with our community. They will serve as part of Rav Baruch’s team. This arrangement will begin April 1, 2018 and extend through Sukkot. By then, the Associate Rabbi Search Committee will have confirmed longer term resources to ensure continued rabbinic coverage until the arrival of our new senior rabbi in 2019.

Welcome Interim Rabbis Jennifer Gorman and Moshe Meirovich 

We are pleased to welcome these experienced rabbis to Beth Tzedec. They will provide excellent spiritual leadership and serve member needs while the search committees continue their work. Both rabbis have the knowledge, experience and ability to support our membership pastorally, ritually and educationally. Rav Moshe and Rav Jen will be at shul on alternateShabbatot and will take turns leading and speaking at services. Both will report to and work under Rav Baruch and will be available to all members during the week. If you wish to meet with either or both, please email them directly or contact Marlene Laba to set up an appointment.

What Happens Next?

The search process for new spiritual leadership takes time and demands the input and confidence of the membership. Working with DRG, the Senior Rabbi Search Committee has been meeting with members representing key cohorts of our Congregation, as well as reviewing survey results to help refine the search.

As an important step in our process, we plan to invite selected candidates to guest weekends at Beth Tzedec. Members will have a chance to meet the candidates and experience them in action. We will advise the kehillah in advance of the dates. Following each visit, we will post a survey on our website that we invite you to complete. We need your feedback! The information you submit will add valuable insights to help us determine which candidates we wish to pursue.

How Can We Follow and Be Part of the Process?

We will update membership regularly on our progress on both searches via our e-newsletter and website.  At all times, we invite you to forward to us comments, and to share the names of prospective candidates that you may know or have heard about in your travels. Please send your comments or questions to rabbinicsearch@beth-tzedec.org.


We look forward to welcoming our new spiritual leaders who will build on the outstanding work of Rav Baruch and those who served with him and before him. Judaism is a gift that can empower us to live personally meaningful and rewarding lives, and face the challenges of today inspired by Jewish values, culture and traditions. Beth Tzedec’s outstanding resources will continue the work of providing an enriching variety of services, support and experiences to build our diverse sacred community, and to help make the world a better place.