Greetings from the committee! This is the first of many letters to come from the search committee to keep everyone involved with the Rabbi search. We wanted to reach out to the entire congregation to introduce the committee, share all the hard work we have been doing, and tell you about opportunities of how you can be involved. We are honored and excited to be working on this great task.
Who is on the Rabbi Search Committee?
You asked and here is the answer! Below is a complete list of our committee with our contact information. Please feel free to contact any of us if you feel there is something the committee should know or for general feedback.
AA RABBINICAL SEARCH COMMITTEE 2015
Barbara Abrams 843-705-3723 barba43@hargray.com
Matthew Allan 912-401-4663 matthew@kw.com
Robyn Carroll 404-409-0585 robynlevycarroll@gmail.com
Carol Cohen 912-233-2113 cjcsavga@bellsouth.net
Adam Fins 508-641-7300 amfins@gmail.com
Doug Goldstein 912-665-1515 dagonit3@bellsouth.net
AJ Haysman 912-596-3078 ajhaysman@icloud.com
David Hirsh 912-667-9664 dnhirsh@comcast.net
Ken Hoffman 843-441-4114 hoffmaks@earthlink.net
Nancy Isaacson 912-234-3366 isaacson2@gmail.com
Fran Kaminsky, Secretary 912-484-7701 fkaminsky@kaminskyfamily.com
Motti Locker 912-224-4285 mottilocker@aol.com
Aileen Miller 805-252-5119 ajw0505@yahoo.com
Lynn Reeves, Chair 912-484-5415 lynncreeves@gmail.com
Steve Roth 912-658-6135 nevetsmd@bellsouth.net
Steve Sacks 912-355-1224 smsacks@gmail.com
Kenneth Sadler, Co-Chair 912-661-0484 ksadler@aol.com
Victor Shernoff 912-507-2979 vshernoff@comcast.net
Aaron Tillinger 912-335-3773 aaron@tillingers.net
How can YOU be involved?
You will be seeing opportunities to participate over the next few months in our search. As we narrow the field of applicants, we will look for congregational feedback and it will be critical that we have full participation in the action-packed visits for the selected candidates.
In fact, we welcome feedback throughout the entire search process to ensure we are doing the best job we can! If you have something to say, we would like to hear it. Please contact any of the Rabbi Search Committee members or email Motti at mottilocker@gmail.com with your thoughts.
What has happened so far?
- Rabbi Barkan informed the board he would seek other Rabbinic opportunities
- AA President, Steve Roth, selected Lynn Reeves as the Rabbi Search Committee Chair
- The search committee members were selected
- The Committee discussed survey and focus group results from the congregation a few years ago, what has changed (or not), and what we are looking for now
- The Committee conducted an extensive SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) Analysis to better understand our group perspective of AA. Below are the top results from the exercise.
- STRENGTHS
- Open to people from all walks of life (i.e. interfaith, age, orientation, culture, background)
- Growing number of young, energetic families
- Balanced/traditional but open to change
- WEAKNESSES
- Apathy-lack of commitment
- Lack of wide involvement by congregation
- Poor attendance
- OPPORTUNITIES
- Programming for children/committee to manage
- Outreach to unaffiliated-define “why us”/older and younger demographic
- Creative/effective programming to meet congregant needs
- THREATS
- Image
- Competition
- Conservative movements-lack of identity
- Lack of need to affiliate (cultural)
- The Committee formed subcommittees to work on specialized areas of the search
- The Rabbinic Assembly (“RA”) Application Subcommittee completed the application (26-27 pages!) and reviewed it with the entire search committee at large
- The final draft of the RA Application was submitted on 10/15/15 and posted online for all potential candidates to view on 10/20/15
- STRENGTHS
What’s Next?
- Receive and review resumes to determine a short list of candidates for the first round of interviews
- Conduct phone and Skype interviews to identify a final list of candidates
- Invite top candidates for a weekend visit to lead services, interact with the community, and learn about Savannah
- Request feedback from congregation members and prepare nomination
- Hold congregational meeting to vote to approve our next Rabbi