Local News
March 28, 2008
Temple Emanuel Turns To Cantor
Reisterstown’s Temple Emanuel turns to its cantor with hopes for growth.
Barbara Pash
Associate Editor
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Temple Emanuel is anticipating a bright new future. The financial situation that threatened the congregation has been addressed, and the clergy situation has been resolved. “We’re going to be around a long time,” said Andy Benjamin, president of the Reform congregation in Reisterstown.
Cantor Rhoda Silverman will be taking over as the sole, full-time clergy at the 250-family member shul when the current rabbi, Rabbi Batsheva Meiri, leaves for another post this summer.
“I will be fulfilling both rabbinic and cantorial functions,” said Cantor Silverman, who for the past eight years has served as the congregation’s “limited service” cantor, meaning she was available for Shabbat and holiday services, b’nai mitzvah training and “on call” as needed.
Her status officially changes on July 1, but, Cantor Silverman commented, “I’m here now and there won’t be a break” in her availability to the congregation.
This past winter, Temple Emanuel and Har Sinai, a Reform congregation in Owings Mills, held preliminary merger talks. Both sides discontinued the talks, although from the way Mr. Benjamin, a local businessman who became president in 2007, describes it, Temple Emanuel learned a valuable lesson.
The merger, he said, was an “option worth looking at” given Emanuel’s precarious finances at the time.
Another factor was Rabbi Meiri’s leaving this June. “We needed a new spiritual leader,” said Cantor Silverman.
But Mr. Benjamin was determined that the merger talks be brought before the congregation as a whole, not decided behind closed doors by the officers and the board. Even he was surprised at the members’ passionate response.
“We struck a nerve. The merger [talk] forced us to look inward,” said Mr. Benjamin. “We are a small congregation that likes to do things differently and we shouldn’t try to be a big congregation.”
Cantor Silverman echoes the sentiment. “The talks invigorated the congregation. It was a learning experience.”
With that in mind, Mr. Benjamin began a line-by-line evaluation of Emanuel’s budget with the goal of financial viability. “We are an egalitarian congregation — that’s the charm of Emanuel — but that doesn’t cover a deficit. And we don’t have big-name givers who can write a check” and solve the problem, he said.
In the end, changes were agreed upon, cuts were made and the result is that for Fiscal Year 2008-2009, Temple Emanuel has a balanced budget.
“We will be in the black. We will not have a deficit. We are able to maintain the building,” said Mr. Benjamin.
Still, another major issue loomed on the horizon, namely finding a replacement for Rabbi Meiri, who will be going to a congregation in Asheville, N.C., at the end of her contract with Emanuel. Having Rabbi Emeritus Gustav Buchdahl resume rabbinic duties was not part of the equation, said Mr. Benjamin.
A rabbinic search was conducted, and some good candidates emerged. But then reality set in or, as Mr. Benjamin put it, “We had to get real about our finances.”
Temple Emanuel is not the first congregation to go to a single-clergy situation. Temple leaders explored the situation carefully and found that other congregations, especially ones of similar size, have done the same.
“It’s not the standard, traditional thing,” said Mr. Benjamin, who discussed the idea with, among others, the families of upcoming b’nai mitzvah. “But we have enough support [among members] to do it.”
There was no question that Cantor Silverman would be asked to fill the role, not only for continuity sake but because of her personal relationships with members.
“I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’m excited about the opportunity for me and for the congregation,” said Cantor Silverman, who does not plan any immediate, drastic changes. “The congregation is functioning well.”
In the meantime, it hasn’t been all belt-tightening. New carpeting has been installed. So has wireless Internet access. A coffeehouse/youth lounge is being created, in anticipation of more youth-oriented programming.
More importantly, Temple Emanuel is looking at ways to make itself better known in the community. “We need to get our name out. We need to do a better job of outreach,” said Mr. Benjamin, noting that one couple joined the temple “after their real estate person pointed to us” as a nearby congregation.
Also, a new fund-raising chairperson has been named and the dues structure is being scrutinized. Said Mr. Benjamin, “We’re trying to make it easy for people to join us.”
Learning Center Stays Open
An interesting footnote to Temple Emanuel’s situation is its Learning Center, which is located at the congregation but not officially a part of the operation.
In the initial analysis of the budget, it looked as if the preschool would have to be closed.
Instead, there was an outpouring from parents whose children attend the center and who voluntarily raised their fees to bring them in line with neighboring facilities. Now, congregation president Andy Benjamin is hoping for “better links” between the Learning Center and the congregation.
Once it was clear that the center was staying, discussions with a local caterer to advertise Temple Emanuel as a rental facility for non-members were abandoned. Zeffert and Gold Catering remains the exclusive caterer at the shul; Mr. Benjamin said he would not mind considering rentals to non-members but it is not something he is pursuing aggressively.