Dear NHBZ Members,
I’m very excited to announce that the NHBZ Board of Directors has approved the presentation of Rabbi Aron Rubin as the candidate for Senior Rabbi. The final decision now rests with you, our valued membership.
A membership vote will take place on Sunday, May 18, during a special meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will open with discussion, and we anticipate voting to begin around 10:00 a.m. Members may arrive as late as 11:00 a.m. to cast their vote.
Only Full Members who are paid-up, or who have made payment arrangements, (not Associate Members) will be eligible to vote. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact Hindy Anton (bookkeeper@nhbz.org) by Thursday, May 15.
Voting will be a simple “Yes” or “No” regarding the appointment of Rabbi Rubin as our next Senior Rabbi.
This is a significant and long-anticipated milestone for our congregation. Let me briefly share the process that led us to this important moment:
In June, the Executive Committee established a Search Committee made up of a diverse cross-section of our Shul community. Co-chaired by Alan Zarkowsky and myself, the committee included: Caryn Alper, Jackie Berkin, Denny Feit, Faith Waxman, Gavriel Matt, Jenn Cohen, Jennifer Hartranft, Gerry Tullman, Kenny Bressler, Michelle Mufson, Nicole Loiterstein, Richard Woolf, Bob Kaiser, and Stella Vladamirov. Officers of the Board also participated in the process.
The Committee began its work in July, first gathering input from the congregation through a survey and focus groups. Using that feedback, the Committee developed a comprehensive job description reflecting the needs and expectations of our Shul. We partnered with rabbinic recruiting networks, including Yeshiva University’s recruiting agency, and reached out through our own community connections.
We reviewed resumes, cover letters, and divrei Torah videos from candidates, conducted video interviews, and ultimately invited two highly qualified finalists to visit NHBZ and engage directly with our community. Following those visits and considerable deliberation, the Search Committee submitted its recommendation to the Executive Committee. After further analysis, the Executive Committee presented its recommendation to the Board. Following three Board meetings and robust discussion, the Board voted to present Rabbi Rubin to the membership for your consideration.
This process was thorough, thoughtful, and collaborative—reflecting the values and diversity of our congregation. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Search Committee, and especially to my co-chair, Alan Zarkowsky, for his unwavering leadership and commitment. The time and dedication invested by the Committee were extraordinary. Reaching consensus wasn’t always easy, but the dialogue was meaningful and helped shape the Executive Committee’s and Board’s decision-making.
Pending the outcome of the membership vote, the Executive Committee will guide the next steps of the process.
Thank you for your engagement and support throughout this journey. I look forward to seeing you on May 18.
All the best,
Dan Winograd
NHBZ Board President
