Dear Friends:
As you may have already received by e-mail, it is with a bittersweet feeling that your board of trustees must deliver the news that Rabbi Yossi Pollak and his wife Brooke will be leaving our shul this summer. Rabbi Pollak has told us that he received an offer of employment from Congregation Beit Chaveirim in Westport, Connecticut, which was approved by their board of trustees (subject to approval by their congregation expected to take place on May, 7th). Our shul has grown tremendously under Rabbi Pollak's leadership in the last two years and we will miss him greatly. At the same time, we recognize that this move represents a significant new step for him and for Brooke and we gladly offer our best wishes for their success.
Rabbi Pollak will remain with us through the end of his term in July, so please take advantage of his last few months with us by coming to shul as often as possible! In the meantime, the board has begun taking steps to accomplish the difficult task of finding a new rabbi that can follow, though not replace, Rabbi Pollak. If you are interested in participating in the rabbinic search process, please contact Paul Ruffer: Pruffer@Aol.Com or leave a message at the shul (212 533 4122).
In a similar vein, we are soon approaching the time of the shul's annual meeting. More information will be sent in a separate mailing, but if you are interested in serving on the board of trustees, please let us know. The job involves a very significant time commitment, but if you are ready and willing, we would love to hear from you. Please contact the shul via Teshuvah@Stantonstreetshul.Com or leave a message at 212 533 4122. And if you don't have time to serve on the board, please find other ways to get involved. We would love for a member or two to take charge of the Kiddush, Lifecycles, or Building Committees. Or volunteer to be trained as a Gabbai. Help out at events (the volunteers who helped run the pre-pesach wine sale, for example, have great reason to be proud of their work for the shul). If you're able, we're willing.
Dov Kleiner,
Vice President
