Bulletin editor Jay P. Goldman asked Rabbi Benjamin Shull to respond to a few questions about a month before he assumes office at Tikvat Israel.
Q: What about the Tikvat Israel profile developed by our search committee sparked your interest to apply for our rabbi position? And what were your most striking impression from your weekend “audition” in our community?
Rabbi Shull: What interested me most was the congregation’s focus on partnership between rabbi and congregation. I truly believe that only a full partnership between clergy and laity will enable a synagogue community to realize its potential. The challenges facing contemporary suburban congregations are daunting. Rabbi, cantor and the entire professional staff must work in tandem with the lay leadership to develop a shared vision and mutual goals.
I could certainly see from my “audition” Shabbat weekend with Tikvat Israel that our congregation is serious about active lay participation in community life. I sensed a passion for Jewish living emanating from every room of the synagogue — from the sanctuary to the social hall to the pre-school classrooms. I can’t wait to join you.
Q: Why were you ready to make a professional change?
Rabbi Shull: My wife Stacy, our sons Zach and Micah and I are thrilled to be joining a congregation in which members are excited about sharing their Jewish lives in a creative and warm environment. We look forward to sitting in the sukkah together on a lovely fall day, chatting around the Shabbat dinner table, taking a walk in Rock Creek Park, laughing as we dress up for Purim and perhaps take in the sunshine together at a Washington Nationals game (we promise to stay neutral when they play the Mets).
Joining Tikvat Israel, for us, means joining a community with a big heart and an open embrace. That’s what we have been seeking.
Q: How do you expect to use your first months on board at TI?
Rabbi Shull: My first priority as your rabbi is to get to know as many of you as possible as soon as I can. I want to find out about your families and your life stories. I want to hear your concerns and discover your interests. I want to know what in Jewish life inspires you and what leaves you cold. I want to be your spiritual leader and, in order to do that, I must begin to get to know your spirit.
Q: How might you be involved in outreach to interfaith families in our congregation?
Rabbi Shull: “Keruv,” the Hebrew term for drawing people closer to Jewish life, has been a priority for me throughout my rabbinic career. I fully intend to make this a priority as I become your rabbi. Sadly, far too many are distant from synagogue life. Whether it’s intermarried couples and their families, singles, gay and lesbian individuals and/or couples, or anyone feeling alienated from “establishment” Jewish life, we need to do our best to show them a Judaism that is both compelling and loving.
