Our synagogues are figuring it out. In order to have a successful synagogue that brings in the younger generation, OUR generation, you need to have a cool Rabbi.
Twin Cities, meet the first of the new pack of cool rabbis to come to town, Rabbi Jeremy Fine, at Temple of Aaron.
Rabbi Jeremy Fine may be a familiar face to some of you. He spent 11 years at Camp Ramah, as a camper counselor, and community head. And although he’s spent several years in New York, and in Israel, studying to be a rabbi, he’s a Midwestern guy, growing up in the Chicago area and getting his bachelor’s at U-Illinois.
He’s also got a great sense of humor, a passion for Judaism and for bringing young energy and new life into our synagogues and into our Jewish communities, a love of writing (check out his Jewish sports blog The Great Rabbino and get ready to see his writing on TC Jewfolk starting this July), and, most importantly, he knows his Sex and the City. OK, that’s not the most important, but pretty cool nonetheless.
Rabbi Jeremy Fine was officially ordained as a Rabbi yesterday (Mazals!). Despite what I’m sure must have been a whirlwind of a week for him, he penned – okay, typed – a few answers to TC Jewfolk’s all-so-important e-mail questions:
TC Jewfolk: What are you most excited about moving to Minnesota?
Rabbi Fine: There are two answers to this question. The first and most obvious is that I am excited to be working at a synagogue that is ready to grow and add meaning into people’s lives. My wife and I fell in love with the community immediately and I cannot wait to get started. Secondly and less significantly, I am excited to be back on Central Standard Time. Sporting events go way too late into the night in New York.
TCJ: What do you think you’ll bring to Temple of Aaron?
RF: I have always prided myself on trying to be an accessible Rabbi, someone who made learning fun and could help anyone young or old find Jewish meaning in their life. I hope to bring a sincerity to our current members and an outgoing/easy to relate to personality to the community at large. My goal is to use services, programming, and spontaneous moments as a way to contact.
TCJ: You said in your interview with OyChicago that in order to get Jews in their 20s & 30s to join synagogues, you will have to “meet people where they are” – what does that look like to you?
RF: I want to be able to open up my home to guests, meet young professionals throughout the city, or take in a Twins gam . But I think the biggest thing is to bring them into the synagogue conversation. Often the questions we ask or the sermons rabbis give are not geared towards a younger crowd. I hope to engage the young professionals in real life questions and to explore Judaism through culture and learning.
TCJ: But really, why do we still need synagogues?
RF: While the Independent Minyanim or other small organizations are great and provide a different resource, eventually people want a large community. A larger community will take care of them when there are in unfortunate circumstances. Also, as my generation begins having children (which is later than the last generation) we will want an envirnoment for them to run around, have a Shabbat experience, and offer resources and opportunities for our children to experience.
TCJ: That’s awesome that you met like a bagillion Minnesota Jews in your many years at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. What’s your favorite memory from Ramah?
RF: This is definitely the toughest question you have asked because there are too many memories. So I guess I will choose my most recent memory. Last summer my wife and I along with many other of my friends made our way up to camp for our 13 year reunion. This was the third time I had taken my wife to camp. But this time with all of my friends she understood the importance and excitement of Camp Ramah. At that moment I realized my life at Camp Ramah was not over and we would get to relive the excitement through our children. Also I was oddly terrified of climbing the ropes course, but that is another story for another day.
Rabbi Fine, his wife & baby to be (they’re due in August) will be hitting the TC in July. Stay tuned! Should be awesome!
(Photo: Zazzle.com Judaism Cool Kids Mug)
My husband and I are so excited to welcome Rabbi Fine and his wonderful wife to the Temple of Aaron. He has great energy, and is very approachable. As a couple in our 20’s and 30’s, we look forward to fun and educational programming and activities for our age group. The future looks bright at Temple of Aaron!
Leora, I loved your blog about Rabbi Fine. I also love getting your column all the time. I am so proud of you and what you are doing with this blog. You are amazing! Keep it coming!
Best wishes to Rabbi Fine and his family. Since when does young=hip? TC will be getting four new young rabbis over the next few months and all are preaching the same message: “meet people where they are.” It sounds like a NY campaign slogan.
TC Jews know that “you are always welcome at the Temple of Aaron(TM).” Even though all adults under 30 can join for free, high holiday attendance has been shrinking along with other engagement.
I hope we look back a year from now and see a resurgence in connections between young TC Jews and the community. He certainly has a challenging task.
I am excited to meet Rabbi Fine and love the idea of new young hip Rabbi’s…but he is hardly the first hip young Rabbi in the Twin Cities: Who Remembers Rabbi Joe Black brought to Temple Israel in 1989? Rabbi Zimmerman is still pretty hip and you should have seen her in the early 90’s! Rabbi Rob Kahn at Beth El in the 90’s? Rabbi Aaron Brusso, Rabbi David Locketz, Rabbi Melissa Simon and Rabbi Latz (that goatee is very hip). Rabbi Jared Saks was pretty hip and I think Rabbi Jen Gertman is hip. Rabbi Avi Olitzky is doing his part to keep Beth El synagogue hip and happening. I hope I haven’t offended or left out any other hip Rabbi’s in town –
Again, welcome to Rabbi Fine, I look forward to meeting you!
Absolutely!
Glad my first news report about the new rabbi at Temple of Aaron was in Tcjewfolk. Sounds like Rabbi Fine will be a grand addition (and his whole family) to the Twin Cities.
Jbrin ingber
beth-el synagogue center has a loss but your synagogue has a major gain-kudos to you for getting a fantabulous
rabbi & family-you will be so happy & we will miss them
no end!!all our best-shelley & arnie goldring-silverman!!