|
|
May 5, 2006
Infeld joins Beth Israel
Vancouver's newest rabbi loves the city.
KYLE BERGER
When Israel was struggling to attract visitors, the tourism office
set up missions where Diaspora Jews toured the land to see what
a wonderful place it was and attract positive attention.
If the Jewish community of Greater Vancouver ever finds itself really
struggling to attract rabbinic leadership, it should be suggested
that a similar marketing strategy is used.
Har-El Synagogue's Rabbi Shmuel Birnham was attracted to Vancouver
for the outdoor life. Beth Tikvah's former rabbi, Barry Leff, came
for the skiing. And now Beth Israel's future rabbi, Jonathan Infeld,
admits that Vancouver's beauty is what ultimately brought him and
his family out west.
"My wife and I actually visited Vancouver several years ago
as part of a vacation and we had said that if a job actually opened
in Vancouver when I was looking for one that we would certainly
apply," Infeld said. "We fell in love with the city, the
environment and the people. But it was sunny at the time. I have
been warned that it rains for a couple of days in the winter."
Infeld, who grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., studied at Brandeis University
in Massachusetts and received his semichah (ordination) from
the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. He spent the last four
years as assistant rabbi at Ohev Shalom Synagogue in Marlboro, N.J.
But his recent visit to the Pacific Northwest led him on a thrilling
new path. He will take over as rabbi at Beth Israel on Aug. 1.
"We are very excited about moving to Vancouver, taking on an
exciting challenge and being part of this community," he said.
"I didn't really know much about Beth Israel when we visited
Vancouver, but after doing some research, I realized what a wonderful
synagogue with a rich history it was.
"I'm also very impressed with the richness of the Jewish community
in Vancouver," he continued. "It has an infrastructure
that is very significant and very impressive."
Although Infeld is enthusiastic about the opportunity to build new
relationships within his congregation, he suggested that one of
his real passions is finding the small holes a community may have
and doing his best to fill them.
For example, upon arriving at Ohev Shalom – part of the Marlboro
Jewish Centre – he noticed that the Hebrew school ended after
Grade 10. He soon added programs for grades 11 and 12 and the current
enrolment is now at more than 40 students.
At Beth Israel, he looks forward to using that concept to build
adult education and family programs that he hopes will infuse energy
into the synagogue.
"I'd like to start a lunch and learn series after the High
Holy Days and eventually start regular programs that are centred
around Jewish holidays like Selichot, Shavuot and Sukkot. Anything
that has an 'ot' at the end of it," he joked. "I'm also
excited to work with the Hebrew school and to become a part of the
youth programming."
Not the least bit intimidated by the smaller size of Vancouver's
Jewish community compared to what he is used to on the East Coast,
Infeld maintained that synagogues in all communities have the same
mission.
"I see a synagogue's purpose [as] being threefold," he
explained, "to bring Jews closer to God, closer to Torah and
closer to Israel. It needs to enhance and serve the spiritual needs
of the congregants, provide for their Jewish knowledge and create
community.
"I am someone who likes to challenge people spiritually and
intellectually," he continued. "My goal is to lead discussions
in the services that will be enlightening and encourage people to
come back more often."
Infeld and his wife, Lissa Weinberger, will be accompanied by their
two sons, Yair, 1, and Avishai, 5, who will attend Vancouver Talmud
Torah Elementary School.
Infeld is replacing Rabbi Charles Feinberg, who will be leaving
Beth Israel and heading to Washington, D.C., this summer.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
^TOP
|
|
