Tuesday, August 5, 2008

SHUL POLITICS: THE RABBI

The Rabbi of a shul is one of the more important jobs there is. The rabbi heads the congregation, gives long boring (sometimes not) speeches, and tells the congregation in what order to say davening on those days like a fast or some weird type of holiday no one really knows of. The rabbi also is charged with bringing in more people to the congregation. This is only a way to blame the rabbi, which is usually done by the kiddush club and is not an actually job of the Rabbi.
Many times the Rabbi is a good Rabbi and he can give a good speech or he (not she) knows when to say the speech. That is actually a very important thing to know when to speak. Usually the rabbi gives some sort of halacha shiur before or after the torah leining that's the type of speech you say "when will it be over". Other speeches come when its over and you are in middle of the kiddush (that's only in one shul I daven in).

Now onto the blaming. The kiddush clubs favorite target is the rabbi. Maybe its the shhhhing in shul the rabbi gives them for talking or maybe for leaving the actual place of davening and running to make their own kiddush (The rabbi scorns this). So back to the topic. The rabbi is blamed for everything.Some of the complaints are, He isn't bringing in more people to the shul, He doesn't scream out what page we are on, I just don't like rabbi's, He should give shorter speeches, and many more stupid reasons. Someone else who clashes with the rabbi is the president, usually in a struggle for power.

The rabbi like the president is a figure head. Do all shuls need a rabbi? I think yes, so I guess in that sense he isn't like a president. In any case the rabbis job is a big one and should not be blamed for all these little things. COMING UP NEXT. THE KIDDUSH CLUB.

6 people gave their 2 cents:

MAK said...

Sorry Mike, but I gotta disagree with you on the rabbi thing. It's thanks to the rabbi of a certain shul that I am religious at all, and to other's like him. Not just involved in the politics of the shul, but in the community as a whole, he reached out to bring many closer to Yiddishkeit. So perhaps some rabbis are figure heads, but I've yet to meet one, at least in my community, that is not intimately involved in every part of the community.

Mikeinmidwood said...

Mak

Here in Midwood there is a rabbi every other block so they are not engaged in the acts of the community only the shul. I guessin your case you are right.

The Webman said...

again you're right. in my shul, all the kiddush club talks about is how everything is the rabbi's fault, can't wait for your next post(The Kiddush Club).

Anonymous said...

Well, in our shul Rabbi is great. The is only one complaint about him, he wants everyone to be frummer than they already are. People don't like him meathods and complain. Our Rabbi is also responsible for more than doubling the shul members. Than again some don't like it. Too many new people.

Now, that I think about it, everything is Rabbi's fault... and we have three presidents. Oy vey!!!

Mikeinmidwood said...

mlevin

Thats funny 3 president one rabbi. You guys blame the rabbi for more people?

Anonymous said...

Yep, we have a minority of people who hate the Rabbi. They come up with the funniest reasons to hate him. One of them is too many new people, the shul is not a family anymore. Another, he's too frum. Third, his wife doesn't bake cookies for all the shul children.