The Massachusetts Board of Rabbis (MBR) is an organization of rabbis of various streams and groups serving congregations, agencies and institutions within Massachusetts. Its membership consists of men and women from across the denominational spectrum who come together for fellowship, religious camaraderie, educational enrichment, and to speak with a single voice on behalf of our Jewish community.
Thanks to the efforts of an active Executive Committee, led by President Eric Gurvis and Managing Director, Alan Teperow, the MBR has grown dramatically as an organization over the past few years. The organization has become reenergized, and the result has been outstanding, timely, and relevant programming.
Our membership has expanded from 40 several years ago to now over 120 members, and the outreach continues with a focus on non-pulpit rabbis (Hillel staff, retired colleagues and others) who crave the collegiality of an organization such as the MBR. The MBR publishes a directory of members each year, which eases communication among rabbis as well as between rabbis and a variety of Jewish organizations. Indeed the rabbinic community is beginning to speak with a more confident voice through the MBR, and the future looks even brighter.
The MBR hopes to expand programming and community-building efforts in the future, to find more venues for rabbis of the different denominations to come together and to continue to reach out to rabbinic colleagues in the area to connect them to the community at large.
Following in the historic tradition of the MBR to take stands on pressing issues of public policy, the MBR passed a "Statement on Immigration" at its December 4, 2008 meeting. Drawing on Torah and rabbinic tradition, the statement calls on our members to "support legislation, social policy initiatives and education to create a just, humane and effective immigration policy in the United States and in Massachusetts". For the full statement, go to the Public Policy Committee page.
The annual Yamim Noraim Yamim Noraim Workshop and Israel Bonds Luncheon was held on June 4th as a wonderful closing event for the year. The program, attended by over 50 of our members, not only enabled rabbis to study text with a master teacher, but also afforded us the opportunity to support Israel Bonds and hear from Stanley Davids - Honorary Chairman, State of Israel Bonds Rabbinic Cabinet.
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| Pictured above is Dr. Nehemia Polen, Professor of Jewish Thought and director of the Hasidic Text Institute at Hebrew College, who gave a stirring and thoughtful talk on "Hasidic Texts and Themes for the Yamim Noraim". Click on the play button below to listen to his presenation.
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At MBR's Election of Officers, incoming President, Dan Liben, thanked Eric Gurvis for his two years of devoted service as MBR President. |
On April 30, 2009, MBR's annual Yom Iyyun featured Rabbi Or Rose and Professor Greg Mobely who discussed, "In the Footsteps of Hillel: Jewish Theology & Religious Pluralism". Or Rose, Director of Interfaith & Social Justice Initiatives at Hebrew College, taught a morning session that explored Jewish texts, and together with Greg Mobely, Professor of Christian Bible at Andover Newton Theological School and a Director of the CIRCLE interfaith program at Hebrew College and Andover Newton, engaged in dialogue about interfaith relations, training and leadership in our different faith communities.
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| Greg Mobely, pictured here, used text study from the New Testament to illustrate how our different understandings of scripture and theology can converge through dialogue. | Or Rose (left) and Greg Mobely (center) are thanked by Eric Gurvis, MBR President, for a fascinating day of learning and dialogue. |
At the opening meeting of the MBR in October, we were treated to a wonderful presentation by the Rev. Hurmon Hamilton, Pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church and President of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, on "Why We Need Each Other -- Building Effective Partnerships in our Sacred Work". During lunch the MBR was pleased to host a "Partners" Fair at which rabbis were able to meet with representatives of a dozen local community agencies, to learn about services and opportunities for partnerships between rabbis and their congregations or institutions.
Last year's MBR Sermon Seminar and Israel Bonds Luncheon in June, 2008 brought close to 60 rabbis and Hebrew College rabbinical students together to learn from Gordon Tucker, noted rabbi, teacher, community leader and lecturer. During the seminar, Tucker shared the deep truths he has learned and incorporated into his life and rabbinate. Pictured here are (left to right) Eric Gurvis, MBR President thanking Gordon Tucker and presenting him with a token of the MBR's appreciation for sharing his knowledge and insights with us.
Rabbi Ira Stone was last year's Yom Iyyum speaker in April, 2008 on the topic, "A Responsible Life: The Spiritual Path of Mussar." A full room of more than 40 MBR members was treated to Ira's erudition, knowledge and humor.
MBR's General Meeting in March 2008 was facilitated by Rabbis Carol Glass and Sara Paasche-Orlow on the important topic, "Supporting Patients and their Families Through End of Life Care".
The MBR Opening Meeting for 5768 in October, 2007 featured a Conversation with Nadav Tamir, Consul General of Israel.
Rabbis, Day School Heads Discuss Mutual Goals
by Ann Green
"Education is not a separate sphere of Jewish life; it is integral to how American Jews live today...beyond the knowledge and the skills they teach, Jewish educational settings are central to the way American Jews construct their lives and communities today." Dr. Jack Wertheimer, Jewish Theological Seminary
Members of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis met for the first time with the Heads of School and School Rabbis of Greater Boston's Jewish day schools on January 25 at Gann Academy in Waltham. The program, "Shuls and Schools: Making Win-Win Relationships," was facilitated by Dr. Jonathan Woocher of the Jewish Education Services of North America and sponsored by CJP's DAF.
Click here for the full story.
Rabbi Avi Weiss, spiritual leader of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale and founder of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School is the featured speaker at the annual MBR Sermon Seminar, sponsored each year by Israel Bonds.
Eric Gurvis, newly-elected MBR President, thanks Avi Weiss for his inspirational lecture at the High Holy Day Sermon Seminar in June.
Members of MBR's Executive Committee, including Barbara Penzner, Past President and Eric Gurvis, President (second from right) , meet with David Trietsch (center) of CJP's Leadership Development Institute to discuss future planning.