April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
INTERFAITH AFFAIRS
Rabbi takes helm at synagogue tied to Diocese
Rabbi takes helm at synagogue tied to Diocese
Not every leader of a non-Catholic congregation rushes over to meet folks at the Pastoral Center of the Albany Diocese. But shortly after his appointment at Albany's largest synagogue, Temple Israel, Rabbi Daniel Wolpe visited The Evangelist for a chat with staff members.
It made sense, given the synagogue's history of cooperation and exchange with local Catholics. Rabbi Paul Silton, who retired last year, had worked with Bishop Howard J. Hubbard and other Catholics on a variety of Jewish-Catholic and other interfaith initiatives.
Rabbi Wolpe became one of the rabbis of Temple Israel last September and became the sole rabbi in January.
Rabbi Wolpe faces the challenge of succeeding a rabbi whose faith, family and long tenure defined Temple Israel for decades. Many members credit Rabbi Silton and his wife, Faye, with reviving their religious faith and practice through classes, personal encouragement and invitations to Sabbath meals at their home.
Rabbi Wolpe brings his own record of diverse accomplishment. He was ordained in 1996 by the Jewish Theological Seminary, and since served at synagogues in Florida, Michigan, Los Angeles and Brooklyn.
He has also written numerous plays, some of which have been produced in theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston and Jerusalem. Rabbi Wolpe draws on his appreciation for pop culture and regularly teaches a course on Jewish themes in the various "Star Trek" television series.
"A lot of the writers were Jewish and they snuck in many Jewish teachings," he said, citing episodes that include debates over whether a beloved robot has a soul or whether religion is a primitive artifact.
"Star Trek's" creator, Gene Roddenberry, "didn't believe in God but he was convinced that there was more to life this world," Rabbi Wolpe added.
Albany's small, diverse Jewish community has quickly become home for Rabbi Wolpe; his wife, Susie, a nurse; and their children, Jenna, Jake and Alex. The city has six congregations, two each in Judaism's three major branches: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform.
"There's really no in-fighting among Jewish groups, which comes from the nature of a small Jewish community," said Rabbi Wolpe. "It's easier to be tolerant when everybody knows everybody else."
Interfaith history
That may also help to explain the comity among religious groups in the region.
Rabbi Wolpe's predecessor, Rabbi Paul Silton, and others at the temple spent many hours, meetings and trips with Catholic leaders and laity.
The cooperation got a kick-start from a landmark 1986 reconciliation service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany to close the gap between Catholics and Jews. At it, Bishop Hubbard apologized for past instances of Catholic antipathy or anti-Semitism.
Many local Jews, upon meeting a Catholic, immediately mention this event. In 2007, Temple Israel recognized Bishop Howard J. Hubbard's interfaith efforts with the inaugural Circle of Humanity Award.
Rabbi Wolpe is aware of the legacy. "I spent most of this first year trying to form relationships within the Jewish community and I hope that interfaith dialogue will be a key part of my work in the next year," he said.
Egalitarian?
A major task within the synagogue involves elevating the role of women through a movement known as egalitarianism. One step would be to consider women in counting up the necessary quorum of 10, or "minyan," needed for a prayer service.
"We've had a few men, five women, and we had to wait and find men to fill the minyan. So we have to start late and make phone calls," the rabbi explained.
The other step would be to allow women to lead parts of services that, currently, only men do, notably on the Sabbath. He said that 95 percent of Conservative synagogues are egalitarian: "In my heart I believe that, in the Conservative movement, it's a moral necessity. We ordain women as rabbis, so it doesn't make sense."
He explained that Conservative Judaism involves applying Jewish law to the historical era and sociological conditions of the time.
Why not just make the change? "Technically, I can. But that's not being sensitive to people who grew up with the traditional approach," he said, echoing some of the internal struggles that all religions face between tradition and reform. "But if you prepare people and say, 'This is going to happen; this is going to happen,' they will be ready."
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