Financial problems have become a challenge for Beth Elohim, as they have at many synagogues. The Park Slope temple recently cut multiple programming positions from its staff - announced in a letter from board president Chuck Nathan to the synagogue community on March 14 - and departments are being told to trim their budgets for the next fiscal year. It has suspended CBE Feeds this week, though Nathan told Haaretz he is hopeful that grant applications for the program will be approved shortly, and the food project restored. When asked directly if the cuts played any role in his decision to leave, Bachman said they did not. To the contrary, Bachman said, he is staying longer than he might otherwise have in order to help get the congregation on firmer financial footing. In his open letter announcing his plans for when his temple contract ends in June 2015, Bachman wrote: “Last year, the combination of watching our community’s response to Hurricane Sandy as well as the fortuitous and inevitable rite of passage of turning 50, I began to explore the idea of moving beyond strictly Jewish service and contemplate seriously the idea of serving disadvantaged communities broadly throughout New York City. The issues of poverty, hunger, homelessness, education and violence remain central to my own concerns as a citizen of New York. And so as I thought of another chapter to my professional life, I became increasingly inspired by the opportunity to serve communities in need in Brooklyn and beyond ... At age 51 and after nearly 25 years of work in the broader Jewish community, I am eager to pursue other areas of interest and public service in New York City.” ...
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 00:43:21 +0000
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