Houston Rabbinical Association Concludes Year of Program with Celebration Dinner

The Houston Rabbinical Association concluded its year-long program with a special tour of the Houston Holocaust Museum and celebratory dinner, bringing together clergy spouses, on Wednesday, May 15. Rabbi Edwin Goldberg of Congregation Beth Shalom in The Woodlands has resigned after two years as president. organisation. Rabbi Yitzchak Sprung of the United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston is the new president of the HRA.

Over the past two years, some of the HRA’s programs have included meetings with local agency leaders from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, the American Jewish Committee Houston, the Anti-Defamation League and Alexander Jewish Family Service. Additionally, once a month last year, rabbis – joined by area cantors (a new and welcome trend) – gathered at JFS to Zoom with teachers from the Institute of Jewish Spirituality to support the clergy in these difficult times.

The clergy also met with Rabbi Daniel Gordis of Jerusalem and Professor Paul Liptz, also of Israel. This June, the rabbis will tour the new UOS building and sanctuary and speak with Rabbi Kenny Weiss, executive director of Houston Hillel, about current challenges on college campuses.

Wednesday evening’s event included a tour by venerable HMH teacher Sandy Lessig, who gave the clergy an educator’s perspective on ways to make the museum’s lessons relevant to the youth of Today.