The Search is Over

The search for a new Senior Rabbi to replace Rabbi “Rick” Jacobs at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale has come full circle. WRT’s own Rabbi Jonathan Blake will assume the leadership position, pending a vote by the full congregation on September 20th. The Board of Trustees of the synagogue announced their recommendation on Wednesday September 7th. Rabbi Jacobs will leave WRT at the end of the year for his new position as President of the Union for Reform Judaism.

Rabbi Blake came to WRT in 2003 from Temple Beth-El in Providence, Rhode Island where he served as Associate Rabbi and Director of Education from 2000 – 2003. In 2000 he received his Ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati where he received honors for academic achievement and homiletics. He majored in English literature at Amherst College and graduated summa cum laude.

Rabbi Blake teaches adult education at the synagogue and moderates an online forum exploring the weekly Torah portion at http://wrttorahstudy.blogspot.com/ . Beyond his role at WRT, Blake played the part of a rabbi in the 2005 film 51 Birch Street, a documentary about a son’s investigation into the mystery of his parent’s relationship after their 54 year marriage.

In her announcement to the congregation, Temple President Lisa Messinger wrote, "In Rabbi Blake, we have chosen a rabbi who embodies outstanding personal qualities of caring, intelligence and great integrity. For the past eight years Rabbi Blake has shared a Jewish journey at WRT with exceptional colleagues and alongside our congregation who has embraced his passion, wisdom and sense of humor. His insights into the life of WRT have been nurtured and refined here and provide him with unique qualifications for the position of Senior Rabbi. I am extremely confident that under the leadership of Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Westchester Reform Temple will continue to thrive as superbly in the future as it has in the past."

Blake is highly regarded by congregants, students and the WRT staff, and as an eight-year veteran of the temple he should have a smooth transition into his new role. Whether or not WRT will seek out an additional rabbi to step into Blake’s place is yet to be seen.