Dean Search
ANNOUNCEMENT OF DEAN HIRE
April 14, 2022 / 13 Nisan 5782
For more information, contact:
Tivona Reith, AOP Shomeret, treith@aleph-ordination.org
SooJi Min-Maranda, ALEPH Executive Director, soojim@aleph.org
Following a six-month search process, the ALEPH Ordination Program (AOP) and ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal are delighted to announce the hire of Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, Ph.D., as AOP Dean, effective June 6, 2022.Rabbi Kleinberg will succeed the AOPs founding dean, Rabbi Marcia Prager, who, along with Associate Dean Rabbi Steven Silvern, retired January 1, 2022.
The hire of Rabbi Kleinberg culminated from a unanimous recommendation to the AOP VAAD from the Dean Search Committee (DSC), glowing impressions from participants in stakeholder meet-and-greet gatherings (which included representatives from the VAAD, AOP student executive committee, AOP staff, ALEPH board, and Reb Marcia), and unanimous consent from the AOP VAAD.
In its recommendation report to the VAAD, the DSC summarized its enthusiastic support as follows:
Although most of us on the DSC did not know Darren well before the interview process began, we were all struck by his combination of heart and intellect, his pedagogic chops, his ability to think deeply and collaboratively as well as by his experience in successfully administering and helping togrow several multi-faceted Jewish educational programs. We found Darren to be a person of anavah and of deep Jewish learning that gently infuses his every day speech and way of being in the world. While Darren does not “come from” the ALEPH world writ small, he is a Renewalist and has been moving towards us for some time.Indeed, he has been deeply influenced by Reb Zalman . . .
In her conversation with Rabbi Kleinberg, Reb Marcia noted:
I found him to be thoughtful, self-reflective, really smart, inclined to cooperation and a collegial style, interpersonally savvy Clearly a multi-talented and highly motivated guy, and a mentsch. . . . His enthusiasm for the AOP emphasis on spiritual growth and spiritual practice touched me. He is one of the few people I know who has read Reb Zalmans book Spiritual Intimacy and PhD thesis on Hasidic counseling from cover to cover and taught from those texts.
More detailed information will be posted to the ALEPH website after Pesach, including a biosketch and resume for Rabbi Kleinberg, a link to a podcast interview, impressions from meet-and-greet participants, overview of the search process, etc.Chag sameach!
-CLOSED-
ALEPH Ordination Program
Request for Applications for Dean Position
In our next stage, the ALEPH seminary is poised to build new models of community, birth newspiritual technologies, and bring increased consciousness to Judaism’s potential for healing theplanet. Our work is rooted in the rich legacy of Jewish mystical/Hasidic traditions and the deepwisdom of Jewish life and practice.
The AOP Dean works part-time and reports to ALEPHs Executive Director. The ED will consultas appropriate with the AOP Vaad, the Academic Council of the AOP. The AOPs current budgetis approximately $560,000 with 32 faculty members and nearly 100 students. The new Dean willherald the next generation of leadership in the greater religious community, including thedevelopment of state-recognized degree-granting programs, establishing an endowment, andachieving accreditation.
The AOP is part of a national organization, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. ALEPH bringsspiritual vitality and passion into the daily lives of Jews through programs that empowerleadership, build communities, and generate transformative experiences and practicalresources.
AOP Dean Job Qualifications
The next AOP Dean will be inspiring, inclusive and authentic. While we understand that nosingle individual will embody every skill set or quality, the successful candidate willdemonstrate many of the following qualifications and attributes:
? High level of emotional and spiritual intelligence and capacity for self-reflection and selfimprovement
? Experience with geographically dispersed culture, teams, and management
? Strategic problem solver
? Able to maintain independent judgment and professional boundaries
? Adaptive to evolving Judaism and a changing student body
? Skilled in organizational change management
? Inspiring presence for students, prospective students, alumni, and as AOP public face
? Can work well with ALEPH Executive leadership and AOP leadership and staff
? In relationship with Reb Zalmans teachings, Renewal principles and a mystical Judaism;views position as part of spiritual practice
? Financial acumen and fundraising experience, including a track record of raisingsignificant funds from a variety of sources and network of contacts with foundations andindividual donor prospects
? Capacity to toggle between spaciousness/vision and tactical requirements; able tobalance the needs of multiple stakeholders and interests
? Clergy ordination may be helpful but is not required.
Preferred Experience
? Experience in leadership/administration within a higher-education context or relatedfields; demonstrated familiarity with geographically dispersed learning, preferred.
? Experience hiring, managing, and developing a diverse staff; experience withgeographically dispersed management is highly desirable.
? Reputation as a principled strategic collaborator with keen listening skills and the abilityto bridge philosophies and perspectives.
? Significant experience with financial and budget management and strategy that isgrounded in standard financial practices.
Geographic Location
Flexible. ALEPH and the AOP largely operate digitally, with at least two (2) in-persongatherings/retreats per year.
Salary Range
Salary range is $50,000-$60,000, depending on experience.
We are an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from people ofcolor, LGBTQ individuals and people of all traditionally marginalized identities to apply.
Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status,veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federallaws.
Application Instructions
Applications will be reviewed at the close of the application period and eligible candidates willbe contacted to arrange interviews. Please send a cover letter, a vita/resume, and anysupporting materials you would like to include, as a single PDF document to: jobs@aleph.org.
All materials must be received by December 31, 2021.
AOP Dean SearchUpdate #3
February 16, 2022
Issued by AOP Search Committee Task Force
For more information, contact:
Shelby Haverson, AOP Operations Manager, shaverson@aleph-ordination.org
Background
On August 13, 2021, Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Steve Silvern publicly announced theirintention to retire in early 2022 as Dean and Associate Dean, respectively, of the ALEPHOrdination Programs (AOP). The AOP VAAD/core faculty created a Search Committee (SC) toconduct the search for a new Dean. The SC was fully constituted on September 3, 2021, justbefore the start of the High Holy Days, and an official position announcement was publiclyposted on November 15, 2021, with an application due date of December 31, 2021.
Update as of February 16, 2022
During January, the Search Committee reviewed materials submitted by 18 applicants. Eightcandidates were selected for first-round interviews in February, which have been completed.Following SC deliberation, second-round interviews of a shortened list of candidates will bescheduled in March.Also in January, the SC sent out a survey to ALEPH stakeholder groups, soliciting opinionsabout short-term and long-term hopes and opportunities for the AOP, as well as critical
challenges. The survey also invited respondents to consider what one essential question theywould ask a dean candidate. Survey responses were received from approximately 60 people, andthe insights shared have been valuable in shaping interview questions and candidate evaluationcriteria.
AOP Dean Search Update #2
October 18, 2021
Issued by AOP Search Committee Task Force
For more information, contact:
Shelby Haverson, AOP Operations Manager, shaverson@aleph-ordination.org
Background
On August 13, 2021, Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Steve Silvern publicly announced their intention to retire in early 2022 as Dean and Associate Dean, respectively, of the ALEPH Ordination Programs (AOP). The AOP VAAD/core faculty created a Search Committee (SC) to conduct the search for a new Dean. The SC was fully constituted on September 3, 2021, just before the start of the High Holy Days.
Update as of October 18, 2021
The Search Committee resumed its work on October 1, 2021, following the conclusion of the month ofchagim/holidays. It is engaged in the following activities:
- Developing theofficial job descriptionand solicitation announcement, as part of the Request for Applications (RFA) to be posted later this month or early November.
- Clarifyingcommunication and confidentiality protocolsthat will govern its work.
- Researchingbest practicesrelated to a position search of this importance.
The SC also developeda set of Understandings and Intentionsfor its work, as follows:
The search for a new dean for the ALEPH Ordination Programs is a holy task and a sacred obligation.
Our work together has the potential to shape the future of the AOP, the legacies of Reb Zalman and Reb Marcia, and the training and deployment of Jewish Renewal clergy for years to come.
Our work is of critical interest and importance to many spirit-holders (aka stakeholders) for whom Jewish Renewal provides spiritual purpose, meaning, and sustenance.
Our ultimate aspiration is to be guided by spiritual discernment, to craft a process that is both transparent and efficient, and to cultivate an inclusive, coordinated, and beneficial approach to sharing information and reaching decisions.
His ideas and work influenced the birth ofthe Havurah movement, the internationalJewish Renewal movement, numerous Jewish retreat centers and innovative social-change programs, the interfaith eldering wisdom movement, as well as theordination programs for rabbis, cantorsand rabbinic pastors that began as Bnai Or Religious Fellowship, later became Pnai Or Religious Fellowship, and eventually coalesced to form the currentALEPH Ordination Program/AOP.
AOP dates its origins back to the mid-1970sand progressively evolved over the course of four decades to where it is today.
AOP Dean SearchUpdate #1
September 13, 2021 / 7 Tishrei 5872
Issued by AOP Search Committee Task Force
For more information, contact:
Shelby Haverson, AOP Operations Manager, shaverson@aleph-ordination.org
Background
On August 13, 2021, Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Steve Silvern publicly announced their intention to retire in early 2022 as Dean and Associate Dean, respectively, of the ALEPH Ordination Programs (AOP). The AOP VAAD had been notified prior to the public announcement, and in July 2021 approved formation of a Search Committee (SC) Task Force. The SC was approved to include 3 VAAD representatives, 1 student nominated by the ALEPH Student Board, 1 ALEPH representative nominated by ALEPHs Executive Director, and 1 AOPmusmach/mechet(alumnus/alumna) selected from a list nominated by the VAAD. The SC is authorized to write a position announcement, broadcast the search, receive and review applications, create a short list of candidates, interview the short list via an interview process inclusive of AOP stakeholders, and make a recommendation for hire to the VAAD.
Update as of 9/13/2021
The Search Committee was fully constituted on September 3, 2021 with the following members:
VAAD representatives:
Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg, Rabbinic Pastor Tivona Reith, Rabbi Shulamit Thiede
Student representative: Alan Levin
ALEPH representative: SooJi Min-Maranda
Musmachrepresentative: Rabbi Lex Rofeberg
Administrative support and guidance: Shelby Haverson
A preliminary timeline for the search process currently anticipates a public posting of the Request for Applications (RFA) for the AOP Dean Position sometime in early fall, with applications due late fall to early winter. The RFA will include details on how interested applicants can apply and what should be included in their application.
At this time, those interested in applying can forward their name (no resumes, please) to AOP Operations Manager Shelby Haverson, and will be sent the RFA simultaneous with the public posting. In addition, AOP stakeholders will be encouraged to forward the posting to those they think should apply, and will have opportunities later in the process for input on the final candidate(s).
For more information, please contact Shelby Haverson, shaverson@aleph-ordination.org.