Rabbi Jeffrey C. Brown to Become New Spiritual Leader

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Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El (SSTTE) appointed Jeffrey C. Brown to become its new rabbi. As of July 1, it was announced by Ellen Plum Rosenberg, president of one of Westchester County’s leading Reform Jewish congregations.

Rabbi Brown was elected by the congregation to his new post following an extensive search to find a successor to Stephen A. Klein, who will retire as Senior Rabbi on June 30 after 31 years as the spiritual leader of this 525-family congregation. In addition, the synagogue announced that associate rabbi Andrew Gordon will be leaving at the end of June to become associate rabbi of Temple Sinai, a 950-member-family congregation in Roslyn, N.Y.

Rabbi Brown will come to Scarsdale Synagogue following seven years as associate rabbi of Temple Solel in Cardiff, CA. In his role at the 850-family Reform Jewish congregation in suburban San Diego, Rabbi Brown takes a leading role in virtually every aspect of temple life. His pulpit skills, commitment to education and pastoral care are augmented by special program leadership that helped to transform and modernize the 33-year-old congregation. Highlights of his leadership include assisting in the creation of the temple’s nationally-recognized Facebook presence, and authoring two award-winning blogs aimed at young people and adult education students respectively.   

A 2000 magna cum laude graduate of George Washington University, Rabbi Brown received his rabbinical training and ordination at Cincinnati’s Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, where he earned a master of arts degree in Hebrew letters, with the highest academic standing in his ordination class. Prior to his tenure at Temple Solel, he served as student rabbi at congregations in Colorado and Texas, as a chaplain at Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati, and as a rabbinic intern with Hillel at Miami University of Ohio. Rabbi Brown is married to Amy Bebchick. They are the proud parents of two young children. 

Mrs. Rosenberg commented: “We feel fortunate that our covenant community attracted so many highly qualified candidates to succeed Rabbi Klein. Our rabbinic search task force reviewed the credentials of more that 40 rabbis, conducted in-depth Skype interviews with about a dozen of them and invited three very special people to have extended visits with us.”

“Following this thoroughgoing search effort by the 16-member task force, co-chaired by Ellen Baken and Steven Eigen,” Mrs. Rosenberg continued. “Rabbi Brown became the unanimous choice of our Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. His selection was ratified by a congregational vote, and we are simply delighted that he will be joining us this summer.”

In his letter to the membership of Scarsdale Synagogue following the vote, Rabbi Brown wrote of his having already experienced the warmth of the community and the devotion of its lay leadership to its vitality, stating: “I am eager to work with all of you to build on that warmth and vitality as we write the next chapter of Scarsdale Synagogue’s history together.”

As Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Klein will continue his three-decade-long affiliation with Scarsdale Synagogue, where his leadership spurred the growth of the congregation from about 100 members to over 500 families today.  Mrs. Rosenberg noted: “Steve led, embraced and helped to manage our synagogue through significant challenges and constructive change, enriching our community with vision, diligence and the sense of purpose that defined our worship services, educational programs, social action and many, many other activities. We cannot thank him enough for his service and for his commitment to all of us over all the wonderful years.”

Rabbi Klein is a former president, treasurer and secretary of the Westchester Board of Rabbis, and he played an integral role with Scarsdale’s Ad-Hoc Committee on the Crèche, which handled a divisive issue eventually resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1990, he was appointed and recently became Co-Chair of the National Commission on Rabbinic-Congregational Relations, mediating and solving intra-congregational disputes. Following the 9/11 tragedies, Rabbi Klein regularly served as a disaster care chaplain, providing spiritual guidance and emotional support to victims’ families.

Commenting on the summer departure of Rabbi Gordon, Mrs. Rosenberg said: “We express our thanks to Rabbi Gordon as well. He has been an innovative leader during his four years with us, especially by inspiring our young people to embrace the convictions and good works that are the hallmarks of our Reform Jewish community. We wish him every success in what we know will be a bright future for him and his new congregation.”

Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El is a Reform Jewish congregation committed to vibrant, caring Jewish life and self-discovery and connection to Jewish roots by its members as they seek to build a Jewish future together. Founded in 1961, SSTTE was joined by the memberships of Tremont Temple of the Bronx in 1976 and Temple Emanu-El of Southern Westchester in 2008. For further information, please contact Gary Katz, executive director, at 914-725-5175 or sstt5175@aol.com.