From Strength to Strength: Announcing Clergy Retirements

Temple has been profoundly blessed for more than three decades by the vision, wisdom, leadership and listening hearts of Rabbi David Stern and Rabbi Debra Robbins. With boundless love and respect, we share the news of their chosen paths to retirement. Rabbi Stern, who has served Temple Emanu-El since 1989, including 29 years as Senior Rabbi, will retire as of June 30, 2027.

Rabbi Robbins, who has served Temple since 1991, including 31 years as Associate Rabbi, will transition to a new role as Rabbi in Residence on July 1, 2027, which will include teaching and collaborating with the clergy team as needed. She will retire on June 30, 2028.

We will miss Rabbi Stern and Rabbi Robbins deeply, and we wish them an abundance of blessings in their exciting new chapters.

As Temple moves into the challenge and promise of a significant transition, we offer these resonant words from the Psalms for our journey ahead: From Strength to Strength. Together, we are the stewards of a 153-year tradition of excellence, and we will continue to benefit every day from the guidance and dedication of our outstanding current clergy, exceptional professional staff and thoughtful lay leadership.

Temple’s Board of Trustees has begun planning the search for a new senior rabbi, and a search committee will be appointed next spring. We will also undertake a search for a new assistant rabbi to join our talented clergy team. We will keep you informed as plans progress.

Early next year, we will launch an important next step in our preparations—Sharing Our Strengths—a series of congregational conversations and other opportunities to listen and learn from you as you share your thoughts on Temple’s future and this generational transition in clergy leadership.

We will also have numerous occasions to celebrate Rabbi Stern and Rabbi Robbins during their last years of service. Planning is underway by a group of lay chairs, clergy and senior staff for many meaningful and joyous opportunities, and you will be hearing more in the coming months about ways to get involved.

As our congregation begins this journey together, we express our gratitude to Rabbi Stern and Rabbi Robbins for all the ways they have enriched our lives and led us to a new understanding of ourselves. Our tomorrows shine brighter than ever, and we know that, guided by their examples, Temple is poised for a future of exciting possibility.

L’shalom,

Sara M. Albert, President

Meredith J. Fried Fedyk, Executive Director