By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer

Temple Israel President Lisa Pierce announced that the congregation will hire an interim rabbi for a year following the retirement of its senior rabbi, David M. Sofian, on June 30, 2015.

“After much deliberation, and based on the recommendation of CCAR (the Central Conference of American Rabbis), who is in charge of rabbinic placement, we will be hiring a trained interim rabbi who will be with us for a year and guide us in the choice of our next senior rabbi,” Pierce said during her remarks at the Reform temple’s annual meeting on May 28.

Prior to Temple Israel’s selection of Sofian as its senior rabbi in 2003, the congregation hired an interim rabbi for a year while the search committee considered its course of action.

Pierce added that Rabbi Karen Bodney-Halasz, who serves as rabbi and director of education for Temple Israel, has “indicated a desire to be an applicant for the senior rabbi position and the board wants to give her the opportunity to be a candidate,” as the temple takes a step back and evaluates its options.

“My goal is to have us in the best position to welcome our next senior rabbi so we will have at least as long of a relationship as we have had with Rabbi Sofian,” Pierce said.

To read the complete July 2014 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.