Temple Beth El in the news
Synagogue finds new rabbi
Published March 1st, 2004 in the News Tribune
By STEVE MAYNARD; The News Tribune
 Members of Temple Beth El in Tacoma selected a Salinas,
Calif., rabbi Sunday to be the third leader in the
congregation's 43-year history.
One part of the transition will be easy for Rabbi Bruce
Kadden, since he's moving from another Temple Beth El, where
he's worked for nearly 20 years. The name means "house of God"
and is a common name for synagogues affiliated with Judaism's
Reform movement.
"It makes it easy for him to remember," quipped Leon Reisberg,
president of Temple Beth El in Tacoma.
Kadden viewed the common name with a potentially deeper
meaning. "In some ways (it) might indicate it was meant to
be," he said. "I guess it's like a happy coincidence."
Kadden possessed the background Tacoma's Temple Beth El was
looking for during a nationwide search, Reisberg said. He was
the top choice among three finalists selected by a 12-member
search committee.
The 49-year-old Kadden leads a religiously diverse
congregation, has deep experience in religious education and
knows what it's like to be the public voice for the Jewish
community, Reisberg said.
"He seems to be very reflective," Reisberg said. "He's
somebody that doesn't give the first answer that comes to
mind. He seems to be very scholarly, which is something we
appreciate and look for."
Tacoma also has a small Chabad-Lubavitch group, Orthodox in
style, with its own rabbi. But Kadden will be the main Jewish
face and voice to the non-Jewish public in Pierce County.
Tacoma Rabbi Mark Glickman was Temple Beth El's spokesman
during a string of hate incidents, including an arson attempt
at the temple in 2001. Then came the nationally reported
discovery in 2002 that two bullets fired into the synagogue
were linked to Washington, D.C.-area snipers John Allen
Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo.
Kadden said it will be his job to represent Temple Beth El and
its 320 families through interfaith activities, speaking and
teaching.
He will succeed Glickman in mid-July or early August. Glickman,
40, announced his resignation last March. On sabbatical
through June, Glickman has led the Tacoma congregation since
July 1997. During his six-month sabbatical, lay leaders have
directed services at the temple near Tacoma Community College.
Glickman succeeded Rabbi Richard Rosenthal, Temple Beth El's
founding rabbi, who died in 1999 after leading Tacoma's Jewish
community for 41 years.
Temple Beth El was formed in 1960 from the merger of Reform
and Conservative congregations - a diverse background that
remains evident. Reflecting the Conservative movement,
services include more traditional Hebrew prayers, and the
Conservative prayer book is used for a service on the second
day of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.
The congregation wanted a rabbi who could meet the needs of a
diverse range of Jews, Reisberg said.
"Because he came from a congregation where that was the case,
and he served there for 20 years successfully, we were
confident he had that ability," Reisberg said.
The Tacoma congregation attracted Kadden because it is similar
to his 105-family congregation in Salinas, a city of about
150,000 located 120 miles south of San Francisco.
"We certainly do have more traditional elements in the
congregation because we serve the entire Salinas Jewish
community," Kadden said.
However, the Tacoma congregation is three times as large and
will give Kadden the chance to work with a larger staff.
Kadden said his job as rabbi is "to inspire people to continue
their journey in Jewish life, whether they are just beginning
it or are well along the path."
Glickman said Kadden is a kind, gentle person and widely
respected among American rabbis. "I'm very excited about him
coming to Tacoma," he said.
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
steve.maynard@mail.tribnet.com
Rabbi Bruce Kadden
Born: Berkeley, Calif.
Age: 49
Education: Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters, Hebrew Union
College in Los Angeles; ordained at Hebrew Union College in
Cincinnati
Family: Married to Barbara Kadden, an experienced Jewish
educator. They have two children, Alana, 22, and Micah, 18.
Experience: Rabbi, Temple Beth El, Salinas, Calif., July 1984
to present; assistant rabbi, Mt. Zion Temple in St. Paul,
Minn., 1981-84
Writings: The Kaddens have written three books together on
teaching the Jewish life cycle, prayer and commandments in
Judaism.
Hobbies: Tennis, crossword puzzles
Temple Beth El
Where: 5975 S. 12th St., Tacoma
Contact: Call 253-564-7101 or e-mail
info@templebethel18.org
On the Net: www.templebethel 18.org
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