Intro to Rabbi Lipschitz

B"H

Dear OE community,

I am honored to have been appointed to serve as the shul's Assistant Rabbi and I look forward to all of the wonderful things we will do together. Thank you to Rabbi Kaufman, Dr. Moishe Malek, the members of the Board of Directors, and all those who helped make this position a reality for the shul and for me. I appreciate your confidence in me and look forward to working together in service of Congregation Ohav Emeth.

 I am excited to have the opportunity to learn from, and work with, Rabbi Kaufman. He has served the congregation incredibly for more than 20 years and I've personally enjoyed his warmth, guidance, and expertise for the past 10 years since my family moved to Highland Park. It will be an honor and privilege to work closely with him in support of the shul. 

 The relationships I have built with so many members of our shul, across all demographics and ages, have enriched all of our--and our families'--lives. I am delighted to have the opportunity to deepen and expand those relationships, and form new ones with the members, both new and veteran, who I do not yet know. 

 I am proud of the growth we have already done together, especially as we came back from Covid, such as the strengthening and reimagining of the Main Minyan, the Tastings and Torah series, the learning and social events geared towards the spiritual growth of young families, and the revitalized Teen Minyan. Several new committees, like Nishei OE and The Chesed Committee, have also been created and they are already making a big impact in the shul. These initiatives and more have led to both personal and congregational growth and I hope to build on them as I transition into this new role.  

Over the next few months and years, I will be working on ways to support the shul with specific focus on the following areas. The development of our younger members through involvement with our Teen Minyan and older youth programming in conjunction with the amazing work currently done by our Youth Department; expanded offerings for the young fathers and families as a complement to, and in partnership with, the incredible work already being done for the women by Nishei OE; the creation of additional learning opportunities to support the growth of the many learners and spiritual seekers within our shul and beyond; being m’shamesh R' Kaufman to grow as a rabbi and communal leader; and the forging of relationships that go beyond casual greetings in shul to deep meaningful connections that strengthen each of us and all those around us. I also want to hear from you about what the shul can do for you and your family. 

Jordy and I, as well as our children Zev, Shmuel, and Ezra, owe so much to Ohav Emeth and we look forward to repaying your kindness and warmth by doing everything we can to build on the 100 plus years of the shul's past as we look forward toward an even better and brighter future together. I am excited about this new chapter in my life, and the life of our shul, and I hope I can count you as a partner in this journey. 

With best regards,

Rabbi Meir Lipschitz