To my dear B’nai Amoona Friends:
When Barbara and I moved to St. Louis nearly fourteen years ago, it was my intention to completely reinvent myself. I had retired at a young age from the rabbinate and was seeking employment in an entirely different field, if possible. Fortunately, that did not work out for me, and after trying my hand at teaching in both a day school and a university environment, I was called by Rabbi Rose to inquire if I had any interest in returning temporarily to the congregational rabbinate on a part time basis. I had been tutoring B’nei Mitzvah students already and had filled in for Hazzan Nathanson during her maternity leave. I accepted the position, and over the years that temporary position developed into a one that provided a great deal of variety as I transitioned from part time to nearly full time to interim senior during Rabbi Rose’ sabbatical back to full time, then to part time, until I made the decision to retire once again from the rabbinate after eleven years of involvement here as a professional. When the need arose once again for a part time rabbi during this past year, I accepted the position and shared the second rabbi position with Rabbi Neal Rose.
I have never worked in an environment as welcoming as B’nai Amoona has been. The warmth and love that you have shown to me has been sustained and sustaining over the entire fourteen years during which we have been here. I can honestly and easily say that these have been the best years of my career, and in return I feel that I have been the best rabbi I could ever be. I have grown to love and to cherish all of you, the members, the professional staff with whom I have worked, and the volunteer leaders who have guided our congregation over the years. I treasure the colleagues with whom I have served, Rabbis Carnie Rose, Barry Friedman, Neal Rose, Ari Kaiman, Orrin Krublit, Hazzan Sharon Nathanson, and the interns who have chosen B’nai Amoona as a center for learning and practicing their skills, Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael, Rabbis Kaiman and Krublit, Rabbi Ben Chaidell, and Mira Davis. I have been fortunate to be able to experience working with a tremendous staff of other professionals, who serve in positions of administration, education, support, and maintenance. This has been the experience of a lifetime for me.
Quite recently I decided to donate blood and made an appointment to do so. I filled out my rapid pass information and showed up for my appointment with my mask on, ready to donate. You can imagine my disappointment and shock when I was refused due to a very high blood pressure reading, which persisted after taking it three separate times! In consultation with my physician during a virtual office visit within days, I was given an additional medication and the confirmed diagnosis of atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, a condition for which there is no cure, only mitigating therapies, which include medication, exercise, diet, and stress relief.
With this diagnosis, I approached Rabbi Rose, my other colleagues, and our congregation president and treasurer, Jeff Singer and Alan Fine, and inquired as to whether I could be relieved of my current duties. The rabbinate, even when it is part time, can be a source of stress, even to someone who has been a rabbi for forty-three years. However, I also did not want to abandon my colleagues, my students, and my friends with whom and whom I serve. I had to make a choice, however, and citing in my own mind the passage from my own Bar Mitzvah Torah portion, “Uvaharta Bahayyim, choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19), I came to the conclusion that I must step down from my position immediately.
I know that this will come as a shock to many of you and may be a source of disappointment as well. Please know that I, too, am shocked and disappointed that I had to make this choice based on the principle of
Piku’ah Nefesh, saving a life, my life. However, I feel very fortunate that Rabbi Tracy Nathan has been retained to step in and offer a seamless transition during the remaining time until we all welcome Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham and his family to our community as our full time second Rabbi.
To all of the students I have and presently tutor and/or mentor, you have been a joy to me. I will miss the opportunity to continue to teach you and to become better acquainted with you and your families. To the members of the B’nai Amoona community, I will miss teaching, counseling, pastoring, celebrating, and mourning with you. To my colleagues and all those with whom I have worked, thank you for all that you have taught me, for the support that you have provided me, and for the friendship you have offered to me. To everyone, I hope that our relationship will continue to evolve into one in which I, a member of this congregation, can continue to contribute and to enjoy the mutual love that has developed between us.
I am sad that my health is coming between me and my work but relieved that I will be able to concentrate on maintaining good health in the years to come. I look forward to the day when we will all be able to gather together in celebration of our Judaism. Until then, I will see you in cyberspace.
Please feel to contact me, if you wish to do so at the information below.
Rabbi Josef Davidson
314-477-5459
rabbijoe@bnaiamoona.com
