Eligberg Installed at Albany’s Temple Israel

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Three years after taking over the pulpit, on July 16, 2011, from an interim rabbi, David Mark Eligberg was officially installed on May 3, 2014 as spiritual leader of Temple Israel in Albany. Eligberg is the sixth rabbi at the synagogue in its 62-year history. In 1952 two conservative synagogues in Albany merged to form Temple Israel at its current location, 600 New Scotland Avenue, Albany.

During a subdued ceremony Friday evening, prior to Shabbat services, Rabbi Eligberg, 55, spoke to the 200 people in attendance saying he hopes to be at Temple Israel for a long time. Eligberg’s longest tenure was as spiritual leader of B’nai Tikvah, a 400-member congregation in North Brunswick, NJ, where he spent 11 years, leaving in August 2006. His most recent stint was at Beit Rayim Synagogue and School, a 250-member congregation in Thornhill, Toronto, Canada. Eligberg spent approximately four years in that position before coming to Albany.

As with many of these types of occasions, elected officials are invited from all walks of government to express their congratulations personally and through written documents. This ceremony was no exception. A plethora of legislative resolutions and proclamations were written honoring Rabbi Eligberg. The elected entourage in attendance included three top women in government, Mayor Kathy Sheehan (D – Albany), Albany-area Assemblymember Patricia Fahy (D – Albany) and Albany Common Council member Judy Doesschate (D – 9^th Ward).

Not in attendance were Senator Neil Breslin (D – Delmar), County Executive Dan McCoy (D – Albany), County legislator Gary Domalewicz (D – 10^th District) and Congressman Paul Tonko (D – Amsterdam) – all who never miss an opportunity to attend these types of ceremonies when invited. McCoy said he didn’t attend because he was out of town on military reserve duty. Domalewicz said he was not invited but wants to get a proclamation to Rabbi Eligberg soon.

Breslin and Fahy authored two separate legislative resolutions instead of the more common joint resolution from the Senate and Assembly. Sheehan and Doesschate delivered proclamations.

From the Senate resolution:  “This  multi-talented  man  of faith is the author of several Halachic articles, a short story, several plays, and has developed three board games as instructional tools; he is currently working  on  several projects  including  a  children’s  book  about Jewish mitzvah heroes, a collection of material for adults  as  a  guidebook  through  the  Yamim Noraim,  and  a  revision of a musical retelling of the Purim narrative.”

Prior to the Senate passage of the legislative resolution on April 29, Eligberg delivered the opening prayer for the Senators and staff in attendance. “Politics is indeed a holy vocation if and when we choose to make it so,” Eligberg told those assembled. “You gathered here are the custodians of a great state and serve a unique role to provide for the needs of the whole state while simultaneously being the wards of New York’s most vulnerable.” The honor of delivering the opening prayer is accompanied by a $100 honorarium.

From the Assembly resolution presented by Fahy, a freshman Democrat:  “Temple  Israel  has  been  enhanced  by  his  creative approach and his encouragement of congregant participation; Rabbi David M. Eligberg’s adult education classes, ranging from “Conservative Judaism: Yesterday and Tomorrow”, the Book of Psalms, Jewish Ethics regarding End of Life Issues have offered members a deeper understanding of their rich heritage.

“Rabbi David M. Eligberg is an active presence in the Albany community, serving as secretary of the Capital District Board of Rabbis, and as a member of both the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York’s Israel Action Committee and the Religion-Labor Coalition of New York state, representing the New York Board of Rabbis.

“Rabbi David M. Eligberg and his wife, Jodi, along with their three children, Sarah, Yonatan and Miriam, have shared their Shabbat and holiday celebrations, introducing many to a traditional Jewish home. Rabbi David M. Eligberg brings to his ministry an  overwhelming  spirit  of  charity and compassion, acting from vision and enlightenment in conducting his  administrative  and  spiritual  duties,  while always  displaying  the  highest  standards of personal and professional integrity and dedication.”

Rabbi David Gordis, a visiting senior scholar at UAlbany and congregant at Temple Israel, spoke to the audience about the challenges facing synagogues in the 21^st Century.

In closing Rabbi Eligberg told the congregants, “You are my generals. You are my teachers. I have a synagogue that I want to see thrive and succeed. Kehilat Kodesh in the 21^st Century.”