Community
Northern shul proposes firing both its rabbi and chazan
Manchester's Whitefield Hebrew Congregation is asking members to support a move to make Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag and chazan Joseph Muller redundant
September 5, 2019 11:47
Manchester's Whitefield Hebrew Congregation is asking members to support a move to make Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag and chazan Joseph Muller redundant
September 5, 2019 11:47The board of Whitefield Hebrew Congregation in Manchester has convened a special general meeting with the goal of trying to fire both the shul’s rabbi and chazan — seven years after a failed previous attempt to dismiss the rabbi led to multiple resignations from the shul’s executive.
In a letter sent to congregants this week, shul president Michael Moore announced that an SGM would take place on September 19 to “propose and vote” on two resolutions — “to confirm the termination of the contract of employment” of Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag and chazan Joseph Muller.
According to the notice, a decision was taken in November 2018 by the shul board to “restructure the roles” of Rabbi Guttentag and chazan Muller, whose remuneration was taking “too much of WHC’s budget”.
Congregants were informed that after a “consultation process” with both rabbi and chazan, the WHC executive and “a large majority of the board” voted to make the two redundant. However, under the synagogue’s by-laws, the redundancies require ratification in a members’ vote. The shul has around 1,700 members from 750 families.
The JC understands an attempt was made earlier this year to change Whitefield’s by-laws to allow the synagogue’s executive and board to fire employees directly, without the need for a supporting vote. However, in the face of strenuous objections, followed by a vote in which close to 70 per cent objected to the change in process, the attempt was abandoned.
In 2012, the synagogue’s then president and four members of the executive resigned in the aftermath of an unsuccessful attempt to dismiss the rabbi.
The JC also understands that despite the claims of financial problems driving the latest move, there has been friction between the parties on a number of issues, including the celebration of batmitzvahs in shul on Shabbat, use of a downstairs women’s section and current by-laws preventing the shul from having a female president.
The board’s letter to congregants proposes two new posts, that of a traditional rabbi and a community rabbi, to replace the current roles of rabbi and chazan.
It is claimed that the revised staffing situation would save the shul between £30,000-£50,000 annually.
The proposition also includes the suggestion of hiring a chazan “on an ad hoc basis for Yomtovs and other special occasions.
“In the event that Rabbi Guttentag and chazan Muller’s redundancies are confirmed by the membership, they will be invited to apply for both new potential alternative roles,” Mr Moore informed members.
