New rabbi in North Woodmere

Young Israel congregation hires rav

By Yaffi Spodek

Issue of August 1, 2008

Rabbi Yehuda Septimus has been chosen as the new mara d’atra of the Young Israel of North Woodmere, following an intensive six-month search that began last September.

“I am eagerly looking forward to being part of the community,” said Rabbi Septimus, who is relocating from Riverdale. “It’s a really exciting time in the shul’s history –– a sense of tremendous potential, lots of energy, a lot of people who weren’t previously involved are getting involved and more people are moving into the community.”

Scheduled to officially begin his rabbinic duties on Sept. 1, Rabbi Septimus will assume the leadership of a congregation that has been without a rav for almost a year, following the departure of his predecessor, Rabbi Bini Maryles, in August 2007. The Young Israel, located on Hungry Harbor Road, boasts a membership of close to 100 families, led by Stuart Katz, the congregation’s president.

“Rabbi Septimus is progressive and forward thinking, and he is able to relate to all ages,” said Katz, explaining what distinguishes him from others who applied for the position. “He will bring his enthusiasm and youthfulness to the shul and is a real team player.”

Rabbi Septimus will be joined by his wife Lisa, a Judaic studies teacher at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, and their two children, Lea and Avi, all of whom are also looking forward to getting to know their new community.

“A lot of what I plan to bring to the shul is helping it realize its own potential and just improving on what it already has –– a tremendously warm community, out of town warmth, people care about each other and you walk into shul and feel welcome,” Rabbi Septimus said, projecting his plans and expectations for the future.

He is most excited for “the energy, the quality of people, people of real middot, who have a certain modesty and goodness.”

“When you walk into shul, it’s a clear message that this is the shul that wants you to be there regardless of what you look like and how you speak and practice your Judaism,” he added.

After spending three years learning in Israel at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Rabbi Septimus, 31, earned his Bachelor’s degree and Semicha from Yeshiva University. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in classical Jewish history and literature from Yale, and expects to complete it in December.

For the last three years, he served as assistant rabbi at the Riverdale Jewish Center, working alongside Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt. In addition to serving as YINW’s rabbi, Septimus will also be the Gruss Scholar in Residence at New York University School of Law in the coming year.

Though he has commuted from Riverdale to give several shiurim in YINW since he was hired in March, Rabbi Septimus looks forward to moving into the community in late August and being able to really get acquainted with the members of his congregation.

“The biggest job of a rabbi in his first year - and my most important goal -- is getting to know each individual and the community very well,” he explained. “I’m very much looking forward to living in the community -- connecting deeply with a group of people I like, respect and want to be a part of."