What is a rabbi? Among other things, he/she is often a trusted leader and adviser. Congregants go to their rabbi in times of joy, troubles and sorrow.

But where do rabbis go for advice? Luckily young Orthodox rabbis can turn to other members of an informal group affectionately known as the West Coast Rav. Congregation BIAV’s Rabbi Daniel Rockoff is hosting this year’s West Coast Rav here Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 7-9. Twenty-five rabbis are expected to attend from across the country.

In some ways, West Coast Rav can be termed a support group.

“It’s a great group of guys,” said Rabbi Jonathan Gross of Beth Israel Synagogue in Omaha, Neb. He attended the first one in 2003 and every one since.

The meeting is always held this time of year as a way for the rabbis to wind down and rejuvenate from the High Holidays.

“The High Holidays are our busy season. For us, it can be compared to a whole bunch of accountants getting together on April 16th. It’s very informal. We unwind,” Rabbi Gross said.

The West Coast Rav was the brainchild of Rabbi Jonathan I. Rosenblatt, the senior rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center, a diverse and dynamic Zionist Orthodox synagogue community of some 700 families located in the Bronx, N.Y. Rabbi Rosenblatt will arrive in Kansas City several days before the meeting to serve as BIAV’s scholar in residence Nov. 4 and 5 and be the featured presenter at Schmooze with the Jews at the Zoo: A family happening! (For more information on these events, see below.)

Rabbi Rockoff explains that Rabbi Rosenblatt has a special interest in the training and mentoring of young rabbis. The New York rabbi is an instructor in the RIETS Rabbinic training program as well as in programs in Israel that train rabbis for the Diaspora. Under his leadership the Riverdale Jewish Center, through its internship program, has become a major “finishing school” for talented young rabbis.

Rabbi Rosenblatt explained the group arose from an idea he had prior to a visit he made to Los Angeles to speak at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, Calif., where Rabbi Steven Weil, now the executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, was the rabbi.
Rabbi Rosenblatt thought that while he was there, the two experienced rabbis should find a way to help the many young rabbis working up and down the West Coast who didn’t have budgets to bring people in from all over the country to help mentor them and their congregations.

Following Rabbi Rosenblatt’s suggestion, Rabbi Weil invited young rabbis from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, down to San Diego to visit Los Angeles for a few days.

“We sat for two days talking about the rabbinate and the experience of the rabbi as a person from the inside out,” Rabbi Rosenblatt said.

Those involved in West Coast Rav say this is unlike other rabbinic conferences.

“This is much more from the inside and some of us have become a real support network for one another with a very special emphasis on smaller communities where there may not be five Orthodox synagogues,” where the rabbis can get advice from each other, Rabbi Rosenblatt noted.

Rabbi Gross and Rabbi Rockoff, who also happen to be cousins, agree.

“This group has attracted a lot of new, younger members. We have great mentorship from Rabbi Rosenblatt and Rabbi Weil. It’s a great opportunity to get together with our friends,” said Rabbi Gross, who just finished his seventh year in Omaha and has been a rabbi for about 10 years.

The meeting goes to a different community every year so the rabbis can see what works in other areas. Since the inaugural meeting in Beverly Hills it has been held in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto in Canada, Oakland, Calif., Omaha, Neb., Charleston, S.C., Teaneck, N.J., and Skokie, Ill.

The group is now national and members come from all over North America and Canada. Rabbi Rosenblatt noted “there’s even one young rabbi who’s joined the club who comes in all the way from Sydney, Australia,” although he can’t make the trip every year.

The rabbis stay in touch year round through a listserve, a small program that automatically sends messages to multiple email addresses on a mailing list that is coordinated by Rabbi Gross.

“The listserve is a great way for us to ask each other questions. We know we are not going to be judged and we’re just going to get good, sound advice from colleagues and friends,” Rabbi Gross said.

Rabbi Rockoff agrees.

“The guys are very willing to participate and it’s a nice, safe haven for the rabbis to communicate. We all learn from each other and are inspired by each other’s experiences. We’re all on the younger end of our rabbinic careers so we’re all seeking to learn from the experience of others,” Rabbi Rockoff said. He received his rabbinic ordination in 2003 and has been in Kansas City since 2008. He has worked with Rabbi Weil in LA, with Rabbi Rosenblatt in New York, for the OU and also served as an assistant rabbi in West Orange, N.J., before coming here.

Rabbis Gross and Rockoff are excited to get together with their mentors. The excitement goes the other way, as well.

“We have this little game,” said Rabbi Rosenblatt, who has served in Riverdale for 27 years and been a rabbi for almost 30.

“They pretend that I’m the guy, the answer man, and I’m coming to teach them. The truth of the matter is every year I come back thinking Rosenblatt, you’re getting stale. There are much better rabbis out there now. You try to be as good as they are. That hasn’t worked out yet but I’m still trying.”

The meeting is sponsored in part by the OU and local sponsors recruited by Rabbi Rockoff. The rabbis will eat all their meals together, but will stay with BIAV families. They will attend meetings at BIAV, the Jewish Community Campus and at the Latrhop & Gage law firm, which Rabbi Rockoff said has a “great view of the city.”

Along with the formal meeting opportunities, Rabbi Rockoff has arranged for relaxing activities as well. For instance the rabbis will get to visit downtown Kansas City and attend the Downtown Minyan’s annual barbecue.

Rabbi Rockoff is thrilled to be able to show his fellow rabbis around his community.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but I have some good volunteers helping me. After all these years of attending these meetings and being a part of this very fine group, it’s gratifying to be able to host it,” he said.

Scholar in Residence weekend

Rabbi Jonathan I. Rosenblatt will serve as scholar in residence at Congregation BIAV Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5.
An Oneg Shabbat will be held at 8:45 p.m. Friday night, Nov. 4, at a private home.

Rabbi Rosenblatt will give the sermon at 10:45 a.m. on Shabbat morning Nov. 5 at BIAV. He will also speak at a se’udah shlisheet at 5:30 p.m. that evening at BIAV. Saturday’s event are open to the entire Jewish community. Contact the BIAV office for more information at 913-341-2444