Oheb Shalom Congregants React to Rabbi Fink’s Suspension

By Simone Ellin
JMore
May 4, 2018

https://www.jmoreliving.com/2018/05/04/temple-oheb-shalom-rabbi-fink-dismissed/

Rabbi Steven M. Fink became spiritual leader of Temple Oheb Shalom, located at 7310 Park Heights Ave., in 1999. (Photo by Solomon Swerling, Jmore)

This article was updated at 10:30 a.m. on May 9.

A letter was recently made public by nearly 40 congregants of Temple Oheb Shalom, expressing support for the synagogue’s board of directors regarding last week’s suspension of Rabbi Steven M. Fink for alleged sexual misconduct.

On the morning of May 3, members of Temple Oheb Shalom were notified in an email signed by the Pikesville congregation’s president, Mina Wender, that the synagogue’s longtime spiritual leader was suspended with pay.

According to the temple’s letter, the suspension came after allegations “of an improper incident of a sexual nature that may have occurred a number of years ago involving Rabbi Fink and a then teenager, who was a minor at the time.”

Also on May 3, an email titled “An Open Letter to Oheb Shalom” was circulated among a select group of congregants.

“It should always be the goal to make Oheb Shalom a safe and healthy environment for the entire community,” the letter read. “A place where we can come together to learn and worship knowing we will be treated with respect. We strive to create a community that promotes the key principles of Judaism. It is our hope that this step taken by the board of directors will ultimately make us a safer and healthier organization enabling all of us to promote Jewish values for ourselves and each other.”

(View the congregants’ open letter here.)

In her note, Wender wrote that the matter was reported to Maryland law authorities as well as the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis as soon as Oheb Shalom’s board of directors became aware of the allegations. The synagogue is cooperating fully with all civic and religious organizations, said Wender, who noted that Rabbi Fink received written notice by the CCAR on the evening of May 1 and was informed of his suspension by Oheb Shalom the next morning, May 2.

On May 3, Jmore left phone messages for Rabbi Fink, who came to the temple in 1999, and Oheb Shalom’s executive director, Ken Davidson, which were not returned. On May 4, Debra Mogul, assistant to Davidson, called Jmore on his behalf and said she and the executive director could not discuss the case.

While expressing concern for the rabbi and his family, Wender wrote, “We will always take action that we believe is most protective of children.”

The letter went on to say that the synagogue will continue operations as usual with Oheb Shalom’s Rabbi Emeritus Donald R. Berlin, Associate Rabbi Sarah R. Marion and Cantor Renata Braun.

An individual close to the situation, who asked to remain anonymous, told Jmore that this is not the first time allegations have been leveled against Rabbi Fink. The source stated Oheb Shalom’s former cantor, Lisa Levine, filed reports with police and the CCAR accusing the rabbi of sexual misconduct. The source stated that the congregation “paid the cantor off and she literally left town in the middle of the night.”

Jmore reached out to Cantor Levine by email on May 3. The cantor, who is now based in Rehoboth Beach, Del., responded that she could not comment on the situation since she is under a non-disclosure agreement with Oheb Shalom. She referenced a Dec. 2006 Baltimore Jewish Times article written by the late Barbara Pash which reported that the cantor’s contract would not be renewed for undisclosed reasons.

The article quoted a congregant named Scott Kalin, who said that Rabbi Fink and Cantor Levine had a “personal falling out.” In the same article, Kalin said the cantor loved the congregation and “went along” with the synagogue’s decision not to renew her contract “to protect the congregation. … She might have made more of it if she wasn’t trying to protect the congregation and not have the press make a field day of it.”

Oheb Shalom was founded in 1853 and has been at its current 7310 Park Heights Ave. location since 1960. Last fall, the temple entered discussions with Owings Mills’ Har Sinai Congregation about a possible merger.

At its annual meeting on May 6, Har Sinai’s leadership announced it is taking a 30-day pause in the merger talks to provide time for Oheb Shalom to sort through the Rabbi Fink matter.

Jmore will provide additional information to this story as it becomes available.