Independent Clergy Find Place
in Community
ERIC SCHUCHT | JE STAFF
I t’s fairly typical for a rabbi to seek out a congregation to call
“I really loved the work, and so I wanted to figure out how to
home. But for some, a pulpit rabbinate isn’t for them.

keep doing this,” Raphael said. “It came out of a passion for the
Greater Philadelphia is full of clergy who are independent,
work and the necessity to make a living.”
working as freelance entrepreneurs. These rabbis and cantors
A lot of the weddings she officiates are for unaffiliated or
officiate life cycle services for the unaffiliated and fill in for others
interfaith couples. Some are coming from out of town for a
when unavailable. Whether by choice or happenstance, this career
destination wedding and don’t know where else to turn.

path allows for a sense of freedom and flexibility.

Raphael said many want the option to pick and choose which
“I like to think I have all of the joys of being a pulpit rabbi and
Jewish traditions they embrace and how they’ll express them. For
never have to show up at a board meeting,” Rabbi David Levin said.

one wedding the couple asked her not to have any mention of God.

He decided to go the independent route after struggling to find
Targan has had a similar experience when serving the unaffiliat-
openings at area synagogues. Typical jobs involve filling in for
ed. She said some people who aren’t religious will request to have
other rabbis at ceremonies like weddings, funerals and memorial
a Jewish wedding as their deceased parent would have wanted.

services. Unlike a con-
Others desire something
gregational rabbi, Levin
more straight to the point.

will adjust his services to
“Short and sweet is
the needs of his clients,
often what they’ll say to
whether Conservative,
me,” Targan said.

Reform, Renewal or any-
Being a cantor, Hazzan
thing in between. His in-
Naomi Hirsch has had a
tention isn’t to compete
different experience than
with or replace congrega-
others in the independent
tional rabbis, but to work
circuit. She first got into
in cooperation as a part of
freelancing as a means to
the same team.

support herself by teach-
“It’s not a zero-sum
ing Hebrew, bar mitzvah
game where my winning
lessons, singing instruc-
means the congregational
tions to rabbinic students
rabbi loses a member. But
and rabbis who want to
it’s an opportunity for me
perform nusach. From
to give a positive experi-
there, she branched off
ence to that person and
into performing other rit-
invite them into consider-
uals. Hirsch said her goal
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael performing a wedding
Courtesy of Rabbi Rayzel Raphael
ing community in a more
when serving the unaffili-
traditional format,” Levin
ated is to act as a bridge to
said. “So I’m working with my friends in the pulpit, and ultimately
Jewish heritage and get people more involved in Jewish life.

we’re all working together in service of the Jewish people. And as
“It is important for people to celebrate life cycle events in
long as I keep that as my North Star, then I can walk in and out of a
community, but the world has changed and belonging to a congre-
synagogue and feel like I’m doing something positive for all of us.”
gation, while still an important foundation of Jewish observance and
Levin said a lot of his clients come as referrals from other rabbis.

practice, isn’t always possible for people,” Hirsch said. “It’s important
Others, like Rabbi Lynnda Targan, more actively advertise their services
to reach out to people who are unaffiliated, allow them to have
on personal websites or in The Guide to Jewish Greater Philadelphia.

community, and it often does lead them to affiliate.”
She sought out a freelance rabbinate believing it to be a better fit.

Levin, Targan and Raphael all expressed a desire to encourage
Targan said she enjoys the ability to better control her schedule.

the unaffiliated to affiliate. They see their services as a means for
“When you’re a pulpit rabbi, sometimes you have to make
people to connect to the broader Jewish community.

choices that are very difficult to make,” Targan said. ”As a commu-
“My goal is to always make people feel welcomed in the Jewish
nity rabbi, I’m a little bit more in charge of my time and space, and
community,” Raphael said. “And for those who have interfaith families,
that’s working for me.”
they don’t always feel connected to a congregation. So I do weddings
It’s common for funeral homes to send unaffiliated Jewish fami-
to be that friendly face of Judaism that welcomes them in so perhaps
lies toward Levin and Targan to perform rites. Other clients will seek
somewhere down the road that they would consider affiliation.”
out a rabbi specifically, like Rabbi Rayzel Raphael. She got into that
For many, freelancing is a balancing act because it can’t fully
line of work after serving as rabbinic director of the Interfaith Family
support them financially. It isn’t always a steady income, so those
Support Network JFCS in Philadelphia for about 12 years. When the
who pursue it often supplement it with other work. Or, as Levin
position was eliminated, she began a private practice.

puts it, “cobbling together one’s rabbinate.”
16 OCTOBER 24, 2019
SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



Rabbi Lynnda Targan at the wedding of
Steven Sclarow and Lori Buzgone
Rabbi Lynnda Targan at the wedding of
Heather Sanislo and Eric Lubowitz
Photo by Larry Targan
Rabbi Rayzel Raphael
Courtesy of Rabbi Rayzel Raphael
Photo by Lynda Berry
Raphael works part time at Darkaynu in Warrington and is a
musical performer, having produced several religious-themed
albums. Targan has taught in the graduate program at the Florence
Melton Adult Mini-School at Gratz College and has conducted
workshops and writes; she is working on a book. Levin lectures
and leads classes.

On the other hand, freelancing allows for interesting and unique
experiences. Targan once was flown to France to officiate a wedding.

JE1/2page10-2019.qxp_Layout 1 10/16/19 2:14 PM Page 1
Another time, she officiated a surprise wedding where no one but the
bride and groom knew. Both Raphael and Hirsch have worked on
cruise ships performing High Holiday services. Experiences like those
are part of what motivates clergy to pursue an independent rabbinate.

“We all have to create our own lives, and to create a life of
service. This is the best way that I know how to do that for myself
and the community,” Targan said. “By and large, I’m living a life of
service, and this is the way I chose to serve.” ❤
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