By Emily K. Alhadeff, Associate Editor, The Jewish Sound
Four years into his job as Greenstein Family Executive Director of Hillel at the University of Washington, Rabbi Oren Hayon announced his resignation last week.
Hayon, a Reform-ordained rabbi who spent many years in Texas before moving to Seattle, will be returning to Texas to take a senior rabbi position at Congregation Emanu El in Houston.
“When this came up it was too good to let go,” Hayon told The Jewish Sound. “This is much more about me being pulled to a terrific opportunity than being pushed away from anything here.”
Over the years, Hayon said he has received a number of inquiries from synagogues asking about his interest in changing gears.
“The stars aligned,” he said. “It turns out to be an exciting, mutually healthy relationship.”
Hayon has enjoyed the spectrum of his job at the Hillel, but most of all he’s enjoyed working with students.
“I love getting to explore Judaism through their eyes,” he said. “It’s an incredibly refreshing take. It’s one of the jobs in the Jewish community you can go home from and feel optimistic about what’s in store.”
Hayon’s most challenging moment came last spring, when activists brought an Israeli boycott measure to the student senate. After the harrowing experience, which ended with the resolution’s defeat, Hayon admitted the course of events had led to some soul searching, particularly in how to deal with students struggling with their support of Israel.
According to Hayon, this is not related to his decision to leave his post.
“A lot of the soul searching had to do with the pure rabbinic function of the job,” he said. He’s looking forward to teaching, counseling, and leading reflection and spiritual guidance as part of his new job at the 2,000-family Reform congregation.
“It’s exciting to be heading toward a job where that’s a central part of the job description,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt to be moving toward a warmer climate, too. It will feel like going home.”
Religious-political self-examination doesn’t scare him away, either.
“To me that’s a sign that the people I work with take their Judaism seriously,” he said. “I hope that the people I work with will be interested in doing the heavy lifting of real spiritual inquiry.”
Board chair Mikael Kvart is taking Hayon’s resignation somewhat hard.
“It’s a blow,” he said. “I just really enjoy spending time with Oren. We’re friends. I’m gong to miss him.”
Kvart praised Hayon’s leadership during the “BDS mess,” noting that Hayon “successfully pulled together a number of agencies and individuals who did not necessarily view things the same way.”
Hayon will finish out the year at UW and move back to Texas with his wife, Julie, founding director of the Livnot Chai supplemental program, and their children in June. Kvart said a committee is already meeting to begin the search process.
“It’s a loss for Hillel, and it’s a loss for the community,” Kvart said. “At the same time, I’m thrilled that Oren gets to take on the biggest congregation in Houston.”
Kvart remembers when Hayon announced that his “Texas citizenship” had been revoked. It was right after eating a kale quesadilla.
“I hope he gets that back,” he said.
Correction: The original version of this story said Hayon has been at Hillel five years, when in fact he has been there four.