Fill out this form to email this article to a friend

Your name		Your email
Recipient email	You may enter up to 20 multiple email addresses, separated by commas.
Your message
Validation Code	Hear validation code
	Enter validation code

We were unable to send your email.

Click here to try again.

Rabbi retires from Clearwater synagogue after 39 years

By Eileen Schulte, Times Staff Writer
In print: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Story Tools E-mail this story Contact the editor Print this story Comment on this story Social Bookmarking Digg Facebook Stumbleupon Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine

ADVERTISEMENT

CLEARWATER — After nearly 39 years as Temple B'nai Israel's spiritual leader, Rabbi Arthur I. Baseman is retiring. He is scheduled to step down June 15.

His replacement, Daniel Treiser, 36, will take over July 1 and lead his first service in front of the 525-family congregation July 4.

Baseman, a graduate of Harvard University and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, came to Temple B'nai Israel in the summer of 1969.

During his tenure at the temple at 1685 S Belcher Road, Baseman, 70, "built a thriving early childhood center and has contributed to life-cycle events of thousands of people,'' according to the temple's executive director, Barbara Bloom.

"He's been the people's beloved rabbi for many years,'' she said.

He has bat and bar mitzvah­ed generations of young people, officiated at numerous funerals and assisted in numerous Jewish conversions.

But his departure has generated some buzz and conjecture, which neither the synagogue nor Baseman will discuss.

Baseman, who recently has suffered a bout of pneumonia, referred questions about his departure to his lawyer.

"As it came time for the rabbi to retire, there were issues on both sides, the synagogue and the rabbi,'' said Baseman's attorney, Lou Kwall. "After discussion, they were resolved.''

Kwall would not elaborate, saying "it's a private matter between the synagogue and the rabbi.''

Jack Geller, the temple's past president, said Baseman's retirement has "been on the books for some time.''

"We're not discussing anything that happened in our congregation,'' he said.

Treiser, now the associate rabbi of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation, said he is excited to start work.

"I was looking for a place where I could take the knowledge I've gained and help a congregation move to the next stage of its development (and) to build a brighter future for it,'' he said.

Treiser brings with him his wife Rachel, 33, an elementary and special education teacher, and children Elana, 6, and Ethan, 3.

He received his bachelor's degree in communications arts and sciences from City University of New York-Queens College in 1993 and his master of arts in Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1998. He was ordained in 2000.

Treiser served as president of the Broward County Board of Rabbis from 2004 to 2006.

The temple will also welcome a new cantor, Jennifer Duretz, and a new director of education and programing, Amy Smyler McFarland.

Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Eileen Schulte can be reached at schulte@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4153.