The synagogue had done its homework and had a smart transition plan worked out.

Rabbi David Bassous had served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Etz Ahaim, the vibrant Sephardic shul in Middlesex County, for 30 years and had announced his retirement in the summer of 2019. The shul’s board of directors assembled a search committee and conducted an active campaign to identify appropriate candidates to replace their much-beloved rav, teacher, spiritual mentor and friend.

After inviting each of the three leading candidates to visit for a Shabbat, the search committee selected their top choice and he accepted the position. The shul held a gala dinner on February 23 to send off Rabbi Bassous and his wife, Clara, who were making aliyah, and thank them for their service. The new rav was slated to start in July.

And then COVID-19 hit the region and things started to change.

Rabbi Bassous and his wife quickly moved up their departure date, to avoid a rumored imminent closing of the borders in Israel to ward off additional visitors with COVID-19. He filmed a good-bye video to the shul family from the airport, before taking one of the last outgoing flights from Kennedy Airport to Israel.

And then the Vaad HaRabonim of Raritan Valley decided to close all shuls the week after Purim, in response to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the area and the growing risks. Suddenly Congregation Etz Ahaim was in the middle of a regional crisis, without a congregating place and without a rav.

Fortunately, the leaders of the shul were creative and resilient.

As David Tawil, a member of the board of directors and the rabbinic search committee, explained: “Working through this time of uncertainty and ever-changing circumstances, rules, regulations and guidelines, the shul’s volunteers were able to maintain its presence both online, outdoors and now indoors. We instituted a siddur/machzor-lending program so that books would not have to be shared. Members of the board, including myself and others, each took on additional responsibilities to maintain continuity for our members, associate members, guests and ‘regulars’ so that the feeling of achdut and ‘family’ that has been a mainstay of our shul could be fostered and maintained.”

Aaron Epstein, another member of the rabbinic search committee, stated: “I think for all shuls it has been a challenge to keep a sense of community going during these past five months. Not having a rav added to that challenge at Etz Ahaim, particularly in the beginning of the pandemic when the shul was closed. Not having a rav to guide us also made the gradual reopening process more challenging. Having said that, the members of the shul did an admirable job under the circumstances of keeping things going by giving classes, sending out important notifications and reopening the shul in a safe and responsible manner.”

And then the board of directors learned that their new rav, scheduled to arrive in July, had reconsidered and decided not to take the position.

In an anguished letter, he wrote to the board of directors on July 3, and explained: “COVID-19 has made many changes in everyone’s lives and it certainly has done the same for us. We were quite excited to begin our journey in Highland Park and serve your community, starting this month. Unfortunately, due to the uncertain circumstances we find ourselves in, we had to regretfully reconsider. Various family concerns preclude us from making the move to New Jersey. We thought at first to just postpone our move until a later date, but we have decided not to take that route and keep your wonderful community waiting for a rabbi. It would not be fair to keep you waiting indefinitely. It is thus with profound regret that I sent in my resignation to the board.”

The shul’s rabbinic search committee reconvened (via Zoom, of course) and decided to approach one of the other top-tier candidates. Fortunately, he was still available and eager to join the congregation. He accepted a one-year interim term and is eligible for the permanent position.

In early August, Rabbi Eliyahu Tal began serving as the rav of Congregation Etz Ahaim. Rabbi Tal had previously served as the rabbi of the Sephardic community of West Hartford, Connecticut, since 2017. He was born in London, lived much of his life in Israel, and received semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He also earned an L.L.B. from Ono Academic College and a Rabbinical Pleader license from the Lander Institution in Israel. He is a chazan, ba’al koreh, and ba’al tokeah. He and his wife, Sarah, have five children.

Members of the congregation are delighted with their new rav.

“The new rav is very energetic and idealistic,” said Epstein. “A new sense of optimism can be felt in the shul. We are now getting a minyan every morning for Shacharit, which was not the case before the rav’s arrival.”

“We are all very excited to meet and get to know Rav Tal and his family,” added Albert Mitzner.

“I welcome our new rabbi, Eliyahu Tal, and Rebbetzin Sarah and their family to Congregation Etz Ahaim and the community at large,” said Ray Morris, shul president. “Since his arrival, Rabbi Tal has rejuvenated our schedule of daily classes, and currently leads Selichot each weekday morning before Shacharit. It is truly a pleasure to have someone with such wonderful spirit and dedication to help us push through these difficult times. We are looking forward to enjoying his chazanut as he leads the High Holiday services.”

Once COVID-19 restrictions are completely lifted, the leaders of Congregation Etz Ahaim are eager to welcome community members from different shuls to drop by and meet their new rav.