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STEVEN LEBOW, Senior rabbi, Temple Kol Emeth
What I do: Steven Lebow knew early on what he wanted to do with his life. At age 8, he applied for admission to seminary. He got a nice letter saying that he needed to wait until he was older.
Twenty years later, Lebow graduated from that seminary at Hebrew Union College. The registrar, Miriam Weiss, was the same one who had signed his letter so many years earlier. Another two decades later, Lebow, 51, is senior rabbi at Temple Kol Emeth and is the longest-serving Reformed rabbi in metro Atlanta.
He describes his job as "preaching, teaching and reaching." Twice a week, on Friday night and Saturday morning, he preaches his sermons to the congregation. The teaching consists of Bible studies during the week with different groups. The reaching is outreach to the community and individuals -- "being there for people in good times and bad."
As senior rabbi, Lebow performs the congregation's weddings, funerals, baby namings and other ceremonies. In addition, he handles budgeting and publicity for the synagogue and is responsible for marriage counseling and other counseling for people in crisis. He works Tuesdays through Sundays -- attending to paperwork for the synagogue, preparing sermons, teaching classes and visiting hospitals, among other duties.
Lebow heads a staff of about 10 people, including one other clergy member, the cantor.
What got me interested in this: Lebow's father was the congregation president -- the senior lay person who shares responsibility with the rabbi -- at the family's synagogue in Florida. "I was enamored of religious ideas and the symbolism," Lebow said.
Best part of my job: "Being present at significant events in other people's lives, the privilege of bringing meaning to their lives," he said. In his career, he has followed children from their bar mitzvahs through their weddings to their children's bar mitzvahs.
Most challenging part: "Having to change gears in the middle of the day" -- for example, officiating at a bar mitzvah, then a funeral. "I rejoice with one family, then mourn with another," he said.
What people don't know about my job: "It's 24/7. I'm never off-duty," he said. "In a crisis, I have to be prepared to serve."
He also noted: "We work on days when everyone else rests; we work on the Sabbath. We have to find time for our own spiritual needs at other times."
What keeps me going: "Encouragement from my wife; she is my biggest cheerleader," Lebow said. "And faith in God that I'll try to do my best every day."
Preparation needed for this job: Lebow said he studied for 10 years in college and rabbi-nical training. "To study the Bible, you need to learn several languages," including Hebrew and Aramaic, the languages of ancient Israel.
He also taught himself Latin and has taken hundreds of hours of classes in history, theology, psychology and counseling. Candidates must undergo counseling to make sure they are prepared for the job and to examine their motives for wanting to be clergy members.
Rabbinical studies include an apprenticeship with a rabbi. Lebow was an assistant rabbi in New Orleans before taking the post at Temple Kol Emeth. Lebow earned his undergraduate degree in religion from Kenyon College in Ohio, studied religion in Israel for a year, then began seminary at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. There, he earned his rabbinical degree and a master's in Hebrew literature.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.
