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What You See is What You Get

A Rabbi applied to a particular congregation and ask the incumbent Rabbi what kind of members did the congregation have.  The retiring Rabbi said him/her a question:  Tell about your current congregation.  The interviewee said, “Oh, they are terrible; they are mean; they are unsupportive.  They are critical of everything I do.”  The retiring Rabbi tells him, “You know, that is the same group of people that are in this congregation.  They will make your life just as miserable as the one you are leaving."


Another aspiring Rabbi came to the incumbent and asked the same question.  The retiring Rabbi asks him/her, “tell me about your current congregation.”  The applying Rabbi says to him/her, “The balabatim are wonderful  They are supportive and interested in every program I put forth.  It was a pleasure serving them.  The retiring Rabbi then says, “That is the same here.  They are wonderful, supportive, friendly and open.  You will love serving here.”  -Rabbi Arnold Stiebel

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