A Northwest Baltimore temple is undergoing termination proceedings against its rabbi based on alleged misconduct and ethical violations.
The board at the Temple Oheb Shalom voted unanimously Aug. 22 to remove Rabbi Steven M. Fink after allegations surfaced in May, according to a statement from the congregation at 7310 Park Heights Ave. Fink called the allegations “completely false.”
An Oheb Shalom spokeswoman said the termination process is dictated by Fink’s contract and the organization’s bylaws. Amy Rotenberg, the spokeswoman, said the process could take weeks. She declined to provide specifics, citing negotiations.
A letter sent to congregation members calls the “numerous allegations” a “very disturbing development.” It notes that the board’s decision was endorsed by past presidents who were part of a lengthy discussion on the situation this month.
“These have been very painful times, and the Board has not taken lightly its decision to begin the termination process,” according to the letter, obtained by The Baltimore Sun, that is signed by board president Mina Wender. “From the beginning of this difficult matter, the Board and its Executive Committee have been working diligently to maintain a safe and sacred environment for our spiritual community, to protect the privacy and interests of all parties involved, to stay neutral as we awaited the conclusion of the [Central Conference of American Rabbis’] investigative processes, and to always consider what is in the best interest of the congregation.”
Fink has not been charged with a crime in Maryland, according to online records.
The rabbi was suspended this month from the conference for multiple violations of the group’s Ethics Code. The 165-year-old congregation suspended Fink when the allegations were reported.
Fink said the conference’s investigation was “not fairly or honestly conducted.” He claims the situation has been driven by his decision to oppose the renewal of Rabbi Sarah Marion’s contract.
“The allegations are completely false and were fabricated by supporters of [Marion] to remove me from my position,” Fink said.
Fink said the conference rules have prevented him from speaking, but he has decided to publicly defend himself, a decision that he expects will lead to his expulsion from the rabbi conference. A representative for the conference did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rotenberg said the board’s decision was “not a close call” that was grounded in the conference’s deliberation and investigation. She noted that the conference is a body of Fink’s peers to which he had an opportunity to present his case on several occasions.
“There were multiple claims and multiple claimants and multiple violations of the ethics rules,” she said.
In the letter sent to the congregation from Wender, she wrote that the conference’s fact-finding team interviewed more than 20 witnesses, both critical and supportive of Fink. The letter did not disclose specifics about the nature of the allegations, but Wender wrote that Fink is being removed “for cause.”
Wender said the congregation is relying on wisdom and guidance from a professional team, including Marion and interim Rabbi Marc Disick.
“We ask you to remain patient, respect the process and respect each other,” she wrote.
Fink, a New Jersey native, has served at Oheb Shalom since 1999, according to an online profile that has been removed from the temple’s website.
His attorney Andrew Jay Graham said Fink wants Oheb Shalom to honor its contract with the rabbi, and specifically, its financial obligations while recognizing the damage the organization’s public comments have done to his “distinguished career as a Reform rabbi who has touched the lives of hundreds of people in the Oheb Shalom community.”
