Pubdate: Fri, 02 Dec 2005
Source: Journal News, The (NY)
Copyright: 2005 The Gannett Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nyjournalnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1205
Author: Rob Ryser
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

SYNAGOGUE BOARD SHOWS SUPPORT FOR BRIARCLIFF RABBI

BRIARCLIFF MANOR -- The Conservative rabbi who was charged with 
having 27 grams of marijuana in his car and convicted of impaired 
driving won a vote of confidence for a new contract from his board 
yesterday -- an indication that the respected spiritual leader has 
been forgiven, even if his crime has not been completely forgotten.

In an e-mail sent to members of Congregation Sons of Israel 
yesterday, the president of its board of trustees said the 550-member 
synagogue would eventually vote on a new one-year contract once it 
was negotiated with the rabbi, Steven Kane, a 50-year-old father of three.

"My only comment on the whole situation is that I am very pleased 
with the board's decision," Kane said yesterday. "I look forward to 
continuing to be the spiritual leader of an active and inspiring 
Jewish community."

Efforts to reach board President Steven Rosen and other members of 
the synagogue's governing body were unsuccessful.

The board discussed the rabbi's future until 1:30 a.m., according to 
Rosen's e-mail. Members agreed that the one-year contract "shall 
contain performance criteria and benchmarks to enable evaluation of 
the Rabbi's performance during that period."

The congregation was understandably shaken in August when headlines 
announced that Kane had been arrested on misdemeanor charges of 
criminal possession of marijuana and driving while ability impaired 
by drugs after state police troopers stopped his car in the town of Southeast.

The board met to suspend him for 30 days, but reconsidered at the 
last moment. Instead it required the rabbi to receive counseling and, 
at the board's request, random drug testing, among other conditions.

In September, a Putnam County judge dropped the drug charge -- 27 
grams is about 1 ounce -- and Kane pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor 
impaired driving charge. He also paid a $400 fine. The question then 
became what would happen when the rabbi's contract expired in June.

The board answered that yesterday with a plan to begin "good faith" 
negotiations with him.

"I think what this shows is the congregation has been working 
together as a community to be constructive," said William S. Null, 
the managing partner of Cuddy & Feder in White Plains and a 
congregant of Congregation Sons of Israel. "We are a congregation of 
people who care about one another. This has been difficult but 
everyone has worked hard to listen to each other and address one 
another's concerns."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman