When Reston's Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation learned their rabbi of 23 years was going to retire, they began a search process lasted three years.
"The first thing we did was re-establish the idea of who we were and who we want to be," said congregation member, Lawrence W. Schwartz, "so that we were selecting a leader who was consistent with who and what we wanted to be."
Schwartz, past president of the board of trustees of the congregation, explained that finding a new rabbi is an intense and lengthy process that has to follow a natural path to picking the right leader.
"It was a culmination of a nearly three-year process that began when Rabbi [Rosiland] Gold declared her intended retirement in November 2001," said Schwartz.
Schwartz said once they set their goals, they formed focus groups and a search committee to discuss and establish their priorities, and then they began the search process.
Then, two years later, they found him.
"He is a warm, gentle, spiritual, empathetic person," said Schwartz of what drew the search committee to their new rabbi, Rabbi Robert A. Nosanchuk.
"Whenever we talked to Rabbi Nosanchuk about the future, he always said 'we', w-e, not 'I', and not 'you'," said Schwartz of one of the rabbi's many appealing qualities. "From the start we knew he was going to be partner, not just a leader."
FOR THE RETIRING RABBI, or Rabbi Emerita, Gold said she was a part of the search process and also a part of helping the congregation through the transition process, since many of her members had known only her as their spiritual leader.
"I think saying good-bye is important, there's a grieving process," said Gold. "I think [Nosanchuk] is a very talented guy, he's a very caring and kind person, so I feel good handing the congregation over to him."
For Nosanchuk, he said he couldn't ask for a better model to follow.
"She knows so much about the congregation and we have a very warm relationship," said Nosanchuk of the time he has spent working with Gold to prepare for his taking over.
Before being selected as rabbi for the NVHC, Nosanchuk served as an associate rabbi at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation in Maryland, and continues to serve as the Rabbinic Dean for the Mid-Atlantic region of the North American Federation of Temple Youth.
IN SEPTEMBER 2003 the congregation chose Nosanchuk as their rabbi, which meant he, his wife Joanie Berger and their 4-year-old son Zachary, had to move.
"Moving is like turning the heat up in your life," said Nosanchuk, new Herndon resident. "There's anxiety there. Will we enjoy our lives here? Will we make friends? It's like starting a new school."
Nosanchuk said, although his office still holds some boxes, the move has been a success and the congregation has been very welcoming, dropping off food for the young family, even before really getting to know them.
Nosanchuk said that as a process of his introduction he will meet with each member of the 450 family congregation at smaller functions planned by zip code. This way he can meet everyone face to face, get to know them, but also allow them to meet him in a more personal setting.
"It's not just about what the rabbi does," said Nosanchuk of his new role, "it's about the group."
Although Nosanchuk began at the synagogue a few weeks ago, his formal installation will not be held until Oct. 1-2, where there will be guest speakers and rabbis from other congregations.
But, as Nosanchuk pointed out, his role has already begun.
"What I want to do here is make NVHC a place where you come in and you learn every time," said Nosanchuk. "I want to serve here for a good long time."