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Life Lessons from My Stint as Junior Gabbai

JL;DR SUMMARY Reflecting on his childhood role as a junior gabbai in his Cleveland synagogue, Rabbi Akiva Males shares a formative lesson on humility and equitable leadership imparted by his mentor, Rabbi Doniel Schur. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

LeadershipJewish CommunityHumilityClevelandMemphisGabbaiRabbi Akiva MalesRabbi Doniel SchurHeights Jewish Center

Places mentioned

Memphis, Tennessee, United States
"While sitting in my shul in Memphis, Tennessee, on a recent Shabbos, I watch a group of young boys surrounding the bimah, belting out Ein Kelokeinu with infectious enthusiasm."
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
"Our family was proud to be active members of the Heights Jewish Center in Cleveland, Ohio."
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Retrieved 2025-12-18 05:30:59 UTC
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