Rabbi Starr Resigns at Sharon's Temple Israel over Infidelity, Personal Misconduct

By Paula Vogler
Wicked Local Sharon
May 13, 2014

http://sharon.wickedlocal.com/article/20140513/News/140518652

Rabbi Barry Starr Photo from/www.tisharon.org

After leading Temple Israel in Sharon for 28 years, Rabbi Barry Starr resigned his position on May 6 when an extramarital affair came to light.

"It is with great remorse and deep regret that I acknowledge I have engaged in marital infidelity and other serious personal conduct which require me to resign as Rabbi of Temple Israel effective Tuesday, May 6, 2014," Starr’s letter to the congregation stated.

Starr said he is preparing to sell his house and asked that no one from the congregation contact him because this time was too painful to face anyone and he needed time to work through the issues he faces.

"I will be moving on as quickly as possible to leave the community that I love so dearly and start again elsewhere but (my family) will be remaining here at least for a short while," Starr wrote. "I can only beg of you that you give them the space they need to live their lives and come to grips with my behavior."

According to the Temple’s website, in addition to his rabbinic duties, Starr is currently a member of the Committee for Jewish Law and Standards and has been "a leading voice in championing traditional, egalitarian Conservative Judaism" in the Temple.

Neither Temple president Arnie Freedman nor executive director Benjamin Maron returned multiple phone calls or email requesting comments on the situation, the search for a new rabbi or how the High Holidays in September would be handled.

In a letter to the congregation, Freedman said grief counselors would be made available to staff and the community at large and a congregational meeting would be held to discuss future plans.

While Starr did not specify what the serious personal conduct issues were that he was facing, in a phone interview with the Boston Globe, Freedman said an investigation had been opened.

The Globe article also referred to an email sent to congregants by Maron that said checks made out to the rabbi’s discretionary fund may have been "compromised."

The Norfolk County District Attorney’s office would only say they were working in conjunction with the Sharon Police Department and would not comment further. Sharon police would not confirm or deny that any investigation was happening.