Rabbi Josh Franklin will be leaving the Jewish Center of the Hamptons when his contract concludes in May, after nine years in the position.
He announced his planned departure earlier this month in an email to the congregation, framing it within a poem by Rabbi Norman Hirsch, which, he wrote, had helped guide him to his decision. It begins, “Once or twice in a lifetime, a man or woman may choose a radical leaving, having heard Lech l’cha — Go forth.”
“The phrase ‘radical leaving’ speaks to the sacred rhythm of Jewish life — the courage to step forward into the unknown in pursuit of continued growth,” Mr. Franklin explained this week. “For me, it’s not about leaving something behind, but about moving toward what’s next.”
Rabbi Franklin grew up in Yonkers His father was the rabbi of Riverdale Temple in the Bronx, but the son did not make the decision to join him in the rabbinate until he was a student at Clark University in Massachusetts, majoring in history with a concentration in Jewish Studies. After being ordained at Hebrew Union College in New York City, he served for four years as associate rabbi at a temple in Wellesley, Mass., before assuming the pulpit at the Jewish Center in September 2017, at the age of 31.
“When I told my senior rabbi in Wellesley, he said, ‘They’re not looking for you, they’re looking for a celebrity rabbi,’ ” he told The Star during his first month at the center. “And when I got here, I found they were looking for me — a young, creative rabbi who would be different.”
Rabbi Franklin embraced the center's weekly Shabbat on the Beach services at Main Beach, which have been held on Friday evenings from Memorial Day to Labor Day, weather permitting, every summer.
He is a frequent presence on the changing digital landscape as well, participating as a guest on various podcasts to discuss a range of topics and posting excerpts from his sermons to social media of topics and posting excerpts from his sermons to social media platforms. He made international headlines in December 2022 after delivering a sermon produced by ChatGPT and asking his congregation to guess the source. The application had been released only the month before, and in his sermon the rabbi outlined the potential, and limitations, of text produced by A.I.
Since 2020, he coauthored “Hamptons Soul,” a bimonthly interfaith column in Dan’s Papers that examines contemporary issues from spiritual perspectives.
During a sabbatical in early 2024 Rabbi Franklin began working on what would turn into his first book, the forthcoming “Where Are You? Finding Yourself in the Bible,” a section of which explores the concept of transition. “Although I wasn’t writing with my own departure in mind, the process of writing has given me a lot of food for thought about how to navigate these kinds of transformational transitions with intention and grace.”
“There wasn’t one specific event that prompted the decision” to leave the center, he said. “It emerged through reflection over many months, a natural process of discernment. I wanted to make the announcement well ahead of time to ensure that the transition is thoughtful, orderly, and respectful for everyone involved. The community deserves the space and time to imagine its next chapter, and I wanted to give that gift of clarity early.”
Rabbi Franklin and his family plan to maintain a second residence in East Hampton, which he called a “special place” for them. He will start an “exciting new position” in July, “though details about what and where will remain under wraps for now.”
“My hope — for myself, my family, and the community we love — is that we continue to grow, deepen our commitments, and bring renewed energy into Jewish life,” he concluded. “I’m looking forward to what’s ahead with tremendous gratitude and anticipation.”
—
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Rabbi Franklin had introduced the weekly Shabbat on the Beach sessions. According to the David Waserstein, executive director of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, those services on the beach were initiated before Rabbi Franklin's arrival.
