While I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet, at this fiftieth anniversary of my ordination by HUC-JIR, I think of Isaiah. When God sought to recruit Isaiah, and Isaiah demurred, the Eternal One touched his lips with a glowing coal from the Temple altar. It is the metaphor of touch that I use to review five decades in the rabbinate.
I have been touched by several individuals who moved me in the direction of the rabbinate, and whose personal examples guided me:
—My parents, Herb and Harriet Citrin, were raised in non-observant, unaffiliated homes. When I was in first grade, they joined a Reform synagogue. They became active, and transmitted to me the joy and fulfillment of being part of a community characterized by caring and celebration.
—Metuka Miliken Benjamin, my first Hebrew school teacher who, just a few years ago, was awarded by the State of Israel, recognition as the outstanding diaspora educator. Metuka touched me with a passion for Hebrew language and Zionism which continues to this day.
—Rabbi William Cutter, my teacher and thesis advisor, who touched me with his listening skills, his penetrating questions, and his unfailing kindness.
—Rabbi Isaiah “Shy” Zeldin, my rabbi and a father figure. He touched me with his creative vision, his outreach to people in need, and his skill as a builder and motivator.
—Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn touched me from the time he invited me to become his assistant, and after three years, his associate. He modeled for me integrity, diplomacy, and unwavering dedication to activism for social justice
As I review half a century of my rabbinate, I hope I have touched and inspired people in my congregational communities:
—Michael Brown, z”l, was heavily burdened with cerebral palsy, yet determined to become a bar mitzvah. With tremendous effort, Michael learned to recite the Torah blessings. On that Shabbat he was glowing.
—Hundreds of confirmation students continued pursuing Torah study with me to explore matters of theology and concerns about Israel. I continue to receive communications from former students who are now parents themselves.
—Listening to those who need to be heard, being supportive, and guiding them to find strength in our tradition.
The focus of my rabbinate has been congregational life. My passions are education, interfaith dialogue, Israel, and social justice. I cofounded the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue of Albuquerque which, over the years, has expanded to include Protestants and Muslims. I served on the board of the Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Council, which provided college scholarships to minority students. I served as the president of the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis, and as a board member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. During my active rabbinate, I served six congregations, and helped lead two congregations to build new synagogue facilities.
This is a list of books I have authored over the years:
- Joseph’s Wardrobe (UAHC, 1987). A children’s novel about values and identity.
- Gates of Repentance for Young People (CCAR, 2002), co-authored with Judith Z. Abrams, z”l.
- Ten Sheaves, a collection of sermons, addresses and articles (Amazon, 2014).
- Lights in the Forest: Rabbis Respond to Twelve Essential Jewish Questions (CCAR, 2014). Volume conceived and edited by P. Citrin.
- I Am My Prayer (Resource Publications, 2021).
- Unpublished Master’s thesis, the Arab in Hebrew Literature since 1948, shelved in the Klau Library at HUC-JIR.
I am blessed and touched by my family: my wife of forty-one years, Susan Morrison Citrin, our four children, and eight grandchildren. We are retired in Albuquerque where I continue to teach adults. Hiking, biking, travel, and writing continue to touch my life.
Rabbi Paul Citrin is celebrating 50 years as a Reform rabbi. We look forward to celebrating him and more of the CCAR’s 50-year rabbis in 2023.
2 replies on “50 Years in the Reform Rabbinate: Rabbi Paul Citrin on Teachers, Mentors, and Inspirations”
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful career and neshama. Mazel tov!
Paul Citrin was the rabbi at Temple Albert when I first walked through their doors in Sept. 1979. I was recently divorced, had lived alone in NYC for 1.5 years, and had just moved to Albuquerque to live with my folks and attend UNM. I was 26 years old and beat up pretty bad. During the course of Rabbi Citrin’s tenure, I had become the TA choir director and self-proclaimed “composer in residence” by writing concert pieces performed during the High Holidays. This music was first performed at both the old shul on Lead and Coal Streets and the present home of the synagogue on Louisiana Ave. I composed and conducted a string quintet for the opening of “the new shul.” I doubt all of this would have occurred under the leadership of a less enlightened and selfless rabbi than Paul Citrin. And the moral teachings from his wise sermons helped me to heal and embark on my lifetime of Jewish learning. I went on to earn a Doctorate in Music and spend twenty years at the Jewish Theological Seminary as their music archivist. Rabbi Citrin changed my life and, I’m certain, so many of his other congregants’ lives. Don’t be fooled by his unassuming demeanor. That’s because he already knows what you need. Thanks, Paul, for your boundless compassion and wisdom. And congrats on your 50 (+2) years in the rabbinate. You really made a difference! Eliott Kahn, Colorado