June 29, 2011

Rabbi Basil Herring is out as RCA head

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Rabbi Basil Herring is leaving his position as head of the Rabbinical Council of America.

Herring has served as executive vice president of the RCA, the umbrella organization for nearly 1,000 Orthodox rabbis in 14 countries, since 2003.

RCA President Rabbi Shmuel Goldin of Ahavath Torah in Englewood, N.J., told JTA that Herring was “transitioning out of his position,” but will continue with the RCA in some other capacity yet to be worked out.

A search committee will be convened to find his replacement, Goldin said.

Goldin described the move as Herring’s decision.

The Failed Messiah blog reported, however, that Herring was forced out by the RCA’s new elected leadership. The more moderate new leaders, according to Failed Messiah, were unhappy with the organization’s rightward shift during his tenure, particularly on the issues of conversion and organ donation.