Rabbi Jonathan Romain is set to leave Maidenhead Synagogue for a new role after more than four decades of service.
He is now leaving to take on a national religious role later this year.
“It’s been a real joy being a part of this community,” said Rabbi Romain.
“I can honestly say I don’t feel I’ve done a day’s work; I’ve just been pursuing my hobby.”
Rabbi Romain, 70, is due to become convenor of the Beit Din – the leader of a Jewish council which oversees changes in people’s religious status through divorces and conversions.
He said his decision was partly due to age, but also because the new job would give him more time to work on other important causes.
These include advocating for assisted dying and – following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – supporting Ukrainian refugees.
“I’ll still be involved in people’s lives,” he added. “But now not just in Maidenhead, it will be across Great Britain.”
When Rabbi Romain arrived at Maidenhead Synagogue it supported 72 households, but under his stewardship it has grown to more than 950.
Changing focus from the Synagogue as a just place of worship to a community centre had been key in encouraging people to the, he said.
“I’ve never talked about it before, but I have been head hunted in the past,” he said.
“But I’ve always turned them [job offers] down because I just love living in the Maidenhead community.”
Reflecting on his favourite moments as the Synagogue’s Rabbi, he said one of the best was organising the ‘Clerics Race’ race at Cookham Regatta.
The event pitted religious figures from the Synagogue and nearby Churches against each other in an inter-faith rowing race.
Another highlight was, in the 1980s, doing a ‘sponsored non-sermon’ for Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).
Rabbi Romain visited shops in Maidenhead and advised their owners he would be hosting a half-hour sermon in store.
However, the sermon could be avoided if they offered to donate to RNLI.
“If they wanted me not to give a sermon they could sponsor me and give a couple of pounds in the RNLI box.
“And would you believe it, they all did,” he said.
Rabbi Rene Pfertzel, formerly at a Synagogue in Kingston, London, will replace Rabbi Romain when he steps down on July 31.
In a message to his successor, Rabbi Romain said: “you’re going to have a lovely time – hard work but a lovely time.”
And to his Maidenhead Synagogue congregation, he added:
“Thank you for letting me be part of your lives because it’s been really enriching.
“Although people think of clergy – rabbis and vicars – as just preaching at services, actually most of our work is with families and individuals.
“Both sharing some of the joys, but also helping share with some of the sadness and the difficulties families or individuals might find themselves in.
“Life is with the people and that’s where it’s been for me.”