Adat Reyim Congregation in Springfield, Virginia, has found a permanent rabbi after a lengthy search, announcing on May 20 that it was hiring Rabbi George Billinson.
He’s a former lawyer with decades of experience who made a career switch in 2022 and has served as the congregation’s interim rabbi since August.
The hiring of Billinson, a Northern Virginia resident for more than four decades, will allow the congregation to expand its efforts in outreach, inter-community connection, growing the religious school and more. Billison’s people skills and passion for the rabbinate are considered an asset in accomplishing that.
“He’s very warm and welcoming. Every day, he’s able to meet everybody where they are as far as Jewish practices and knowledge. If you look up mensch, his picture is in there. Also, he is very relatable. He’s not one of those, ‘I’m a scholar, I am conveying my wisdom to you [type of person].’ Everybody feels comfortable with him,” said Paige Gold, Adat Reyim’s communications chair.
Billinson’s passion for the job stands out immediately, as becoming a rabbi was a lifelong dream he fulfilled, retiring from a 45-year career as a trial lawyer to join Adat Reyim as the interim rabbi. He had spent time as a part-time rabbi at Fort Belvoir Congregation in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, while practicing law.
Billinson said that he tells people he did “a 25-year apprenticeship” before he became a rabbi, working across the Northern Virginia Jewish community as a lay cantor, ritual chair, adult education and religious school teacher and president of George Mason University Hillel.
“I have always wanted to be a rabbi. I have four kids who are all grown now, but [I wasn’t] in a position to leave my job and move to one of the cities where the major seminaries are and spend five years in seminary,” Billinson said. “Then the pandemic happened, and everyone was remote, so I took advantage of that.”
Billinson said initially he wasn’t sure if he wanted a full-time position at this point, but after spending time at Fort Belvoir his mind was made up. When the interim position opened, he jumped on it.
“I was familiar with a number of the people [members]. I really got to know more about the congregation during the interview process. We had a town hall meeting where I got to meet a number of people and some of the young people, which was a big draw. I liked the overall approach of the synagogue. We are an unaffiliated synagogue, so we can offer a lot of different things for different people,” Billinson said.
Billinson added that the diversity of the congregation, including several interfaith families, was a draw, with the opportunity to be innovative in providing a good experience for different kinds of people.
Now happy in his permanent role, Billinson has a chance to look ahead to the areas of the synagogue he hopes to bolster.
One program Billinson highlighted was the religious school, a particular area of interest for him, and a spot where he sees opportunity for the synagogue and its younger congregants.
“We have tremendous opportunities, especially with our young people. We had 12 b’nai mitzvah this year,” Billinson said. “I love working with the religious school kids. I’ve gotten to participate, join them in their classes. I substitute taught the fourth-grade class when the teacher got sick.”
Billinson added that the adult education classes are a key aspect of the work he wants to continue from his time as interim rabbi, expanding the program to get more people in
the building.
“We have a number of people here who are really thirsty [for knowledge]. And I have said they don’t all have to be religious. There’s no reason that everything has to focus on religion, but we want to have a really vibrant program so that we all continue to learn. Part of the challenge for every religious organization is getting people back into the building after COVID. We’re trying really hard to do that,” Billinson said.
Billinson said 10 families have joined the congregation since March. He said the congregation is committed to getting the word out about the vibrant scene and modern facilities it can offer.
“We are sort of a hidden gem in Springfield. We want to let people know we’re here,” Billinson said.