From lawyer to spiritual leader

John Franken had spent four years as a judge’s law clerk and in private practice when he determined it was not the career path for him.

“I asked, is this meaningful to me, is it satisfying?” he said. “I concluded that I was more excited by the role of being a leader and the role I could play as a leader and teacher within Judaism.”

That was 15 years ago. Now it’s Rabbi John Franken. He was installed as Bolton Street Synagogue’s full-time spiritual leader late last year after six months in an interim role.

“I took a detour into law,” he said.

But Franken has not forgotten his legal roots.

“I think the law very much informs who I am as a person, how I think, how I teach as a rabbi,” he said.

Growing up in New Haven, Conn., Franken was always interested in politics, working on congressional campaigns in high school. He graduated from Tufts University near Boston, where he majored in political science.

Franken attended the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and continued his political involvement. One of his most rewarding experiences was when he co-authored legislation adopted by the General Assembly to start a needle exchange pilot program in Baltimore.

“I have no doubt it saved many lives in the state,” Franken said.

After graduating in 1992, Franken clerked for Calvert County Circuit Judge Warren Krug and then moved into private practice. That’s when he was “called from within” to join the rabbinate.

Dan Friedman, Franken’s law school housemate, was not entirely surprised that Franken decided to leave the practice of law.

“He is such a kind and gentle man that I always wondered about the rough and tumble of litigation being a career for him,” said Friedman, counsel to the General Assembly. “Bolton Street got so lucky to get a great mensch. He’s just going to be great for that community.”

After his ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, Franken served as an adjunct professor in Jewish law at the St. Louis University School of Law, a Catholic, Jesuit-run institution. He taught students about the 3,000-year legal tradition of Judaism that continues to evolve.

“What the Constitution is to the United States, the Torah is to Judaism,” Franken said. “Just as there’s common law created by the courts, there’s an oral law that has been created over the centuries by rabbis and legal scholars.”

Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum, a founding member of Bolton Street Synagogue, said Franken’s law background serves him well as a rabbi.

“The way lawyers are taught and the way lawyers think is like the way rabbinical scholars think,” said Krevor-Weisbaum, a partner at Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP in Baltimore. “It’s a similar way of study to think through the problems of the day.”

Doug Carrey-Beaver, president of Bolton Street Synagogue, said he knew within five minutes of meeting Franken that he had his next rabbi.

“He’s very thoughtful,” said Carrey-Beaver, principal counsel for the Maryland Department of Information Technology. “He’s great to work with.”

During services, Franken comes down to the level of the congregation, making the service more intimate, Carrey-Beaver said. He also holds an “Ask the Rabbi” session once a month as well as education classes.

Franken has embraced Bolton Street Synagogue’s central value of social justice, involving the congregation with the outside community and social issues.

The synagogue was active in last year’s campaign in favor of the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

“I’m definitely proud that my synagogue was active and influential as any synagogue in Maryland in the passage of Question 6,” Franken said, adding the congregation has a number of members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. “Inclusion and acceptance and equality is very basic to who we are as a synagogue.”

Franken is working with other organizations, like the Interfaith Community of Roland Park, in support of this year’s gun control bill. He wants to engage his congregation in new ways, including improving the synagogue’s music and education. He hopes to continue his activism and community involvement as well.

“He’s interested and excited to get involved,” Krevor-Weisbaum said. “He loves teaching and creating different learning opportunities.”

Franken was quick to say he had no plans to return to private practice but would be open to teaching at a law school.

“Who knows, I may don that hat again,” he said. “Very deep down I love Judaism. I think it’s a great privilege to be a part of the Jewish people.”

As for those thinking about law — or rabbinical school — Franken had simple advice.

“Be true to who you are and pursue your own passions,” he said. “The rest will take care of itself.”