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Colleyville Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker has a new job.
The rabbi, who was taken hostage with three others at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville on Jan. 15, will lead a North Carolina reform temple, according to a report by Religion News Service.
Congregants at Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem, N.C., voted to hire Cytron-Walker on Feb. 25.
“Congregation Beth Israel and the Colleyville community will always be remembered with love,” Cytron-Walker said in a news released issued by the synagogue. “And I am honored, grateful, and excited to join the Temple Emanuel family as their next rabbi.”
The Jewish newspaper Forward was the first to report that the rabbi would leave Beth Israel in June, but the details of why he resigned were unclear.
A temple co-founder told the newspaper that the resignation was a mutual agreement between the rabbi and the congregation’s president. But at least two other people said Cytron-Walker had resigned after the board of directors recommended that his contract not be renewed.
Following the hostage incident in January, the rabbi was widely heralded as an “international hero” for his composure while he and others were held captive by Malik Faisal Akram for 11 hours inside the synagogue.
Days later, he led a community-wide ‘healing service’ in Southlake. He has twice addressed Congress, telling them houses of worship need more security funds and that lawmakers should do more to combat hate crimes and make American Jews feel safe.
“I am thankful and filled with appreciation for all of the vigils and prayers and love and support,” Cytron-Walker said after the incident. “I am grateful that we made it out. I am grateful to be alive.”