The board of trustees of a separately incorporated religious congregation does not have the right under the New York Religious Corporations Law to hire or fire a rabbi without involving the membership in the decision, an appellate court in New York has ruled. It has reversed a trial court decision dismissing a claim by members of the congregation and its rabbi that the board could not let the rabbi’s contract lapse without holding a vote of the members. The Board of Trustees of Congregation Shaarey Israel voted to deny a renewal or extension of the rabbi’s contract in 2011, despite many calls from members of the congregation for a vote on the matter. They argued that the Religious...