As the dust settles, it occurs to me...
I once met someone who worked as an "interim rabbi." Her job was to go to a synagogue where a long-time, beloved rabbi was retiring and take over for a year while they conducted a search for a new permanent replacement. The gap year was deliberate. The idea was to give the congregants a chance adjust to the old rabbi's departure, so the new rabbi wouldn't have to fight against a tide of direct comparisons, resistance to change, and feelings of loss.
Many thanks to Cam Newton for being our interim rabbi.