Summary
The Religious Education Director & Chazan oversees all aspects of our supplemental Religious Education Program and Adult Education, as well as tutoring B-Mitzvah and providing regular musical leadership for congregational services and the Brotman Early Learning Center (BELC).
Religious Education Priorities:
- Ensure the smooth and orderly operation of the Religious Education Program (youth) and Adult Education. Implements and carries out the policies and programs approved by the Board of Trustees.
- Collaborate and work closely with the Rabbi, Board of Trustees, and the Religious Education Committee in the development of Religious School programs and curriculum. Ensure adherence to Temple Beth El’s vision for education and guide the process of revision when necessary. Provide leadership in developing educational programs for youth and adults.
- Collaborate with the Rabbi and Senior Staff on current and new educational programming and strategies that are beneficial to Temple Beth El. Working with the Religious Education Committee, Adult Education Committee, and Board of Trustees, help develop a long-range educational strategy which achieves TBE’s educational mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress.
- Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in Jewish life in congregations and through the URJ, the ARJE, and HUC-JIR.
- Foster a warm, positive relationship with children and families.
- Supervise the Youth Advisor, Religious School faculty and staff, and madrichol.
Priorities as Chazan:
- Collaborate with the Rabbi and Accompanist to provide a range of traditional and contemporary music that adds meaning, beauty, and connection during Shabbat, life cycle, and holiday services (except for HHDs).
- Lead with joy, enthusiasm, and love for the role of music in the Jewish spiritual experience.
- Engage the children in the Brotman Early Learning Center in age-appropriate Jewish music, with a focus on Shabbat, holidays, and Hebrew.
- Tutor students in prayers, Torah, and Haftarah as part of their B-Mitzvah preparations.
- Develop music programs that encourage engagement and participation with congregants.
CORE COMPETENCIES:
Education & Experience:
Required:
- MA in Jewish Education or related field and/or 3 years of experience in a leadership role in a Jewish educational setting.
- Experience in providing music for congregational services
- Proficiency in Hebrew to address needs of students, staff, and congregants.
- Proficiency in Torah and Haftarah trope
Preferred:
- Professionally trained voice
- Experience as a prayer leader
- Ability to lead Shabbat services when Rabbi is not present
- At least 5-7 years of leadership in a Jewish educational setting
- Experience providing bar/bat mitzvah tutoring
Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, values and beliefs of Temple Beth El. Can teach those values to others. Leads their leadership team to identify unique educational mission and vision, including identifying new programs (strategies, initiatives, etc.), which are in line with the mission and vision of the synagogue.
Interpersonal skills: Demonstrates the ability to lead others. Demonstrates skills of active listening and openly accepts criticism. Productively engages and resolves interpersonal conflict. When appropriate, holds others accountable in a productive, constructive and kind manner.
Team Building Skills: Guides staff in the process of sharing best practices, identifying and solving common problems. Works with leaders to regularly assess the health of teams and groups. Recognizes dysfunctional team behavior and redirects it into functional behavior. Creates and communicates vision, direction and goals for the team.
Process Management: Good at figuring out the processes necessary to get things done; knows how to organize people and activities; understands how to separate and combine tasks into efficient workflow.
Problem Solving: Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at analysis; looks beyond the obvious.
Caring Community: Promotes Temple Beth El’s commitment to building and sustaining a warm and welcoming culture. Acts as a model to staff; guides and empowers staff to engage in practices and build relationships with children, parents and congregants that support welcoming, excellent service and education, and meaningful, positive interactions.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
- Regular interface with Executive Director (especially regarding finances and payroll)
- Supervises Youth Advisor, Religious School faculty, and Madrichol
- Works closely with Religious Education and Adult Education Committees, Board of Trustees, and Director of Brotman Early Learning Center
- Works closely with music accompanist and coordinates with adult choir
- Member of Senior Staff Team
- Represents Temple Beth El within both the Jewish and general community
- Serves on committees and taskforces as deemed appropriate
HOURS & LOCATION:
- Full-time position (75% Religious Education Director; 25% Chazan)
- Weekly onsite presence for Religious School (Sunday morning – early afternoon, Wednesday afternoon – early evening), for Shabbat services (Friday nights & Saturday mornings), music with BELC, and staff meetings. Periodic onsite presence for holidays and special events.
- Flexibility on location (onsite or remote) for other tasks and planning, with a preference for a (relatively) consistent schedule of onsite and remote days/hours to ensure ease of coordination and collaboration with staff and congregants.
To Apply, please send your resume and cover letter to the search taskforce at [email protected]. Music samples will be requested after the first interview.
Statement of Equal Opportunity
At Temple Beth El, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All employees are responsible for maintaining a community culture free from discrimination and harassment by treating others with kindness and respect.