Solo Rabbi

Congregation Beth El 

183 French St. Bangor Maine 

https://www.bethelbangor.org/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MwppmvL2j2rTbkfbXcgPAfQRiOGNm5pQ/view?usp=drive_link

Contact information: 

Noah Nesin, Search Committee Chair, [email protected] 207-974-8774

Job Description for Full-time Rabbi 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Congregation Beth El, a Reform congregation located in beautiful Bangor, Maine is looking for a versatile, highly accessible, and compassionate community builder and inspirational leader to guide its small congregation of multiple generations. This is a solo leadership position. The successful candidate will help to grow the congregation by welcoming young families while maintaining the spirit and ritualism that are key to retaining long-time members. Adaptability is essential, as the candidate will be serving the varied religious, spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of the Beth El members, and act as a liaison to the larger community. Congregation Beth El serves a large geographic area and is the hub of Reform Judaism for central and northern Maine. This is an opportunity to foster a community that will develop and grow along with you, and will partner with you in serving the congregation and larger community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bimah and Pastoral Duties:

• Act as the Congregation’s spiritual leader and recognized authority on religious law and practice
• Lead Shabbat and all other holiday religious services (both in person, virtually, and hybrid as needed) so they are engaging with participatory music, chanting, reading, and highly relevant sermons. (Erev Shabbat is celebrated 3-4 times per month and Saturday morning Torah service is typically one Saturday per month.)
• Conduct four off-site services per year in regional locations in beautiful Maine 
• Support congregants in becoming lay ritual leaders 
• Provide spiritual and emotional support to members 
• Officiate at simchot (weddings, brises, b’nai mitzvah), funerals, etc. 
• Provide bikkur cholim, shiva and bereavement support for community members
• Serve as an inspiring resource to the congregation through a strong knowledge of Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish traditions

Education: 

• Serve as the Principal of Kesher, the Hebrew school, including recruitment, supervision and annual evaluations of the teaching staff (School meets 1-2 days per week for 1.5-3 hours per week during the school year)
• Partner with the curriculum coordinator on curriculum development
• Teach weekly in the religious school
• Prepare students (including adults) for b’nai mitzvah and supervise volunteers providing preparation
• Mentor conversion candidates
• Provide adult educational programs including weekly Torah study, two series of classes each year, and occasional single-session programs
• Collaborate with the Social Action Committee, the curriculum coordinator, and the congregational leadership as appropriate to provide education about Tikkun Olam, social justice, antisemitism, and anti-racism to the congregation

Synagogue Outreach and Membership Development:

• Support Beth El membership growth by working with congregants to create an inviting spiritual home for new families and individuals. 

Community Relationships:

• Write a monthly column for our newsletter, The Tzitzit
• Provide guidance to the congregation’s communications including the website and social media
• Foster collaborative relationships with other local religious organizations in our region
• Serve as point of contact representing the congregation

Administrative Duties:

• Maintain regular office hours 
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Clergy report 
• Provide supervision for administrative staff 
• Participate in Progress and Support Committee 
• Meet weekly with the congregation president 
• Meet with other board members or committee members as needed for collaborative work or guidance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Rabbinical ordination from an accredited program/seminary 
• Congregational experience including leading in-person, virtual, and hybrid services and education, as well as virtual and in-person pastoral care. 
• Comprehensive and in-depth Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge including Jewish music, Torah, Hebrew, and traditions
• High personal, ethical, and professional standards 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent music leadership skills
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills 
• Strong background in education for children and adults

REMUNERATION:

• Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 
• Insurance: Reimbursement of up to $9,000 for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance
• Professional Development: Reimbursement of up to $3,000 for conferences, professional memberships, books, or other learning materials
• Social Security: The congregation pays an amount equivalent to what would be an employer's share of FICA/Medicare.
• Pension: 15% of salary
• Sabbatical: After 6 years of service
• Relocation Expenses: Up to $10,000 for expenses to move to Bangor
• Leave: The Rabbi is entitled to 2 free days per week or comparable time. They receive 20 days earned time off that may be used for sick time, vacation, family care or needs, or secular holidays. The congregation provides up to 28 days for the birth or adoption of a child and 7 days for bereavement leave.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

The three qualities we think are most important in a new rabbi:

We are a congregation with deeply committed and engaged members who share a powerful sense of community. As part of this sacred undertaking, we aim to respond to our rabbi’s strengths with support and encouragement and to be a resource in helping the congregation move forward in all areas of shared priorities. Toward those ends, we would prioritize a rabbi who can: 

1. Sustain our lively, musical services and add their own style and preferences to the structure and the content of those services 
2. Stimulate and provoke Jewish growth through sermons and teachings 
3. Provide leadership and vision for our religious school

The three most important priorities of a rabbi:

Over the course of the past several years, Congregation Beth El has had very significant success in fundraising, in growth of membership, in expanded programming, in attendance at services and celebrations, and in re-invigorating our religious school. Working together with our new rabbi we hope to build on these successes and others. We are looking for a rabbi who will prioritize: 

1. Engaging and musical service leadership: Shabbat, holiday, and lifecycle celebrations have been a particular strength for Beth El and are the foundation on which our other successes have been built. In particular, music and songs, sung together with great ruach, have elevated our worship experience and strengthened our communal bonds.
2. Education and community-building for young and old: We are deeply invested in the continued growth of our Kesher religious school program. We believe that a fun, meaningful, intellectually and spiritually important experience for our children is vital to our congregation’s present and future. This requires an ability to work with children from a variety of ages as well as a strong knowledge of Jewish and Hebrew texts. The congregation is also looking for a Rabbi who can conduct a variety of classes with the shul members on topics of Jewish interest, as well as lead weekly Torah study. 
3. Beth El is more than a “congregation.” We are a family. The rabbi’s role, as the spiritual leader of that family, is the key to our shared success as we build our kehilah kedosha together. Our rabbi is also a member of that sacred community, as well as its leader, and our hope is for them to feel that deeply and consistently while embracing the importance of work-life balance and personal growth.

The single most important thing a rabbi needs to know about this congregation:

We are a community of very committed congregants! Our families are widely spread across central, Downeast, and northern Maine, with some congregant families residing across the border in New Brunswick, Canada, and in other states, including New York, Virginia, and Florida. Many of our members drive up to two hours from their homes to attend a service, and up to four hours to attend a holiday celebration. We jokingly often say that we live on the tzitzit of American Judaism. In this way, we are all “Jews by intention”, as we conscientiously work to build Jewish practice and community into our lives here in rural Maine. We are a hands-on organization with passionate volunteers who work to bring a strong sense of Jewish community, spiritual experience, and art, music, and learning to our synagogue. We celebrate our successes and learn from our challenges together. We are committed to in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings that help us connect across the distance and share the kavanah that is expressed and nourished at Congregation Beth El.

The three primary goals of this congregation:

1. A warm, joyous, and caring community: We strive to provide an experience of belonging and connection to each other and to progressive Jewish practices, understandings, traditions, and culture in a wonderful place where one can and must make Judaism happen.
2.  Spiritual nourishment and Jewish learning: We strive to provide congregants of all ages with experiences that are spiritually nourishing and learning that is foundational to our understanding of ourselves, our community, and of Judaism in general.
3. Tikkun Olam: We strive to provide learning and leadership that guides us toward Tikkun Olam within our own community and in the larger Bangor area, and strengthens us as we face challenges as North American Jews and Jews of the diaspora.

The three most important issues to confront in this congregation in the next five years:

1. Welcoming a new Rabbi: First will be the important work to welcome a new spiritual leader, forming a sacred partnership with our new Rabbi. Our success in this regard with our current rabbi, even in the relatively short term, has taught us all important lessons and helped us build a structure and process to ensure success. 
2. Building long-term sustainability: We want to continue to increase the participation of younger adults and families. We need people of all ages in our community. We have made great progress in the last few years through strengthening the religious school and rabbinic outreach to individuals and to outlying communities. 
3. Supporting our community during a time of change: Like many synagogues, our community includes people with diverse views and experiences. As America becomes more polarized, antisemitism continues to rise, and our hearts try to mend from war and isolation, we increasingly desire to find ways to talk to each other, hear each other, and recommit to our people and to each other.

Congregation's core values:

At Congregation Beth El, we value and strive to preserve Jewish traditions, rituals, and culture and understand that Jewish practice creates a framework for Jewish living. The practice takes many forms including the rituals of Friday night services, learning a Ladino melody, a challah baking event, or a children’s class walking through the woods and learning Torah. Our congregation has a deep bench of lay leaders who assist the Rabbi in every facet of our religious practices, including leading services, serving as song leaders, or delivering a sermon.

We value sharing time together. Whether it is in joy, grief, celebration, or hardship, we seek out opportunities to share our lives and join together as a community. We know how important a delicious meal is as demonstrated by our awesome potlucks or homemade dinners delivered to a family in need of support. We are there to listen as another member shares the story and life of their loved one who recently passed. We thoroughly enjoy a good joke or two or three and value laughter as medicine.

We value a community that is rich in diversity. We welcome and embrace each of our members and learn from each other as we create a space where our varied identities are expressed and respected. We work hard to make our community inclusive by removing financial, educational, and physical barriers to participation. We offer a sliding-scale membership fee and religious school scholarships for those who may be otherwise burdened by the expense. We do not charge for High Holiday services.

We value lifelong learning. We offer formal education to toddlers through high school students as well as weekly Torah study, summer study gatherings on Mount Desert Island, and adult education programs presented by the Rabbi, Social Action Committee, Programming Committee, or individual congregants.

We value Tikkun Olam and express it in many ways through social action. Here are some examples: The religious school students participate in Mitzvah projects such as sock drives for the needy. The community donates groceries on Yom Kippur and our break fast ends with loading the trucks to deliver food to the homeless shelter. Members of all ages march or ride in Bangor Pride Parade each year and then host a table where we feed the greater community with homemade Jewish treats. The Social Action Committee meets twice a month with one meeting dedicated to learning from each other about a current issue facing our community.

We value support for all our needs and interests with a balance of work and play, seriousness and silliness, process and outcomes, as well as our relationship to each other and our relationship to the natural world. We often will meet in one of the intimate coffee shops downtown. The local art museum and the wonderful library offer a fun break in the middle of the day. We are grateful to be located in an area that offers us access to these amenities as well as the great outdoors. Be prepared to enjoy children's laughter on one of our religious school hikes, or bundle up for our annual sunrise service at the first place in the US to see the sunrise each day.

Congregation's strengths:

Skilled and experienced volunteers: The “fee for service” concept of synagogue membership is not our model. Our Judaism is hands-on. We are a volunteer-strong community with a caring and informal style matched with skill, experience, and readiness to learn. Beth El volunteers lead services, singing, Torah study, and fundraising. We have built sculptures and have stitched Torah covers that bring beauty to our sacred space and fulfill the commandment of hiddur mitzvah. A community of hands builds amazingly delightful sukkahs where we gather, as our ancestors did. Music made and shared by members connects our souls. As a community, we nurture our children, maintain a growing, accredited Jewish library, cook for the masses, tutor students, write holiday spiels, keep our synagogue in good repair, and welcome new members.

Volunteer committees focus on particular goals and experiences. The Ritual and Program Committees work closely with the Rabbi supporting the community’s Jewish practice, learning and the arts. The Social Action Committee leads the afternoon Yom Kippur Service, provides food to those in need, and marches in the annual Bangor Pride parade. Their activities include leading community discussions about Israel and educating the community on many topics including Wabanaki (indigenous) homeland, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, antisemitism, and support for the democratic process. The House Committee cares for our building and grounds, as well as security for our community. The Hospitality Committee keeps us well fed. The Membership Committee builds our sense of belonging. The Education Committee advises our religious school and jumps in to help with projects or events. The Caring Committee offers support to congregants who are in need. And, of course, our Executive Committee and Board of Directors leads us in building on our strengths. 

Feedback and Support for our Rabbi and Executive Committee Leadership: We have a three-part process to ensure that our Rabbi and Executive Committee are on the same page as we work together to strengthen our community. The first part is that the Rabbi and the congregation president hold informal weekly meetings to discuss a range of current issues for the congregation. The Progress and Support Committee meets monthly as the second part of the process. This committee includes the rabbi and 6 congregants who are not members of the Executive Committee. The committee has two functions. One is to be a sounding board for the Rabbi and help move issues forward that need attention. The second is to work closely with the Executive Committee to determine 6 month objectives for improved resources and practices, and monitor progress on those objectives. The third part of the process is a formal evaluation of the Rabbi’s work. This takes place twice during the first year and annually for the following years. We also understand that this process is not mi-Sinai. It has continuously evolved while at the same time providing consistent support and feedback.

Our home: We live, learn, and pray in this breathtaking part of the world. Famous for the views of Mount Katahdin, the Maine coast, and Moosehead Lake, this is Penobscot territory. The indigenous Penobscot people are named for their river which flows just a few blocks from our synagogue. Life is slower in this part of the world. People make time for a conversation at the store or to nod and smile as they pass one another. Maine is like one small town. 

Organizations recognize the importance of working together. Through these relationships we are able to accomplish so much more than we could alone. People (including rabbis and congregants) connect and work on projects across the state. Over the past year, we have collaborated with other Jewish institutions like the Conservative synagogue Beth Israel, the Orthodox synagogue Beth Abraham, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, the University of Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Endowment Associates (providing significant financial support to Jewish institutions). We are connected to interfaith organizations such as the Wilson Center and Faith Linking in Action as well as several University programs such as Judaic Studies at the University of Maine. Our social action work has led to collaborations with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Bangor Pride, and the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, as well as educational events presented by the Community Care Partnership of Maine naloxone training, and Wabanaki REACH.

The Maine Way of Life: Here in the Bangor area, there is less stress with lower housing costs, low crime rates, very strong public schools, and active and accessible government and civic organizations. The city’s forest and parks have miles of nature walks, playgrounds, artwork, and exercise equipment. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity – hiking, skiing, boating, lake swimming, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, or just sitting outside on a lazy summer day.

Our Synagogue: Our synagogue is part of an old neighborhood with early 20th-century homes and just a block from downtown Bangor where local stores, restaurants, theaters, a library, an art museum, and art galleries line the street in circa 1912 brick buildings. Our building is beautiful and simple and known for its beautiful woodwork by local artisans and architects who are members of the congregation. It has a flexible internal design that allows us to meet for Shabbat dinner and then gather in the sanctuary, or meet on High Holidays and other events in a larger, more formal sanctuary.

Congregation Beth El 

183 French St. Bangor Maine 

https://www.bethelbangor.org/

Congregation Beth El Photo Collage.pdf

Contact information: 

Noah Nesin, Search Committee Chair, [email protected] 207-974-8774

Job Description for Full-time Rabbi 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Congregation Beth El, a Reform congregation located in beautiful Bangor, Maine is looking for a versatile, highly accessible, and compassionate community builder and inspirational leader to guide its small congregation of multiple generations. This is a solo leadership position. The successful candidate will help to grow the congregation by welcoming young families while maintaining the spirit and ritualism that are key to retaining long-time members. Adaptability is essential, as the candidate will be serving the varied religious, spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of the Beth El members, and act as a liaison to the larger community. Congregation Beth El serves a large geographic area and is the hub of Reform Judaism for central and northern Maine. This is an opportunity to foster a community that will develop and grow along with you, and will partner with you in serving the congregation and larger community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bimah and Pastoral Duties:

• Act as the Congregation’s spiritual leader and recognized authority on religious law and practice
• Lead Shabbat and all other holiday religious services (both in person, virtually, and hybrid as needed) so they are engaging with participatory music, chanting, reading, and highly relevant sermons. (Erev Shabbat is celebrated 3-4 times per month and Saturday morning Torah service is typically one Saturday per month.)
• Conduct four off-site services per year in regional locations in beautiful Maine 
• Support congregants in becoming lay ritual leaders 
• Provide spiritual and emotional support to members 
• Officiate at simchot (weddings, brises, b’nai mitzvah), funerals, etc. 
• Provide bikkur cholim, shiva and bereavement support for community members
• Serve as an inspiring resource to the congregation through a strong knowledge of Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish traditions

Education: 

• Serve as the Principal of Kesher, the Hebrew school, including recruitment, supervision and annual evaluations of the teaching staff (School meets 1-2 days per week for 1.5-3 hours per week during the school year)
• Partner with the curriculum coordinator on curriculum development
• Teach weekly in the religious school
• Prepare students (including adults) for b’nai mitzvah and supervise volunteers providing preparation
• Mentor conversion candidates
• Provide adult educational programs including weekly Torah study, two series of classes each year, and occasional single-session programs
• Collaborate with the Social Action Committee, the curriculum coordinator, and the congregational leadership as appropriate to provide education about Tikkun Olam, social justice, antisemitism, and anti-racism to the congregation

Synagogue Outreach and Membership Development:

• Support Beth El membership growth by working with congregants to create an inviting spiritual home for new families and individuals. 

Community Relationships:

• Write a monthly column for our newsletter, The Tzitzit
• Provide guidance to the congregation’s communications including the website and social media
• Foster collaborative relationships with other local religious organizations in our region
• Serve as point of contact representing the congregation

Administrative Duties:

• Maintain regular office hours 
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Clergy report 
• Provide supervision for administrative staff 
• Participate in Progress and Support Committee 
• Meet weekly with the congregation president 
• Meet with other board members or committee members as needed for collaborative work or guidance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Rabbinical ordination from an accredited program/seminary 
• Congregational experience including leading in-person, virtual, and hybrid services and education, as well as virtual and in-person pastoral care. 
• Comprehensive and in-depth Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge including Jewish music, Torah, Hebrew, and traditions
• High personal, ethical, and professional standards 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent music leadership skills
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills 
• Strong background in education for children and adults

REMUNERATION:

• Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 
• Insurance: Reimbursement of up to $9,000 for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance
• Professional Development: Reimbursement of up to $3,000 for conferences, professional memberships, books, or other learning materials
• Social Security: The congregation pays an amount equivalent to what would be an employer's share of FICA/Medicare.
• Pension: 15% of salary
• Sabbatical: After 6 years of service
• Relocation Expenses: Up to $10,000 for expenses to move to Bangor
• Leave: The Rabbi is entitled to 2 free days per week or comparable time. They receive 20 days earned time off that may be used for sick time, vacation, family care or needs, or secular holidays. The congregation provides up to 28 days for the birth or adoption of a child and 7 days for bereavement leave.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

The three qualities we think are most important in a new rabbi:

We are a congregation with deeply committed and engaged members who share a powerful sense of community. As part of this sacred undertaking, we aim to respond to our rabbi’s strengths with support and encouragement and to be a resource in helping the congregation move forward in all areas of shared priorities. Toward those ends, we would prioritize a rabbi who can: 

1. Sustain our lively, musical services and add their own style and preferences to the structure and the content of those services 
2. Stimulate and provoke Jewish growth through sermons and teachings 
3. Provide leadership and vision for our religious school

The three most important priorities of a rabbi:

Over the course of the past several years, Congregation Beth El has had very significant success in fundraising, in growth of membership, in expanded programming, in attendance at services and celebrations, and in re-invigorating our religious school. Working together with our new rabbi we hope to build on these successes and others. We are looking for a rabbi who will prioritize: 

1. Engaging and musical service leadership: Shabbat, holiday, and lifecycle celebrations have been a particular strength for Beth El and are the foundation on which our other successes have been built. In particular, music and songs, sung together with great ruach, have elevated our worship experience and strengthened our communal bonds.
2. Education and community-building for young and old: We are deeply invested in the continued growth of our Kesher religious school program. We believe that a fun, meaningful, intellectually and spiritually important experience for our children is vital to our congregation’s present and future. This requires an ability to work with children from a variety of ages as well as a strong knowledge of Jewish and Hebrew texts. The congregation is also looking for a Rabbi who can conduct a variety of classes with the shul members on topics of Jewish interest, as well as lead weekly Torah study. 
3. Beth El is more than a “congregation.” We are a family. The rabbi’s role, as the spiritual leader of that family, is the key to our shared success as we build our kehilah kedosha together. Our rabbi is also a member of that sacred community, as well as its leader, and our hope is for them to feel that deeply and consistently while embracing the importance of work-life balance and personal growth.

The single most important thing a rabbi needs to know about this congregation:

We are a community of very committed congregants! Our families are widely spread across central, Downeast, and northern Maine, with some congregant families residing across the border in New Brunswick, Canada, and in other states, including New York, Virginia, and Florida. Many of our members drive up to two hours from their homes to attend a service, and up to four hours to attend a holiday celebration. We jokingly often say that we live on the tzitzit of American Judaism. In this way, we are all “Jews by intention”, as we conscientiously work to build Jewish practice and community into our lives here in rural Maine. We are a hands-on organization with passionate volunteers who work to bring a strong sense of Jewish community, spiritual experience, and art, music, and learning to our synagogue. We celebrate our successes and learn from our challenges together. We are committed to in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings that help us connect across the distance and share the kavanah that is expressed and nourished at Congregation Beth El.

The three primary goals of this congregation:

1. A warm, joyous, and caring community: We strive to provide an experience of belonging and connection to each other and to progressive Jewish practices, understandings, traditions, and culture in a wonderful place where one can and must make Judaism happen.
2.  Spiritual nourishment and Jewish learning: We strive to provide congregants of all ages with experiences that are spiritually nourishing and learning that is foundational to our understanding of ourselves, our community, and of Judaism in general.
3. Tikkun Olam: We strive to provide learning and leadership that guides us toward Tikkun Olam within our own community and in the larger Bangor area, and strengthens us as we face challenges as North American Jews and Jews of the diaspora.

The three most important issues to confront in this congregation in the next five years:

1. Welcoming a new Rabbi: First will be the important work to welcome a new spiritual leader, forming a sacred partnership with our new Rabbi. Our success in this regard with our current rabbi, even in the relatively short term, has taught us all important lessons and helped us build a structure and process to ensure success. 
2. Building long-term sustainability: We want to continue to increase the participation of younger adults and families. We need people of all ages in our community. We have made great progress in the last few years through strengthening the religious school and rabbinic outreach to individuals and to outlying communities. 
3. Supporting our community during a time of change: Like many synagogues, our community includes people with diverse views and experiences. As America becomes more polarized, antisemitism continues to rise, and our hearts try to mend from war and isolation, we increasingly desire to find ways to talk to each other, hear each other, and recommit to our people and to each other.

Congregation's core values:

At Congregation Beth El, we value and strive to preserve Jewish traditions, rituals, and culture and understand that Jewish practice creates a framework for Jewish living. The practice takes many forms including the rituals of Friday night services, learning a Ladino melody, a challah baking event, or a children’s class walking through the woods and learning Torah. Our congregation has a deep bench of lay leaders who assist the Rabbi in every facet of our religious practices, including leading services, serving as song leaders, or delivering a sermon.

We value sharing time together. Whether it is in joy, grief, celebration, or hardship, we seek out opportunities to share our lives and join together as a community. We know how important a delicious meal is as demonstrated by our awesome potlucks or homemade dinners delivered to a family in need of support. We are there to listen as another member shares the story and life of their loved one who recently passed. We thoroughly enjoy a good joke or two or three and value laughter as medicine.

We value a community that is rich in diversity. We welcome and embrace each of our members and learn from each other as we create a space where our varied identities are expressed and respected. We work hard to make our community inclusive by removing financial, educational, and physical barriers to participation. We offer a sliding-scale membership fee and religious school scholarships for those who may be otherwise burdened by the expense. We do not charge for High Holiday services.

We value lifelong learning. We offer formal education to toddlers through high school students as well as weekly Torah study, summer study gatherings on Mount Desert Island, and adult education programs presented by the Rabbi, Social Action Committee, Programming Committee, or individual congregants.

We value Tikkun Olam and express it in many ways through social action. Here are some examples: The religious school students participate in Mitzvah projects such as sock drives for the needy. The community donates groceries on Yom Kippur and our break fast ends with loading the trucks to deliver food to the homeless shelter. Members of all ages march or ride in Bangor Pride Parade each year and then host a table where we feed the greater community with homemade Jewish treats. The Social Action Committee meets twice a month with one meeting dedicated to learning from each other about a current issue facing our community.

We value support for all our needs and interests with a balance of work and play, seriousness and silliness, process and outcomes, as well as our relationship to each other and our relationship to the natural world. We often will meet in one of the intimate coffee shops downtown. The local art museum and the wonderful library offer a fun break in the middle of the day. We are grateful to be located in an area that offers us access to these amenities as well as the great outdoors. Be prepared to enjoy children's laughter on one of our religious school hikes, or bundle up for our annual sunrise service at the first place in the US to see the sunrise each day.

Congregation's strengths:

Skilled and experienced volunteers: The “fee for service” concept of synagogue membership is not our model. Our Judaism is hands-on. We are a volunteer-strong community with a caring and informal style matched with skill, experience, and readiness to learn. Beth El volunteers lead services, singing, Torah study, and fundraising. We have built sculptures and have stitched Torah covers that bring beauty to our sacred space and fulfill the commandment of hiddur mitzvah. A community of hands builds amazingly delightful sukkahs where we gather, as our ancestors did. Music made and shared by members connects our souls. As a community, we nurture our children, maintain a growing, accredited Jewish library, cook for the masses, tutor students, write holiday spiels, keep our synagogue in good repair, and welcome new members.

Volunteer committees focus on particular goals and experiences. The Ritual and Program Committees work closely with the Rabbi supporting the community’s Jewish practice, learning and the arts. The Social Action Committee leads the afternoon Yom Kippur Service, provides food to those in need, and marches in the annual Bangor Pride parade. Their activities include leading community discussions about Israel and educating the community on many topics including Wabanaki (indigenous) homeland, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, antisemitism, and support for the democratic process. The House Committee cares for our building and grounds, as well as security for our community. The Hospitality Committee keeps us well fed. The Membership Committee builds our sense of belonging. The Education Committee advises our religious school and jumps in to help with projects or events. The Caring Committee offers support to congregants who are in need. And, of course, our Executive Committee and Board of Directors leads us in building on our strengths. 

Feedback and Support for our Rabbi and Executive Committee Leadership: We have a three-part process to ensure that our Rabbi and Executive Committee are on the same page as we work together to strengthen our community. The first part is that the Rabbi and the congregation president hold informal weekly meetings to discuss a range of current issues for the congregation. The Progress and Support Committee meets monthly as the second part of the process. This committee includes the rabbi and 6 congregants who are not members of the Executive Committee. The committee has two functions. One is to be a sounding board for the Rabbi and help move issues forward that need attention. The second is to work closely with the Executive Committee to determine 6 month objectives for improved resources and practices, and monitor progress on those objectives. The third part of the process is a formal evaluation of the Rabbi’s work. This takes place twice during the first year and annually for the following years. We also understand that this process is not mi-Sinai. It has continuously evolved while at the same time providing consistent support and feedback.

Our home: We live, learn, and pray in this breathtaking part of the world. Famous for the views of Mount Katahdin, the Maine coast, and Moosehead Lake, this is Penobscot territory. The indigenous Penobscot people are named for their river which flows just a few blocks from our synagogue. Life is slower in this part of the world. People make time for a conversation at the store or to nod and smile as they pass one another. Maine is like one small town. 

Organizations recognize the importance of working together. Through these relationships we are able to accomplish so much more than we could alone. People (including rabbis and congregants) connect and work on projects across the state. Over the past year, we have collaborated with other Jewish institutions like the Conservative synagogue Beth Israel, the Orthodox synagogue Beth Abraham, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, the University of Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Endowment Associates (providing significant financial support to Jewish institutions). We are connected to interfaith organizations such as the Wilson Center and Faith Linking in Action as well as several University programs such as Judaic Studies at the University of Maine. Our social action work has led to collaborations with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Bangor Pride, and the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, as well as educational events presented by the Community Care Partnership of Maine naloxone training, and Wabanaki REACH.

The Maine Way of Life: Here in the Bangor area, there is less stress with lower housing costs, low crime rates, very strong public schools, and active and accessible government and civic organizations. The city’s forest and parks have miles of nature walks, playgrounds, artwork, and exercise equipment. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity – hiking, skiing, boating, lake swimming, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, or just sitting outside on a lazy summer day.

Our Synagogue: Our synagogue is part of an old neighborhood with early 20th-century homes and just a block from downtown Bangor where local stores, restaurants, theaters, a library, an art museum, and art galleries line the street in circa 1912 brick buildings. Our building is beautiful and simple and known for its beautiful woodwork by local artisans and architects who are members of the congregation. It has a flexible internal design that allows us to meet for Shabbat dinner and then gather in the sanctuary, or meet on High Holidays and other events in a larger, more formal sanctuary.

Congregation Beth El 

183 French St. Bangor Maine 

https://www.bethelbangor.org/

Congregation Beth El Photo Collage.pdf

Contact information: 

Noah Nesin, Search Committee Chair, [email protected] 207-974-8774

Job Description for Full-time Rabbi 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Congregation Beth El, a Reform congregation located in beautiful Bangor, Maine is looking for a versatile, highly accessible, and compassionate community builder and inspirational leader to guide its small congregation of multiple generations. This is a solo leadership position. The successful candidate will help to grow the congregation by welcoming young families while maintaining the spirit and ritualism that are key to retaining long-time members. Adaptability is essential, as the candidate will be serving the varied religious, spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of the Beth El members, and act as a liaison to the larger community. Congregation Beth El serves a large geographic area and is the hub of Reform Judaism for central and northern Maine. This is an opportunity to foster a community that will develop and grow along with you, and will partner with you in serving the congregation and larger community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bimah and Pastoral Duties:

• Act as the Congregation’s spiritual leader and recognized authority on religious law and practice
• Lead Shabbat and all other holiday religious services (both in person, virtually, and hybrid as needed) so they are engaging with participatory music, chanting, reading, and highly relevant sermons. (Erev Shabbat is celebrated 3-4 times per month and Saturday morning Torah service is typically one Saturday per month.)
• Conduct four off-site services per year in regional locations in beautiful Maine 
• Support congregants in becoming lay ritual leaders 
• Provide spiritual and emotional support to members 
• Officiate at simchot (weddings, brises, b’nai mitzvah), funerals, etc. 
• Provide bikkur cholim, shiva and bereavement support for community members
• Serve as an inspiring resource to the congregation through a strong knowledge of Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish traditions

Education: 

• Serve as the Principal of Kesher, the Hebrew school, including recruitment, supervision and annual evaluations of the teaching staff (School meets 1-2 days per week for 1.5-3 hours per week during the school year)
• Partner with the curriculum coordinator on curriculum development
• Teach weekly in the religious school
• Prepare students (including adults) for b’nai mitzvah and supervise volunteers providing preparation
• Mentor conversion candidates
• Provide adult educational programs including weekly Torah study, two series of classes each year, and occasional single-session programs
• Collaborate with the Social Action Committee, the curriculum coordinator, and the congregational leadership as appropriate to provide education about Tikkun Olam, social justice, antisemitism, and anti-racism to the congregation

Synagogue Outreach and Membership Development:

• Support Beth El membership growth by working with congregants to create an inviting spiritual home for new families and individuals. 

Community Relationships:

• Write a monthly column for our newsletter, The Tzitzit
• Provide guidance to the congregation’s communications including the website and social media
• Foster collaborative relationships with other local religious organizations in our region
• Serve as point of contact representing the congregation

Administrative Duties:

• Maintain regular office hours 
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Clergy report 
• Provide supervision for administrative staff 
• Participate in Progress and Support Committee 
• Meet weekly with the congregation president 
• Meet with other board members or committee members as needed for collaborative work or guidance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Rabbinical ordination from an accredited program/seminary 
• Congregational experience including leading in-person, virtual, and hybrid services and education, as well as virtual and in-person pastoral care. 
• Comprehensive and in-depth Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge including Jewish music, Torah, Hebrew, and traditions
• High personal, ethical, and professional standards 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent music leadership skills
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills 
• Strong background in education for children and adults

REMUNERATION:

• Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 
• Insurance: Reimbursement of up to $9,000 for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance
• Professional Development: Reimbursement of up to $3,000 for conferences, professional memberships, books, or other learning materials
• Social Security: The congregation pays an amount equivalent to what would be an employer's share of FICA/Medicare.
• Pension: 15% of salary
• Sabbatical: After 6 years of service
• Relocation Expenses: Up to $10,000 for expenses to move to Bangor
• Leave: The Rabbi is entitled to 2 free days per week or comparable time. They receive 20 days earned time off that may be used for sick time, vacation, family care or needs, or secular holidays. The congregation provides up to 28 days for the birth or adoption of a child and 7 days for bereavement leave.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

The three qualities we think are most important in a new rabbi:

We are a congregation with deeply committed and engaged members who share a powerful sense of community. As part of this sacred undertaking, we aim to respond to our rabbi’s strengths with support and encouragement and to be a resource in helping the congregation move forward in all areas of shared priorities. Toward those ends, we would prioritize a rabbi who can: 

1. Sustain our lively, musical services and add their own style and preferences to the structure and the content of those services 
2. Stimulate and provoke Jewish growth through sermons and teachings 
3. Provide leadership and vision for our religious school

The three most important priorities of a rabbi:

Over the course of the past several years, Congregation Beth El has had very significant success in fundraising, in growth of membership, in expanded programming, in attendance at services and celebrations, and in re-invigorating our religious school. Working together with our new rabbi we hope to build on these successes and others. We are looking for a rabbi who will prioritize: 

1. Engaging and musical service leadership: Shabbat, holiday, and lifecycle celebrations have been a particular strength for Beth El and are the foundation on which our other successes have been built. In particular, music and songs, sung together with great ruach, have elevated our worship experience and strengthened our communal bonds.
2. Education and community-building for young and old: We are deeply invested in the continued growth of our Kesher religious school program. We believe that a fun, meaningful, intellectually and spiritually important experience for our children is vital to our congregation’s present and future. This requires an ability to work with children from a variety of ages as well as a strong knowledge of Jewish and Hebrew texts. The congregation is also looking for a Rabbi who can conduct a variety of classes with the shul members on topics of Jewish interest, as well as lead weekly Torah study. 
3. Beth El is more than a “congregation.” We are a family. The rabbi’s role, as the spiritual leader of that family, is the key to our shared success as we build our kehilah kedosha together. Our rabbi is also a member of that sacred community, as well as its leader, and our hope is for them to feel that deeply and consistently while embracing the importance of work-life balance and personal growth.

The single most important thing a rabbi needs to know about this congregation:

We are a community of very committed congregants! Our families are widely spread across central, Downeast, and northern Maine, with some congregant families residing across the border in New Brunswick, Canada, and in other states, including New York, Virginia, and Florida. Many of our members drive up to two hours from their homes to attend a service, and up to four hours to attend a holiday celebration. We jokingly often say that we live on the tzitzit of American Judaism. In this way, we are all “Jews by intention”, as we conscientiously work to build Jewish practice and community into our lives here in rural Maine. We are a hands-on organization with passionate volunteers who work to bring a strong sense of Jewish community, spiritual experience, and art, music, and learning to our synagogue. We celebrate our successes and learn from our challenges together. We are committed to in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings that help us connect across the distance and share the kavanah that is expressed and nourished at Congregation Beth El.

The three primary goals of this congregation:

1. A warm, joyous, and caring community: We strive to provide an experience of belonging and connection to each other and to progressive Jewish practices, understandings, traditions, and culture in a wonderful place where one can and must make Judaism happen.
2.  Spiritual nourishment and Jewish learning: We strive to provide congregants of all ages with experiences that are spiritually nourishing and learning that is foundational to our understanding of ourselves, our community, and of Judaism in general.
3. Tikkun Olam: We strive to provide learning and leadership that guides us toward Tikkun Olam within our own community and in the larger Bangor area, and strengthens us as we face challenges as North American Jews and Jews of the diaspora.

The three most important issues to confront in this congregation in the next five years:

1. Welcoming a new Rabbi: First will be the important work to welcome a new spiritual leader, forming a sacred partnership with our new Rabbi. Our success in this regard with our current rabbi, even in the relatively short term, has taught us all important lessons and helped us build a structure and process to ensure success. 
2. Building long-term sustainability: We want to continue to increase the participation of younger adults and families. We need people of all ages in our community. We have made great progress in the last few years through strengthening the religious school and rabbinic outreach to individuals and to outlying communities. 
3. Supporting our community during a time of change: Like many synagogues, our community includes people with diverse views and experiences. As America becomes more polarized, antisemitism continues to rise, and our hearts try to mend from war and isolation, we increasingly desire to find ways to talk to each other, hear each other, and recommit to our people and to each other.

Congregation's core values:

At Congregation Beth El, we value and strive to preserve Jewish traditions, rituals, and culture and understand that Jewish practice creates a framework for Jewish living. The practice takes many forms including the rituals of Friday night services, learning a Ladino melody, a challah baking event, or a children’s class walking through the woods and learning Torah. Our congregation has a deep bench of lay leaders who assist the Rabbi in every facet of our religious practices, including leading services, serving as song leaders, or delivering a sermon.

We value sharing time together. Whether it is in joy, grief, celebration, or hardship, we seek out opportunities to share our lives and join together as a community. We know how important a delicious meal is as demonstrated by our awesome potlucks or homemade dinners delivered to a family in need of support. We are there to listen as another member shares the story and life of their loved one who recently passed. We thoroughly enjoy a good joke or two or three and value laughter as medicine.

We value a community that is rich in diversity. We welcome and embrace each of our members and learn from each other as we create a space where our varied identities are expressed and respected. We work hard to make our community inclusive by removing financial, educational, and physical barriers to participation. We offer a sliding-scale membership fee and religious school scholarships for those who may be otherwise burdened by the expense. We do not charge for High Holiday services.

We value lifelong learning. We offer formal education to toddlers through high school students as well as weekly Torah study, summer study gatherings on Mount Desert Island, and adult education programs presented by the Rabbi, Social Action Committee, Programming Committee, or individual congregants.

We value Tikkun Olam and express it in many ways through social action. Here are some examples: The religious school students participate in Mitzvah projects such as sock drives for the needy. The community donates groceries on Yom Kippur and our break fast ends with loading the trucks to deliver food to the homeless shelter. Members of all ages march or ride in Bangor Pride Parade each year and then host a table where we feed the greater community with homemade Jewish treats. The Social Action Committee meets twice a month with one meeting dedicated to learning from each other about a current issue facing our community.

We value support for all our needs and interests with a balance of work and play, seriousness and silliness, process and outcomes, as well as our relationship to each other and our relationship to the natural world. We often will meet in one of the intimate coffee shops downtown. The local art museum and the wonderful library offer a fun break in the middle of the day. We are grateful to be located in an area that offers us access to these amenities as well as the great outdoors. Be prepared to enjoy children's laughter on one of our religious school hikes, or bundle up for our annual sunrise service at the first place in the US to see the sunrise each day.

Congregation's strengths:

Skilled and experienced volunteers: The “fee for service” concept of synagogue membership is not our model. Our Judaism is hands-on. We are a volunteer-strong community with a caring and informal style matched with skill, experience, and readiness to learn. Beth El volunteers lead services, singing, Torah study, and fundraising. We have built sculptures and have stitched Torah covers that bring beauty to our sacred space and fulfill the commandment of hiddur mitzvah. A community of hands builds amazingly delightful sukkahs where we gather, as our ancestors did. Music made and shared by members connects our souls. As a community, we nurture our children, maintain a growing, accredited Jewish library, cook for the masses, tutor students, write holiday spiels, keep our synagogue in good repair, and welcome new members.

Volunteer committees focus on particular goals and experiences. The Ritual and Program Committees work closely with the Rabbi supporting the community’s Jewish practice, learning and the arts. The Social Action Committee leads the afternoon Yom Kippur Service, provides food to those in need, and marches in the annual Bangor Pride parade. Their activities include leading community discussions about Israel and educating the community on many topics including Wabanaki (indigenous) homeland, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, antisemitism, and support for the democratic process. The House Committee cares for our building and grounds, as well as security for our community. The Hospitality Committee keeps us well fed. The Membership Committee builds our sense of belonging. The Education Committee advises our religious school and jumps in to help with projects or events. The Caring Committee offers support to congregants who are in need. And, of course, our Executive Committee and Board of Directors leads us in building on our strengths. 

Feedback and Support for our Rabbi and Executive Committee Leadership: We have a three-part process to ensure that our Rabbi and Executive Committee are on the same page as we work together to strengthen our community. The first part is that the Rabbi and the congregation president hold informal weekly meetings to discuss a range of current issues for the congregation. The Progress and Support Committee meets monthly as the second part of the process. This committee includes the rabbi and 6 congregants who are not members of the Executive Committee. The committee has two functions. One is to be a sounding board for the Rabbi and help move issues forward that need attention. The second is to work closely with the Executive Committee to determine 6 month objectives for improved resources and practices, and monitor progress on those objectives. The third part of the process is a formal evaluation of the Rabbi’s work. This takes place twice during the first year and annually for the following years. We also understand that this process is not mi-Sinai. It has continuously evolved while at the same time providing consistent support and feedback.

Our home: We live, learn, and pray in this breathtaking part of the world. Famous for the views of Mount Katahdin, the Maine coast, and Moosehead Lake, this is Penobscot territory. The indigenous Penobscot people are named for their river which flows just a few blocks from our synagogue. Life is slower in this part of the world. People make time for a conversation at the store or to nod and smile as they pass one another. Maine is like one small town. 

Organizations recognize the importance of working together. Through these relationships we are able to accomplish so much more than we could alone. People (including rabbis and congregants) connect and work on projects across the state. Over the past year, we have collaborated with other Jewish institutions like the Conservative synagogue Beth Israel, the Orthodox synagogue Beth Abraham, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, the University of Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Endowment Associates (providing significant financial support to Jewish institutions). We are connected to interfaith organizations such as the Wilson Center and Faith Linking in Action as well as several University programs such as Judaic Studies at the University of Maine. Our social action work has led to collaborations with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Bangor Pride, and the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, as well as educational events presented by the Community Care Partnership of Maine naloxone training, and Wabanaki REACH.

The Maine Way of Life: Here in the Bangor area, there is less stress with lower housing costs, low crime rates, very strong public schools, and active and accessible government and civic organizations. The city’s forest and parks have miles of nature walks, playgrounds, artwork, and exercise equipment. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity – hiking, skiing, boating, lake swimming, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, or just sitting outside on a lazy summer day.

Our Synagogue: Our synagogue is part of an old neighborhood with early 20th-century homes and just a block from downtown Bangor where local stores, restaurants, theaters, a library, an art museum, and art galleries line the street in circa 1912 brick buildings. Our building is beautiful and simple and known for its beautiful woodwork by local artisans and architects who are members of the congregation. It has a flexible internal design that allows us to meet for Shabbat dinner and then gather in the sanctuary, or meet on High Holidays and other events in a larger, more formal sanctuary.

Congregation Beth El 

183 French St. Bangor Maine 

https://www.bethelbangor.org/

Congregation Beth El Photo Collage.pdf

Contact information: 

Noah Nesin, Search Committee Chair, [email protected] 207-974-8774

Job Description for Full-time Rabbi 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Congregation Beth El, a Reform congregation located in beautiful Bangor, Maine is looking for a versatile, highly accessible, and compassionate community builder and inspirational leader to guide its small congregation of multiple generations. This is a solo leadership position. The successful candidate will help to grow the congregation by welcoming young families while maintaining the spirit and ritualism that are key to retaining long-time members. Adaptability is essential, as the candidate will be serving the varied religious, spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of the Beth El members, and act as a liaison to the larger community. Congregation Beth El serves a large geographic area and is the hub of Reform Judaism for central and northern Maine. This is an opportunity to foster a community that will develop and grow along with you, and will partner with you in serving the congregation and larger community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bimah and Pastoral Duties:

• Act as the Congregation’s spiritual leader and recognized authority on religious law and practice
• Lead Shabbat and all other holiday religious services (both in person, virtually, and hybrid as needed) so they are engaging with participatory music, chanting, reading, and highly relevant sermons. (Erev Shabbat is celebrated 3-4 times per month and Saturday morning Torah service is typically one Saturday per month.)
• Conduct four off-site services per year in regional locations in beautiful Maine 
• Support congregants in becoming lay ritual leaders 
• Provide spiritual and emotional support to members 
• Officiate at simchot (weddings, brises, b’nai mitzvah), funerals, etc. 
• Provide bikkur cholim, shiva and bereavement support for community members
• Serve as an inspiring resource to the congregation through a strong knowledge of Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish traditions

Education: 

• Serve as the Principal of Kesher, the Hebrew school, including recruitment, supervision and annual evaluations of the teaching staff (School meets 1-2 days per week for 1.5-3 hours per week during the school year)
• Partner with the curriculum coordinator on curriculum development
• Teach weekly in the religious school
• Prepare students (including adults) for b’nai mitzvah and supervise volunteers providing preparation
• Mentor conversion candidates
• Provide adult educational programs including weekly Torah study, two series of classes each year, and occasional single-session programs
• Collaborate with the Social Action Committee, the curriculum coordinator, and the congregational leadership as appropriate to provide education about Tikkun Olam, social justice, antisemitism, and anti-racism to the congregation

Synagogue Outreach and Membership Development:

• Support Beth El membership growth by working with congregants to create an inviting spiritual home for new families and individuals. 

Community Relationships:

• Write a monthly column for our newsletter, The Tzitzit
• Provide guidance to the congregation’s communications including the website and social media
• Foster collaborative relationships with other local religious organizations in our region
• Serve as point of contact representing the congregation

Administrative Duties:

• Maintain regular office hours 
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Clergy report 
• Provide supervision for administrative staff 
• Participate in Progress and Support Committee 
• Meet weekly with the congregation president 
• Meet with other board members or committee members as needed for collaborative work or guidance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Rabbinical ordination from an accredited program/seminary 
• Congregational experience including leading in-person, virtual, and hybrid services and education, as well as virtual and in-person pastoral care. 
• Comprehensive and in-depth Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge including Jewish music, Torah, Hebrew, and traditions
• High personal, ethical, and professional standards 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent music leadership skills
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills 
• Strong background in education for children and adults

REMUNERATION:

• Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 
• Insurance: Reimbursement of up to $9,000 for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance
• Professional Development: Reimbursement of up to $3,000 for conferences, professional memberships, books, or other learning materials
• Social Security: The congregation pays an amount equivalent to what would be an employer's share of FICA/Medicare.
• Pension: 15% of salary
• Sabbatical: After 6 years of service
• Relocation Expenses: Up to $10,000 for expenses to move to Bangor
• Leave: The Rabbi is entitled to 2 free days per week or comparable time. They receive 20 days earned time off that may be used for sick time, vacation, family care or needs, or secular holidays. The congregation provides up to 28 days for the birth or adoption of a child and 7 days for bereavement leave.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

The three qualities we think are most important in a new rabbi:

We are a congregation with deeply committed and engaged members who share a powerful sense of community. As part of this sacred undertaking, we aim to respond to our rabbi’s strengths with support and encouragement and to be a resource in helping the congregation move forward in all areas of shared priorities. Toward those ends, we would prioritize a rabbi who can: 

1. Sustain our lively, musical services and add their own style and preferences to the structure and the content of those services 
2. Stimulate and provoke Jewish growth through sermons and teachings 
3. Provide leadership and vision for our religious school

The three most important priorities of a rabbi:

Over the course of the past several years, Congregation Beth El has had very significant success in fundraising, in growth of membership, in expanded programming, in attendance at services and celebrations, and in re-invigorating our religious school. Working together with our new rabbi we hope to build on these successes and others. We are looking for a rabbi who will prioritize: 

1. Engaging and musical service leadership: Shabbat, holiday, and lifecycle celebrations have been a particular strength for Beth El and are the foundation on which our other successes have been built. In particular, music and songs, sung together with great ruach, have elevated our worship experience and strengthened our communal bonds.
2. Education and community-building for young and old: We are deeply invested in the continued growth of our Kesher religious school program. We believe that a fun, meaningful, intellectually and spiritually important experience for our children is vital to our congregation’s present and future. This requires an ability to work with children from a variety of ages as well as a strong knowledge of Jewish and Hebrew texts. The congregation is also looking for a Rabbi who can conduct a variety of classes with the shul members on topics of Jewish interest, as well as lead weekly Torah study. 
3. Beth El is more than a “congregation.” We are a family. The rabbi’s role, as the spiritual leader of that family, is the key to our shared success as we build our kehilah kedosha together. Our rabbi is also a member of that sacred community, as well as its leader, and our hope is for them to feel that deeply and consistently while embracing the importance of work-life balance and personal growth.

The single most important thing a rabbi needs to know about this congregation:

We are a community of very committed congregants! Our families are widely spread across central, Downeast, and northern Maine, with some congregant families residing across the border in New Brunswick, Canada, and in other states, including New York, Virginia, and Florida. Many of our members drive up to two hours from their homes to attend a service, and up to four hours to attend a holiday celebration. We jokingly often say that we live on the tzitzit of American Judaism. In this way, we are all “Jews by intention”, as we conscientiously work to build Jewish practice and community into our lives here in rural Maine. We are a hands-on organization with passionate volunteers who work to bring a strong sense of Jewish community, spiritual experience, and art, music, and learning to our synagogue. We celebrate our successes and learn from our challenges together. We are committed to in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings that help us connect across the distance and share the kavanah that is expressed and nourished at Congregation Beth El.

The three primary goals of this congregation:

1. A warm, joyous, and caring community: We strive to provide an experience of belonging and connection to each other and to progressive Jewish practices, understandings, traditions, and culture in a wonderful place where one can and must make Judaism happen.
2.  Spiritual nourishment and Jewish learning: We strive to provide congregants of all ages with experiences that are spiritually nourishing and learning that is foundational to our understanding of ourselves, our community, and of Judaism in general.
3. Tikkun Olam: We strive to provide learning and leadership that guides us toward Tikkun Olam within our own community and in the larger Bangor area, and strengthens us as we face challenges as North American Jews and Jews of the diaspora.

The three most important issues to confront in this congregation in the next five years:

1. Welcoming a new Rabbi: First will be the important work to welcome a new spiritual leader, forming a sacred partnership with our new Rabbi. Our success in this regard with our current rabbi, even in the relatively short term, has taught us all important lessons and helped us build a structure and process to ensure success. 
2. Building long-term sustainability: We want to continue to increase the participation of younger adults and families. We need people of all ages in our community. We have made great progress in the last few years through strengthening the religious school and rabbinic outreach to individuals and to outlying communities. 
3. Supporting our community during a time of change: Like many synagogues, our community includes people with diverse views and experiences. As America becomes more polarized, antisemitism continues to rise, and our hearts try to mend from war and isolation, we increasingly desire to find ways to talk to each other, hear each other, and recommit to our people and to each other.

Congregation's core values:

At Congregation Beth El, we value and strive to preserve Jewish traditions, rituals, and culture and understand that Jewish practice creates a framework for Jewish living. The practice takes many forms including the rituals of Friday night services, learning a Ladino melody, a challah baking event, or a children’s class walking through the woods and learning Torah. Our congregation has a deep bench of lay leaders who assist the Rabbi in every facet of our religious practices, including leading services, serving as song leaders, or delivering a sermon.

We value sharing time together. Whether it is in joy, grief, celebration, or hardship, we seek out opportunities to share our lives and join together as a community. We know how important a delicious meal is as demonstrated by our awesome potlucks or homemade dinners delivered to a family in need of support. We are there to listen as another member shares the story and life of their loved one who recently passed. We thoroughly enjoy a good joke or two or three and value laughter as medicine.

We value a community that is rich in diversity. We welcome and embrace each of our members and learn from each other as we create a space where our varied identities are expressed and respected. We work hard to make our community inclusive by removing financial, educational, and physical barriers to participation. We offer a sliding-scale membership fee and religious school scholarships for those who may be otherwise burdened by the expense. We do not charge for High Holiday services.

We value lifelong learning. We offer formal education to toddlers through high school students as well as weekly Torah study, summer study gatherings on Mount Desert Island, and adult education programs presented by the Rabbi, Social Action Committee, Programming Committee, or individual congregants.

We value Tikkun Olam and express it in many ways through social action. Here are some examples: The religious school students participate in Mitzvah projects such as sock drives for the needy. The community donates groceries on Yom Kippur and our break fast ends with loading the trucks to deliver food to the homeless shelter. Members of all ages march or ride in Bangor Pride Parade each year and then host a table where we feed the greater community with homemade Jewish treats. The Social Action Committee meets twice a month with one meeting dedicated to learning from each other about a current issue facing our community.

We value support for all our needs and interests with a balance of work and play, seriousness and silliness, process and outcomes, as well as our relationship to each other and our relationship to the natural world. We often will meet in one of the intimate coffee shops downtown. The local art museum and the wonderful library offer a fun break in the middle of the day. We are grateful to be located in an area that offers us access to these amenities as well as the great outdoors. Be prepared to enjoy children's laughter on one of our religious school hikes, or bundle up for our annual sunrise service at the first place in the US to see the sunrise each day.

Congregation's strengths:

Skilled and experienced volunteers: The “fee for service” concept of synagogue membership is not our model. Our Judaism is hands-on. We are a volunteer-strong community with a caring and informal style matched with skill, experience, and readiness to learn. Beth El volunteers lead services, singing, Torah study, and fundraising. We have built sculptures and have stitched Torah covers that bring beauty to our sacred space and fulfill the commandment of hiddur mitzvah. A community of hands builds amazingly delightful sukkahs where we gather, as our ancestors did. Music made and shared by members connects our souls. As a community, we nurture our children, maintain a growing, accredited Jewish library, cook for the masses, tutor students, write holiday spiels, keep our synagogue in good repair, and welcome new members.

Volunteer committees focus on particular goals and experiences. The Ritual and Program Committees work closely with the Rabbi supporting the community’s Jewish practice, learning and the arts. The Social Action Committee leads the afternoon Yom Kippur Service, provides food to those in need, and marches in the annual Bangor Pride parade. Their activities include leading community discussions about Israel and educating the community on many topics including Wabanaki (indigenous) homeland, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, antisemitism, and support for the democratic process. The House Committee cares for our building and grounds, as well as security for our community. The Hospitality Committee keeps us well fed. The Membership Committee builds our sense of belonging. The Education Committee advises our religious school and jumps in to help with projects or events. The Caring Committee offers support to congregants who are in need. And, of course, our Executive Committee and Board of Directors leads us in building on our strengths. 

Feedback and Support for our Rabbi and Executive Committee Leadership: We have a three-part process to ensure that our Rabbi and Executive Committee are on the same page as we work together to strengthen our community. The first part is that the Rabbi and the congregation president hold informal weekly meetings to discuss a range of current issues for the congregation. The Progress and Support Committee meets monthly as the second part of the process. This committee includes the rabbi and 6 congregants who are not members of the Executive Committee. The committee has two functions. One is to be a sounding board for the Rabbi and help move issues forward that need attention. The second is to work closely with the Executive Committee to determine 6 month objectives for improved resources and practices, and monitor progress on those objectives. The third part of the process is a formal evaluation of the Rabbi’s work. This takes place twice during the first year and annually for the following years. We also understand that this process is not mi-Sinai. It has continuously evolved while at the same time providing consistent support and feedback.

Our home: We live, learn, and pray in this breathtaking part of the world. Famous for the views of Mount Katahdin, the Maine coast, and Moosehead Lake, this is Penobscot territory. The indigenous Penobscot people are named for their river which flows just a few blocks from our synagogue. Life is slower in this part of the world. People make time for a conversation at the store or to nod and smile as they pass one another. Maine is like one small town. 

Organizations recognize the importance of working together. Through these relationships we are able to accomplish so much more than we could alone. People (including rabbis and congregants) connect and work on projects across the state. Over the past year, we have collaborated with other Jewish institutions like the Conservative synagogue Beth Israel, the Orthodox synagogue Beth Abraham, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, the University of Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Endowment Associates (providing significant financial support to Jewish institutions). We are connected to interfaith organizations such as the Wilson Center and Faith Linking in Action as well as several University programs such as Judaic Studies at the University of Maine. Our social action work has led to collaborations with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Bangor Pride, and the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, as well as educational events presented by the Community Care Partnership of Maine naloxone training, and Wabanaki REACH.

The Maine Way of Life: Here in the Bangor area, there is less stress with lower housing costs, low crime rates, very strong public schools, and active and accessible government and civic organizations. The city’s forest and parks have miles of nature walks, playgrounds, artwork, and exercise equipment. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity – hiking, skiing, boating, lake swimming, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, or just sitting outside on a lazy summer day.

Our Synagogue: Our synagogue is part of an old neighborhood with early 20th-century homes and just a block from downtown Bangor where local stores, restaurants, theaters, a library, an art museum, and art galleries line the street in circa 1912 brick buildings. Our building is beautiful and simple and known for its beautiful woodwork by local artisans and architects who are members of the congregation. It has a flexible internal design that allows us to meet for Shabbat dinner and then gather in the sanctuary, or meet on High Holidays and other events in a larger, more formal sanctuary.

Congregation Beth El 

183 French St. Bangor Maine 

https://www.bethelbangor.org/

Congregation Beth El Photo Collage.pdf

Contact information: 

Noah Nesin, Search Committee Chair, [email protected] 207-974-8774

Job Description for Full-time Rabbi 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Congregation Beth El, a Reform congregation located in beautiful Bangor, Maine is looking for a versatile, highly accessible, and compassionate community builder and inspirational leader to guide its small congregation of multiple generations. This is a solo leadership position. The successful candidate will help to grow the congregation by welcoming young families while maintaining the spirit and ritualism that are key to retaining long-time members. Adaptability is essential, as the candidate will be serving the varied religious, spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of the Beth El members, and act as a liaison to the larger community. Congregation Beth El serves a large geographic area and is the hub of Reform Judaism for central and northern Maine. This is an opportunity to foster a community that will develop and grow along with you, and will partner with you in serving the congregation and larger community.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Bimah and Pastoral Duties:

• Act as the Congregation’s spiritual leader and recognized authority on religious law and practice
• Lead Shabbat and all other holiday religious services (both in person, virtually, and hybrid as needed) so they are engaging with participatory music, chanting, reading, and highly relevant sermons. (Erev Shabbat is celebrated 3-4 times per month and Saturday morning Torah service is typically one Saturday per month.)
• Conduct four off-site services per year in regional locations in beautiful Maine 
• Support congregants in becoming lay ritual leaders 
• Provide spiritual and emotional support to members 
• Officiate at simchot (weddings, brises, b’nai mitzvah), funerals, etc. 
• Provide bikkur cholim, shiva and bereavement support for community members
• Serve as an inspiring resource to the congregation through a strong knowledge of Torah, Hebrew, and Jewish traditions

Education: 

• Serve as the Principal of Kesher, the Hebrew school, including recruitment, supervision and annual evaluations of the teaching staff (School meets 1-2 days per week for 1.5-3 hours per week during the school year)
• Partner with the curriculum coordinator on curriculum development
• Teach weekly in the religious school
• Prepare students (including adults) for b’nai mitzvah and supervise volunteers providing preparation
• Mentor conversion candidates
• Provide adult educational programs including weekly Torah study, two series of classes each year, and occasional single-session programs
• Collaborate with the Social Action Committee, the curriculum coordinator, and the congregational leadership as appropriate to provide education about Tikkun Olam, social justice, antisemitism, and anti-racism to the congregation

Synagogue Outreach and Membership Development:

• Support Beth El membership growth by working with congregants to create an inviting spiritual home for new families and individuals. 

Community Relationships:

• Write a monthly column for our newsletter, The Tzitzit
• Provide guidance to the congregation’s communications including the website and social media
• Foster collaborative relationships with other local religious organizations in our region
• Serve as point of contact representing the congregation

Administrative Duties:

• Maintain regular office hours 
• Attend Board meetings and prepare Clergy report 
• Provide supervision for administrative staff 
• Participate in Progress and Support Committee 
• Meet weekly with the congregation president 
• Meet with other board members or committee members as needed for collaborative work or guidance

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Rabbinical ordination from an accredited program/seminary 
• Congregational experience including leading in-person, virtual, and hybrid services and education, as well as virtual and in-person pastoral care. 
• Comprehensive and in-depth Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge including Jewish music, Torah, Hebrew, and traditions
• High personal, ethical, and professional standards 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent music leadership skills
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills 
• Strong background in education for children and adults

REMUNERATION:

• Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 
• Insurance: Reimbursement of up to $9,000 for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance
• Professional Development: Reimbursement of up to $3,000 for conferences, professional memberships, books, or other learning materials
• Social Security: The congregation pays an amount equivalent to what would be an employer's share of FICA/Medicare.
• Pension: 15% of salary
• Sabbatical: After 6 years of service
• Relocation Expenses: Up to $10,000 for expenses to move to Bangor
• Leave: The Rabbi is entitled to 2 free days per week or comparable time. They receive 20 days earned time off that may be used for sick time, vacation, family care or needs, or secular holidays. The congregation provides up to 28 days for the birth or adoption of a child and 7 days for bereavement leave.

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

The three qualities we think are most important in a new rabbi:

We are a congregation with deeply committed and engaged members who share a powerful sense of community. As part of this sacred undertaking, we aim to respond to our rabbi’s strengths with support and encouragement and to be a resource in helping the congregation move forward in all areas of shared priorities. Toward those ends, we would prioritize a rabbi who can: 

1. Sustain our lively, musical services and add their own style and preferences to the structure and the content of those services 
2. Stimulate and provoke Jewish growth through sermons and teachings 
3. Provide leadership and vision for our religious school

The three most important priorities of a rabbi:

Over the course of the past several years, Congregation Beth El has had very significant success in fundraising, in growth of membership, in expanded programming, in attendance at services and celebrations, and in re-invigorating our religious school. Working together with our new rabbi we hope to build on these successes and others. We are looking for a rabbi who will prioritize: 

1. Engaging and musical service leadership: Shabbat, holiday, and lifecycle celebrations have been a particular strength for Beth El and are the foundation on which our other successes have been built. In particular, music and songs, sung together with great ruach, have elevated our worship experience and strengthened our communal bonds.
2. Education and community-building for young and old: We are deeply invested in the continued growth of our Kesher religious school program. We believe that a fun, meaningful, intellectually and spiritually important experience for our children is vital to our congregation’s present and future. This requires an ability to work with children from a variety of ages as well as a strong knowledge of Jewish and Hebrew texts. The congregation is also looking for a Rabbi who can conduct a variety of classes with the shul members on topics of Jewish interest, as well as lead weekly Torah study. 
3. Beth El is more than a “congregation.” We are a family. The rabbi’s role, as the spiritual leader of that family, is the key to our shared success as we build our kehilah kedosha together. Our rabbi is also a member of that sacred community, as well as its leader, and our hope is for them to feel that deeply and consistently while embracing the importance of work-life balance and personal growth.

The single most important thing a rabbi needs to know about this congregation:

We are a community of very committed congregants! Our families are widely spread across central, Downeast, and northern Maine, with some congregant families residing across the border in New Brunswick, Canada, and in other states, including New York, Virginia, and Florida. Many of our members drive up to two hours from their homes to attend a service, and up to four hours to attend a holiday celebration. We jokingly often say that we live on the tzitzit of American Judaism. In this way, we are all “Jews by intention”, as we conscientiously work to build Jewish practice and community into our lives here in rural Maine. We are a hands-on organization with passionate volunteers who work to bring a strong sense of Jewish community, spiritual experience, and art, music, and learning to our synagogue. We celebrate our successes and learn from our challenges together. We are committed to in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings that help us connect across the distance and share the kavanah that is expressed and nourished at Congregation Beth El.

The three primary goals of this congregation:

1. A warm, joyous, and caring community: We strive to provide an experience of belonging and connection to each other and to progressive Jewish practices, understandings, traditions, and culture in a wonderful place where one can and must make Judaism happen.
2.  Spiritual nourishment and Jewish learning: We strive to provide congregants of all ages with experiences that are spiritually nourishing and learning that is foundational to our understanding of ourselves, our community, and of Judaism in general.
3. Tikkun Olam: We strive to provide learning and leadership that guides us toward Tikkun Olam within our own community and in the larger Bangor area, and strengthens us as we face challenges as North American Jews and Jews of the diaspora.

The three most important issues to confront in this congregation in the next five years:

1. Welcoming a new Rabbi: First will be the important work to welcome a new spiritual leader, forming a sacred partnership with our new Rabbi. Our success in this regard with our current rabbi, even in the relatively short term, has taught us all important lessons and helped us build a structure and process to ensure success. 
2. Building long-term sustainability: We want to continue to increase the participation of younger adults and families. We need people of all ages in our community. We have made great progress in the last few years through strengthening the religious school and rabbinic outreach to individuals and to outlying communities. 
3. Supporting our community during a time of change: Like many synagogues, our community includes people with diverse views and experiences. As America becomes more polarized, antisemitism continues to rise, and our hearts try to mend from war and isolation, we increasingly desire to find ways to talk to each other, hear each other, and recommit to our people and to each other.

Congregation's core values:

At Congregation Beth El, we value and strive to preserve Jewish traditions, rituals, and culture and understand that Jewish practice creates a framework for Jewish living. The practice takes many forms including the rituals of Friday night services, learning a Ladino melody, a challah baking event, or a children’s class walking through the woods and learning Torah. Our congregation has a deep bench of lay leaders who assist the Rabbi in every facet of our religious practices, including leading services, serving as song leaders, or delivering a sermon.

We value sharing time together. Whether it is in joy, grief, celebration, or hardship, we seek out opportunities to share our lives and join together as a community. We know how important a delicious meal is as demonstrated by our awesome potlucks or homemade dinners delivered to a family in need of support. We are there to listen as another member shares the story and life of their loved one who recently passed. We thoroughly enjoy a good joke or two or three and value laughter as medicine.

We value a community that is rich in diversity. We welcome and embrace each of our members and learn from each other as we create a space where our varied identities are expressed and respected. We work hard to make our community inclusive by removing financial, educational, and physical barriers to participation. We offer a sliding-scale membership fee and religious school scholarships for those who may be otherwise burdened by the expense. We do not charge for High Holiday services.

We value lifelong learning. We offer formal education to toddlers through high school students as well as weekly Torah study, summer study gatherings on Mount Desert Island, and adult education programs presented by the Rabbi, Social Action Committee, Programming Committee, or individual congregants.

We value Tikkun Olam and express it in many ways through social action. Here are some examples: The religious school students participate in Mitzvah projects such as sock drives for the needy. The community donates groceries on Yom Kippur and our break fast ends with loading the trucks to deliver food to the homeless shelter. Members of all ages march or ride in Bangor Pride Parade each year and then host a table where we feed the greater community with homemade Jewish treats. The Social Action Committee meets twice a month with one meeting dedicated to learning from each other about a current issue facing our community.

We value support for all our needs and interests with a balance of work and play, seriousness and silliness, process and outcomes, as well as our relationship to each other and our relationship to the natural world. We often will meet in one of the intimate coffee shops downtown. The local art museum and the wonderful library offer a fun break in the middle of the day. We are grateful to be located in an area that offers us access to these amenities as well as the great outdoors. Be prepared to enjoy children's laughter on one of our religious school hikes, or bundle up for our annual sunrise service at the first place in the US to see the sunrise each day.

Congregation's strengths:

Skilled and experienced volunteers: The “fee for service” concept of synagogue membership is not our model. Our Judaism is hands-on. We are a volunteer-strong community with a caring and informal style matched with skill, experience, and readiness to learn. Beth El volunteers lead services, singing, Torah study, and fundraising. We have built sculptures and have stitched Torah covers that bring beauty to our sacred space and fulfill the commandment of hiddur mitzvah. A community of hands builds amazingly delightful sukkahs where we gather, as our ancestors did. Music made and shared by members connects our souls. As a community, we nurture our children, maintain a growing, accredited Jewish library, cook for the masses, tutor students, write holiday spiels, keep our synagogue in good repair, and welcome new members.

Volunteer committees focus on particular goals and experiences. The Ritual and Program Committees work closely with the Rabbi supporting the community’s Jewish practice, learning and the arts. The Social Action Committee leads the afternoon Yom Kippur Service, provides food to those in need, and marches in the annual Bangor Pride parade. Their activities include leading community discussions about Israel and educating the community on many topics including Wabanaki (indigenous) homeland, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, antisemitism, and support for the democratic process. The House Committee cares for our building and grounds, as well as security for our community. The Hospitality Committee keeps us well fed. The Membership Committee builds our sense of belonging. The Education Committee advises our religious school and jumps in to help with projects or events. The Caring Committee offers support to congregants who are in need. And, of course, our Executive Committee and Board of Directors leads us in building on our strengths. 

Feedback and Support for our Rabbi and Executive Committee Leadership: We have a three-part process to ensure that our Rabbi and Executive Committee are on the same page as we work together to strengthen our community. The first part is that the Rabbi and the congregation president hold informal weekly meetings to discuss a range of current issues for the congregation. The Progress and Support Committee meets monthly as the second part of the process. This committee includes the rabbi and 6 congregants who are not members of the Executive Committee. The committee has two functions. One is to be a sounding board for the Rabbi and help move issues forward that need attention. The second is to work closely with the Executive Committee to determine 6 month objectives for improved resources and practices, and monitor progress on those objectives. The third part of the process is a formal evaluation of the Rabbi’s work. This takes place twice during the first year and annually for the following years. We also understand that this process is not mi-Sinai. It has continuously evolved while at the same time providing consistent support and feedback.

Our home: We live, learn, and pray in this breathtaking part of the world. Famous for the views of Mount Katahdin, the Maine coast, and Moosehead Lake, this is Penobscot territory. The indigenous Penobscot people are named for their river which flows just a few blocks from our synagogue. Life is slower in this part of the world. People make time for a conversation at the store or to nod and smile as they pass one another. Maine is like one small town. 

Organizations recognize the importance of working together. Through these relationships we are able to accomplish so much more than we could alone. People (including rabbis and congregants) connect and work on projects across the state. Over the past year, we have collaborated with other Jewish institutions like the Conservative synagogue Beth Israel, the Orthodox synagogue Beth Abraham, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, the University of Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Endowment Associates (providing significant financial support to Jewish institutions). We are connected to interfaith organizations such as the Wilson Center and Faith Linking in Action as well as several University programs such as Judaic Studies at the University of Maine. Our social action work has led to collaborations with the Bangor Homeless Shelter, Bangor Pride, and the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, as well as educational events presented by the Community Care Partnership of Maine naloxone training, and Wabanaki REACH.

The Maine Way of Life: Here in the Bangor area, there is less stress with lower housing costs, low crime rates, very strong public schools, and active and accessible government and civic organizations. The city’s forest and parks have miles of nature walks, playgrounds, artwork, and exercise equipment. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activity – hiking, skiing, boating, lake swimming, snowmobiling, fishing, camping, or just sitting outside on a lazy summer day.

Our Synagogue: Our synagogue is part of an old neighborhood with early 20th-century homes and just a block from downtown Bangor where local stores, restaurants, theaters, a library, an art museum, and art galleries line the street in circa 1912 brick buildings. Our building is beautiful and simple and known for its beautiful woodwork by local artisans and architects who are members of the congregation. It has a flexible internal design that allows us to meet for Shabbat dinner and then gather in the sanctuary, or meet on High Holidays and other events in a larger, more formal sanctuary.