Are you the next member of our clergy team?
Our community is thriving and filled with energy, joy, and a love for Jewish life. We have a well-earned reputation for being a friendly, inclusive community with countless opportunities to gather together for prayer, learning, social action, and fun. Our campus, found in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, houses a preschool that is bursting at the seams with children from ages two to five, a Sunday or Tuesday religious school with well over 200 students, and a Hebrew-language charter school that rents space from us during the school year, and serves as a location for the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry. One Friday night might find hundreds of people on our upper playground picnicking before Shabbat services, while another weekend you may find Drag Queen Bingo, a Scholar-in-Residence, a community seder, or our annual Purim Carnival, which entertains upwards of 1000 people.
Our community has not had a full-time cantorial presence for many years and so we are now seeking a Cantor/Musical Rabbi/Hazzan/Musical Spiritual Leader who will lift our spirits in song. This leader will work in partnership with our clergy and staff team to explore the transformative power of music for prayer, education, spiritual growth, and the development of sacred relationships. An identified area for growth is in our worship and Shabbatot experience. We are seeking a collaborative member of our clergy team to explore new modalities, be a part of developing the spiritual practice across age cohorts, and bring personal creativity to this important work.
As a member of the clergy team, the position will be a full participant in the leadership of congregational life, including worship, life cycle events, teaching, pastoral responsibilities, program planning, and the opportunity to work in partnership with lay leadership.
Temple Beth Hillel is a warm welcoming community, and we wish for our new team-member to be inclusive in mindset and have the ability to relate to and connect with diverse and multi-generational constituencies. We look forward to working with a spiritual leader who is passionate about Jewish life, creating community, and possesses strong interpersonal skills as well as has the capacity to work both independently and as a team.
Required Skills:
- Performative vocal skills
- Deep knowledge of both traditional and contemporary Jewish music
- Knowledge of nusach, trope, and prayers with excellent Torah and Haftarah cantillation
- Instrumental skills to accompany oneself while leading tefillot in our schools, holiday, and Shabbat services
- Skilled teacher
- Ability to lead choirs
- Read Hebrew
- Read music
- Excellent communicator (oral and written) who can effectively interact with clergy, lay leaders, teachers, and congregants
- Knowledge and competency in computer usage (including Microsoft Office, recording audio files, using Skype/Zoom or other communication tools)
Preferred Skills:
- Pastoral care training (i.e. CPE or equivalent)
- Organize concerts and other musical events
- Education may include: Ordination, Undergraduate, and Graduate degrees
- Experience in executive synagogue leadership
Job Description Details
Worship/Prayer
- Shabbatot: Leading services on Friday evenings and some Saturday morning minyan along with b’nai mitzvah (Occasionally off for a Friday evening)
- In coordination with other clergy partners, develop new worship modalities and be a creative leader in the design and expression of music in worship.
- Coordinating Band Services; monthly Choir Shabbat, any Interfaith Choir Experiences and Pulpit Exchanges
- High Holy Days: Selichot; Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah
- Jewish Holiday and Events such as: Purim Shpiel, Yizchor, Hanukkah celebrations, Yom Hashoah & Yom Ha’atzmaut
B’nai Mitzvah Program
- Co-officiating at all b’nai mitzvah
- Running one or two rehearsals with student and family
- Individual b’nai mitzvah tutoring
- Teaching b’nai mitzvah prayer class(es)
Life Cycle Events and Pastoral Care
- Funerals, weddings, shiva services,sick visits, and counseling as part of the pastoral team
Music Program
- Coordinating Temple Beth Hillel Choirs which may include: kids choir, teen, and adult cohorts
- Oversee / hire / coordinate / work with songleaders, professional choir members, accompanist, musical directors, conductors, and musicians
- Working with fellow clergy regarding budgeting of musical needs
- Oversight of any sound checks, AV monitoring and replacement of equipment, hiring sound engineer when necessary
Education: Youth and Adult
- Educational and musical role in Early Childhood and Religious School Programs including Sunday mornings
- Adult Torah Chanters: coordinating and teaching cantillation for our once a month Torah reading and High Holy Day chanters
- Teach an Adult Ed class/seminar once or twice a year
Temple Wide Programming
- Participation in Temple wide program such as gala, mitzvah day, special events
- Participate in Temple retreats such as Religious School, Bachutz programming, Seder in the Mountains
- Part of staff team responsibilities may include special program of interest ie. Young adult programming, Shabbat hikes, social action, liaison to a B’Yachad - specialty group
Compensation: This is five (5)-day per week, full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $115,000 to $135,000, commensurate with experience. Other benefits include employer-paid health, dental, long-term disability (LTD), and life insurance, employer-paid pension contribution, vacation, sick time, and paid holidays. TBH offers a wide variety of other optional benefits, including FSA, short-term disability, accidental death, additional life insurance, and vision insurance.
To apply: Please send a resume, cover letter, and links to any musical performances you wish to share (please submit at least three) to [email protected].