Assistant Rabbi 

Mission Statement: TSTI is an inclusive congregation committed to developing and fostering a joyous lifelong Jewish experience. We are proud of, and enriched by, our diverse congregation, and live the progressive values of Reform Judaism through worship, education, acts of social justice, Torah study, and community service. Congregation’s strengths: Multigenerational, enthusiastic, diverse, and inclusive community, A team of vibrant, dedicated professionals who are deeply committed to our congregation, many of whom have significant longevity in their professional role & Congregants who are creative, open-minded and progressive – open to experimentation while appreciating Jewish tradition, and eager to work in partnership with our professional staff. We are seeking an Assistant Rabbi who is eager to learn and to be a collaborative partner within our clergy team. Our new Rabbi will participate in the full life of the congregation and serve as an integral member of our Senior Staff. Our Senior Rabbi is honored to serve as the new Rabbi’s supervisor, providing them with ongoing support and mentorship. While there are some specific areas of focus for our new Rabbi, we are committed to providing a robust, well-rounded, and fulfilling rabbinate which draws on the Rabbi’s unique talents and allows ample opportunity for experimentation and growth. Among the specific areas of involvement are: Shabbat and Holiday Worship: The Assistant Rabbi will work with the clergy team to plan and lead worship services throughout the year, offering prayerful experiences through music, singing, teaching, preaching, and liturgy. They will also be responsible for developing a pilot program of alternative Shabbat morning experiences throughout the course of the year. In addition to leading and preaching at the High Holy Days, the Assistant Rabbi will be responsible for preparing our Teen High Holy Day Torah readers (we have a tradition in which our young people who have become b’nei mitzvah are invited to read Torah during the Holy Days the next year). The Assistant Rabbi will also have lead responsibility for certain holiday programs, such as Selichot, our Hannukah celebration, and our Second Night Congregational Seder, Pastoral Care: The Assistant Rabbi will be fully involved in all aspects of pastoral care for the congregation, offering compassionate support to members in times of need. This includes making phone calls, home/hospital visits, and one-on-one counseling, Preschool/Families with Young Children: Nurturing relationships with our preschool families as well as our families with young children through helping to lead Preschool “Bimah Time,” monthly Tot Shabbat, classroom visits, and assisting during holiday-related programming, Religious School: Being a regular presence in our synagogue’s K-12th grade Religious School programs – including guest teaching, special programming, and serving as a resource to teachers, madrichim, parents and students, B’nai Mitzvah Preparation: All of our clergy are actively involved in preparing our students for b’nei mitzvah, including Hebrew lessons, d’var Torah writing, and service rehearsals, Life Cycle: Creating moments of Jewish meaning and ritual for our congregants throughout their lives, including but not limited to funerals/shivas, baby namings, weddings, b’nei mitzvah, and conversions, along with developing innovative rituals for moments often overlooked by tradition, such as pregnancy loss, retirement, gender affirmation, and more, Adult Education: All of our clergy teach regularly throughout the year on topics of personal interest and of interest to our adult learners & Social Justice/Advocacy: Our Assistant Rabbi will serve as the primary clergy support to our Tzedek Core Team, serving as a resource to this group as they set their annual priorities and develop and deliver programming and action opportunities for the community, in partnership with RAC-NJ, and other local organizations. Three qualities most important to this congregation in a new assistant or associate rabbi: Warm and Compassionate: We seek a rabbi who exudes interpersonal warmth, is friendly and charismatic, listens with empathy and curiosity, and engages comfortably with many different kinds of people. We pride ourselves on being a “haimishe” community. Our new rabbi would ideally be someone who is real and down to earth, has a sense of humor, a commitment to joyful Jewish living, and a high level of emotional intelligence, Teacher and Learner: We hope that our rabbi will be someone who views learning as a lifelong endeavor, both for themselves and for our congregation. The Rabbi should be a highly capable teacher of all ages, able to communicate effectively in both speaking and writing in order to inspire our members to deepen their love of Jewish learning and connection through both formal and informal setting & Team Player: We are looking for a rabbi who understands that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts – someone who is naturally oriented towards collaboration and partnership, and is flexible and solution-focused in their approach to the rigors of life as a clergyperson. The three most important priorities of an assistant or associate rabbi: We are excited to welcome a rabbi who is early in their rabbinate and eager to learn. We anticipate that these priorities will evolve as our rabbi becomes more comfortable, confident, and established in our community. Throughout the years, it will always be the main priority for our new rabbi to model an inspiring love of Judaism and desire to build deep relationships with our community. Additionally, at the outset of this new partnership, we hope our Assistant Rabbi will prioritize: 1. Learning the role – jumping in with both feet to the full breadth of rabbinic experiences, while being unafraid to ask questions and receive supportive feedback, 2. Learning our people – connecting with new families and building meaningful relationships with existing families, while working collaboratively and effciently as a member of our professional team & 3. Learning our culture – asking questions to deeply understand who we are and why we do what we do – honoring how things are and partnering with us to imagine how things could be. The single most important thing an assistant or associate rabbi needs to know about this congregation: There is no dearth of synagogue options in our area, so the folks who belong to TSTI have truly chosen our community for its warm, down-to-earth, creative and thoughtful approach to Jewish life and our role in making the world a more just and loving place. We are a big congregation, and we strive to create an evermore tightly-knit community. Key Renumeration and benefits: The salary will be $110-$120K dependent on the applicant’s level of experience. 15% pension contribution (in addition to salary). We cover the cost of health insurance for our employees and offer immediate family members coverage at the employee’s expense. Several other benefits are offered and can be discussed. Position Available: July 1, 2026. Our search committee is representative of a wide variety of our congregational demographics. Associate Rabbi Alexandra Klein will also participate on the search committee. She will be our next Senior Rabbi when our new Assistant begins. Search Committee Chairs: Sue Wishnow, (973) 960-8220, [email protected] & Heather Brochin, (917) 584-9818, [email protected]. https://tsti.org.

(2/16/26)