Cantor

We are a warm and unpretentious community that believes Judaism should be joyous and accessible to people of all backgrounds, ages, and stages. We are an inclusive and diverse community, featuring many Jews by choice, interfaith families, LGBTQ Jews, Jews of all abilities and disabilities, Jews of all ages and stages, the Jewishly curious, and more. We have two campuses (the main Synagogue campus on Grove Avenue in the city plus a separate Religious School campus in the Richmond suburbs). The cantor is an integral part of the clergy. The cantor, as the Shaliach Tzibur, has the primary responsibility for the liturgical chanting in services in coordination with the Ritual Committee and the rabbi. While the cantor interfaces with congregants, the outside community, and our lay leadership, he/she will take specific instructions from the rabbi. The cantor wears many hats: spiritual, pastoral, ritual and educational. Besides officiating at religious services and life cycle events, the cantor prepares the B’Nai Mitzvah students for their events and may lead some educational programming. Adaptability and initiative are important attributes of this position. The cantor is an active and frequent presence at the Hebrew School. The Cantor provides one-on-one B’nai Mitzvah tutoring (8 – 12 students a year) for 30 minutes each and also teaches Torah/Haftarah Trope during Hebrew School hours. Cantor co-leads Tefillah with Rabbi for the students and convenes a 6th grade family learning class once a month. The Cantor also conducts ad hoc services for the children. Areas of Responsibility: Officiates collaboratively with the rabbi at religious services and life cycle events, Serves as the expert guide to the congregation on all matters of Jewish music and coordinates with congregants to provide music for services (for example, our High Holiday Choir and Underground Band), Provides counseling and pastoral support to congregants, Participates in community-wide events such as interfaith services and programming, Serves along with the rabbi as the public face of Beth El, representing the Temple to congregants and the wider public in the best possible light, Fills in for the rabbi during rabbi’s vacation, illness, or other absences, Education:  Incorporates musical instruction into congregational education programming, both in the Religious School and adult and family learning, Trains and prepares B’Nai Mitzvah students for their ceremony with knowledge of Shabbat services & Hebrew reading and chanting of Torah/Haftarah. The cantor is expected to attend Ritual Committee meetings and shares attendance responsibilities with the rabbi for the Religious School Committee and TBE Board meetings. Personal Religious observances: Commitment to building a welcoming and inclusive synagogue community rooted in tikkun olam, Follow USCJ guidelines, The temple will allow interfaith marriages once this is allowed by the USCJ & Clergy can officiate gay marriages if both parties are Jewish. Salary: $95K-135K. Benefits in addition to salary: Parsonage, Life Insurance, Medical insurance, Car allowance, Sabbatical, Books and Periodicals, Professional Development, Disability Insurance, Organizational dues, convention allowance and Pension contribution. The composition of the benefit package is flexible and will be mutually agreed upon with the successful candidate. We do not provide housing, but there is a wide variety of housing for rent or purchase, both within walking distance of TBE and throughout the Richmond metro area. Start date before July 15, 2024. Full-time. Co-Chairs of Search Committee: GD Rothenberg Telephone 804-296-0063 Email: [email protected] & Miwa P. Kamras Telephone 202-321-9370 Email: [email protected]. Website: www.bethelrichmond.org.

(updated 12/1/23)