Settled Rabbi

We are a 117-year-old congregation located in historic Gloucester, MA, a coastal community of 30,000 on Cape Ann, 40 miles north of Boston. We are looking for a rabbi who will model and reinforce the values of warmth, caring, joyful service and humor that define our community’s approach to Judaism. We are a welcoming and financially secure congregation with a reputation for friendliness and inclusion. Our membership of 200 families is diverse in religious observance/education and family composition, with a growing number of interfaith families. We are innovative and evolving: In our search for new ways to express our Jewish faith and culture, we have embraced new traditions to be not only contemporary, but authentic. At Hanukkah, we build the world’s only Lobster Trap Menorah in our front yard and invite the larger community to celebrate with us. It symbolizes our deep connection to the historic fishing village where we live. Our traditional Shabbat morning services enjoy a consistent weekly attendance of 20-30 regulars both in-person and on Zoom. A larger group participates in our monthly musical Kabbalat Shabbat services.  Areas of Responsibility: Strengthening Community, Ritual and Religious Experience, Education, Pastoral Care, Tikkun Olam, Represent Temple Ahavat Achim to the non-Jewish community on and beyond Cape Ann & Administration, Finances and Membership. In 2023/24, We will have a Rabbinic Intern from Hebrew College. She will be with us two weekends each month. Should we decide to have an Intern in the future, our new rabbi should be open to supervising the intern and serving as their mentor. Compensation: $110K to $135K. Our Rabbi’s financial success matters. Instead of having a base salary and specific amounts for each benefit, our congregation will work carefully to ensure the package provided to the rabbi maximizes the pre-tax benefits allowable under IRS regulations. Recognizing that each candidate has unique circumstances and desiring to set our rabbi up for success, we have helped our past rabbis structure their package to include variations of the following; parsonage allowance, professional development, student tuition, medical benefits, and an automobile allowance, to name a few. We are also open to supporting our rabbi with other opportunities. One example; once our new rabbi is settled, we would consider giving a day per week to teach at a local university. Our next rabbi will inspire us, teach us and challenge us to ask questions, think deeply about our lives and our responsibilities and to deepen our understanding and appreciation of Jewish traditions, history and values. We want our rabbi to help us strengthen ties among our members. To do this he/she/they must have excellent communication and counseling skills. He/she/they should be eager to connect with our diverse membership both formally and informally. He/she/they should actively reach out to interfaith, LGBTQ and elderly members and be aware of their needs and translate their concerns to the lay leadership. He/she/they must meet congregants where they are along their spiritual path, accepting different levels of observance; he/she/they must be welcoming to families of all compositions, as well as people curious about Judaism. The rabbi should foster cohesion and inclusion by motivating adults, teens and children to get more involved in synagogue life. We want our rabbi to help us explore our connections with Israel; to study and discuss the history, culture as well as current events, while keeping our minds and hearts open. We’ve told you something about us, now it’s your turn. We want to know what experiences have shaped you and drawn you to the rabbinate. We want to know what you believe are your strengths and your challenges. Tell us about an experience that challenged/changed you. What kind of leader are you? Why do you think you are a match for TAA? Resumes and Cover Letters should be emailed to: [email protected]. Contact: Marilyn Schlein Kramer & Jonathan Katz, Co-chairs, Rabbi Search Committee. Website: www.taagloucester.org. (Please see Rabbi Kramer-Mazer for a full job description).

(updated 9/29/23)