Spiritual Leader (Rabbi or Cantor)

We are seeking a full time spiritual leader for our USCJ-affiliated Conservative synagogue with 125 membership units.  Our spiritual leader is responsible for pastoral counseling, guiding individuals and family in lifecycle events, overseeing our youth education in partnership with our PT Director of Youth Education, teaching and inspiring adult learners on the bimah and in other settings, prayer leading, and Torah reading. Our leader is also visible and active in the broader community, given that Congregation Beth Shalom is the locus of the liberal Jewish community in Stanislaus County.  In addition our leader works in partnership with our Board of Directors on lay leadership succession, setting a vision for the future of the community. Candidates for this position have or will have rabbinical or cantorial ordination by July 1, 2024.  They are interested in and skilled in pastoral counseling and care, soulful prayer leading and being an inspiring community leader both inside and outside the synagogue.  Here are some of the ways that we describe our top three essential skills for this position: Pastoral Counseling and Care: During this past year, when we have not had a FT rabbi and have had a visiting rabbi coming only on Shabbat and some holidays, we see a big need for our members to connect with a pastor, whether it be dealing with a divorce, family illness and other hardships.  Having a skillful pastor as a part of our community is a key part of ensuring that people feel cared for and connected to the community. While our lay leaders do engage in this time of care, we really need a rabbi who invests themselves in this important spiritual work. Prayer Leader: While we have members who can lead prayer, we need a skilled prayer leader.  This is a major role for the visiting rabbi when she is with our community and the prior rabbi led services at times so that the lay leaders do not have the full responsibility of leading all the time.  The community benefits from a capable rabbi modeling how to  lead prayer so that members become better prayer leaders themselves.  An intuitive rabbinic leader who loves prayer can curate an inspirational, joyful, creative, meditative and meaningful prayer experience and this is an important value to the community.  We are a community that is filled with active participants in services: we want to sing with our leader.  Our rabbi works in partnership with lay Torah readers to ensure that our 7-year Torah cycle (modified to be shorter than a triennial reading) is chanted on Shabbat mornings.  In the past, we have had a trained cantor join us for the High Holy Days. Larger Community Involvement (inside/outside):  It is essential that our rabbi be active as the spiritual representative in our community and in the greater Stanislaus County, to be the face of our shul and the greater Jewish community. It is key to our community that our rabbi engage with outreach programs, such as our existing interfaith dialogue and services that are so much a part of our community.  Whether attending city council meetings, cultivating and getting to know our mayor, or building relationships with the Islamic and our neighboring Catholic community down the street, our former rabbi opened many doors for us and we want that to continue. Other essential skills for the position include engaging our community in lifecycle events, skillfully teaching adults in our community, and the ability to supervise our PT Director of Youth Education. Salary: $110,000-$130,000 annually. Additional benefits: 9% Pension Contribution, FICA Coverage or Reimbursement, Convention Allowance/Continuing Education: $3000.00 annually, Payment of national Rabbinical or Cantorial Association dues, and where applicable, membership dues for the Northern CA Board of Rabbis, Annual expense line to host congregants for coffee/meals out and in home and to cover other expenses incorrect through leading the community: $2000.00, Vacation: 4 weeks annually and 2 additional Shabbatot off per year & Family Leave:  Two weeks over and above any state or federally mandated time. Full-time. Apply on: http://www.cbsmodesto.org.

(2/13/24)