Overview
Bet Shira Congregation is actively looking for a senior Rabbi. Bet Shira is located in Pinecrest, Florida, and is the only Conservative Congregation in the southern part of Miami-Dade County. It is a vibrant Conservative congregation that is in transition. It is a warm, loving and welcoming environment with a pre-school, religious school and adult education. Though, as a result of COVID, our services have become virtual or hybrid, we do have a daily minyan, Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat services, as well as a Havdalah service Saturday evening. We have special services for our children, “Jammies and Jeans”, Junior Congregation, affiliation with USY, Sisterhood and more. Many of our members are founding members of Bet Shira whose families have experienced the full gamut of rites of passage-bat/bar mitzvot, Hebrew School confirmations and graduations, aufrufs and weddings, as well as funerals and pastoral care for hospitalized family members. In some cases we have second and third generations of our founding families-truly l’dor v’dor.
We recently celebrated our 36th Anniversary, at which time we were honored by both Miami-Dade County and the Village of Pinecrest. We also honored our founding Rabbi, Rabbi David Auerbach z”l. The position of senior Rabbi will become available July 1, 2022.
Bet Shira , House of Song, is an inclusive, egalitarian Conservative synagogue embracing tradition and change. We are pluralistic and inclusive with services mostly in Hebrew. Our Rabbi will offer advice to our pre-school director and help oversee our current Hebrew school, as well as supervise Jewish experiences for children, adults, parents and families. The Rabbi will have pulpit duties as well as life cycle events of our congregants. We want our new Rabbi to connect with and inspire our children and families, and to be active in our vibrant South Florida Jewish Community. We would expect our Rabbi to engage young families to grow into positions of leadership. We would also expect our Rabbi to assist with fundraising and recruitment of new families. Our new Rabbi needs to be a strong spiritual leader and teacher, with innovative services and events to connect with the younger generation families.
Bet Shira is offering an amazing opportunity to a Rabbi who wants to lead the way in helping this Congregation restructure itself by creating, inspiring and connecting with both children and adults in new ways of learning, while retaining some of our traditions. We want someone who has vision and passion, who can think “outside the box.” Located in the center of South Dade’s Jewish community we would be attractive to any Rabbi seeking employment in a congregation such as Bet Shira.
In terms of population, the most recent and reliable data on the Jewish population of South Florida is from the “2014 Greater Miami Jewish Federation Population Study: A Portrait of the Miami Jewish Community” (“Federation Population Study”). The study, including its Summary Report and Executive Report, can be found online: https://jewishmiami.org/populationstudy/. While recognizing that this study is several years old and the numbers have likely changed, it appears to be the most recent available data. The Federation Population Study tells us that in South Dade alone (this area includes all zip codes south of Flagler Street and the offshore city of Key Biscayne), there are 17,100 Jewish households of 40,228 persons. In East Kendall (an area including Pinecrest, South Miami, and parts of Coral Gables; specifically, zip codes 33143, 33156, 33157, 33158, 33189, and 33190), where Bet Shira is located, there are 2,680 Jewish households of 7,687 persons. Of the 17,100 Jewish households in South Dade, only 32% are synagogue members. Thus, without even counting households belonging to other synagogues, in South Dade there are roughly 11,628 households of 27,355 persons who are potential Bet Shira members, based on this most recently available data.
Community organizations include:
● Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center (JCC), providing camp, educational programs, athletic facilities and social programs.
● Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS), providing home delivery and congregate meal programs for seniors and providing case management services to Holocaust survivors.
● Jewish Adoption and Family Service Options (JAFCO), providing child welfare services.
● JWorks, providing employment assistance.
● Hebrew Free Loan Association (HFLA), providing funding for housing assistance, medical expenses, education & medical needs.
- Rabbinical ordination from an accredited Conservative program/seminary.
- Congregational experience is preferred, but will consider recent graduates.
- Comprehensive Jewish spiritual and cultural knowledge. Hebrew proficiency a plus.
- Ability to daven and chant Torah.
- High personal, ethical and professional standards.
- Expert verbal and written communications skills.
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
- Solid background in education.
- Ability to adapt and appropriately handle stress.
- Computer proficiency.
Health Insurance
Vacation
Free Tuition for Early Childhood Center and Jewish Learning Center
Cellphone Allowance
Gap Insurance
Life Insurance
One Time Moving Expense
rabbisearchbetshira@gmail.com
About Bet Shira Congregation
We are an inclusive, egalitarian, community embracing tradition and change
Mission Statement
Bet Shira, House of Song, is an inclusive, egalitarian Conservative synagogue embracing tradition and change. Our synagogue is a spiritual home where our congregants and their families can develop a closer relationship with God and with each other through inspiring worship, beautiful music, exciting learning opportunities, diverse and innovative programming for all ages, and meaningful Tikkun Olam, making the world a better place.
