Overview

SPIRITUAL LEADER: BETHESDA JEWISH CONGREGATION

POSITION DESCRIPTION
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

Religious
·      Organize, manage, schedule, and facilitate all prayer services including Friday evening, Saturday morning, and all holidays, adhering to the life cycle of Torah. Services are in person and live streamed.
·      Create a warm, welcoming, and accepting prayer environment for people of all levels of Jewish knowledge and observance, as well as for children. Accept BJC’s egalitarian approach to worship: all who want to participate are embraced.

Lifecycle
·      Coordinate and officiate the lifecycle needs of the community, including but not limited to baby namings, B’nai Mitzvah, weddings, including interfaith and LBGTQ ceremonies.
·      Officiate at funerals, shivas, and provide bereavement support.

Education
·      Oversee the BJC youth education program, working with the School Coordinator.
·      Lead weekly Torah study.
·      Develop an array of innovative, relevant, and engaging programs for youth and adults

Pastoral Care
·      Attend to the spiritual/emotional, welfare, and personal needs of our members and their families, coordinating pastoral care with BJC’s Chesed Society.

Community Relationships
·      Foster and maintain relationships with Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church and the mosque that also share space at our building complex, to build on the traditions among the Abrahamic faiths.
·      Create a sense of community within the congregation and be the face of BJC. Support our commitment to social action and social justice in our community and the world.
·      Engage the range of backgrounds and experiences of our members, reach out to broad constituencies, such as LGBTQ, interfaith couples, etc.
·      Write a monthly column for the newsletter; engage in Social Media outlets on behalf of the congregation.

Synagogue Management and Administration
·      Attend monthly Board of Trustees meetings, providing a monthly report. Participate in committee meetings as warranted.
·      Provide day-to-day oversight of staff.
·      Manage discretionary funds.

Timing Expectations: Full Time
Rabbi Qualifications: Perform interfaith and LGBTQ marriages.
Community Description:

Bethesda, MD is a suburb of Washington,DC. It is rich with a robust Jewish life. There is a nearby JCC in MD, another in Washington, DC and another in nearby Norther Virginia. The Jewish Federation is here and is an active presence. Kosher food is easily procured and there are several Kosher around. There are many other congregation nearby, representing all of the major denominations. There are also a few Havurah. There are several Jewish day schools, although the local county schools are among the best in the nation. There is one Jewish newspaper, Washington Jewish Week.

Work Remotely: no
Qualifications:

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
Congregational experience is a plus, but recent graduates with relevant skills will be considered — we are looking for a leader who will grow with us.

Core Competencies
·      Demonstrate a high degree of oral and written communication.
·      Lead energetic and motivational services.
·      Be an outstanding communicator, able to clearly communicate with all age groups, able to impart knowledge to others and give concise, passionate, meaningful, and relevant teachings.
·      Learned in Halacha, Torah, Jewish history, literature, culture, spirituality, and Jewish observance.
·      Maintain a trans-denominational approach.

Essential Skills & Abilities
·      Capable of and willing to work collaboratively as part of a team with the Board, staff, and volunteers.
·      Ability to sing and play an accompanying instrument, or able to work in partnership with someone who does.
·      Maintain a high level of discretion and confidentiality at all times, such as adhering to HIPAA guidelines.
·      Maintain an open and flexible approach toward people from differing backgrounds: Sensitive to couples in interfaith relationships and their children, as well as LGBTQ members.
·      Able to work collaboratively with the Board to actively support and promote membership.
·      Be computer literate with basic programs, with social media skills a plus.

Position Start Date: July 1, 2022
Salary Range: $110,000-$125,000 Total Package
Send resumes and cover letter to:

search@bethesdajewish,org

About Bethesda Jewish Congregation

BJC serves Jews from traditional and liberal religious backgrounds, as well as secular Jews, interfaith couples, and their families. BJC has a proud history of welcoming anyone who wants to worship and participate with us. BJC is co-located with and has enjoyed an over 50-year relationship with Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church (BHPC) in residential Bethesda, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC. BJC and BHPC also partner with local mosques, engaging in many joint activities, while each remains faithful to its own religious roots.

We are seeking a Spiritual Leader who can lead us and expand upon our Jewish journey. A Spiritual Leader will find us open and supportive of the freedom to be innovative, and if an idea needs tweaking or dropping, supportive of trying again. Our members want to grow, to learn, and to serve in the cause of making the world and our community a better place. We are seeking a Spiritual Leader who wants to be a part of our lives and make deep connections. We are a diverse and strong community who will embrace our next Spiritual Leader.

As an unaffiliated congregation, we offer the opportunity to take a trans-denominational approach to worship.

When we describe ourselves, several key themes emerge. We love music as an essential component of worship. We are deeply committed to social action and working with the other Abrahamic faiths (as we are housed in a church). We love to learn and have fun together.