Overview

SEEKING A HALF-TIME RABBI  for this vibrant 15-year-old urban congregation

Our Community and History
Central Reform Temple of Boston, affectionately called CRT, had its beginnings in 2004, out of a recognition that there was a need for a progressive, Jewish experience for a variety of constituencies in the city center. Central Reform Temple (originally called “Boston Jewish Spirit”) was conceived by Rabbis Howard Berman and Devon Lerner as a special outreach to interfaith and multicultural families, LGBT people, urban dwellers, and all spiritual seekers interested in an accessible encounter with the liberal ideals and traditions of Reform Judaism.

Fifteen years later, we are an adult community, worshiping in the historic Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 15 Newbury Street. This small, close-knit community is committed to be a house of prayer for all people, worshipping in the progressive traditions of American Reform Judaism, nurturing spirituality and learning, and working for justice and peace in our community and the world. We are a part-time congregation, meeting bi-weekly for Friday night Shabbat services, experiencing the High Holy Days together as well as Passover, Sukkot, and other festivals and observances, and engaging in an array of learning and cultural programs together throughout the year.

As partners in a recently documented covenant relationship with Emmanuel Church, each congregation is faithfully rooted in its own distinct religious traditions and deeply committed to our shared spiritual roots. We practice modeling compassionate encounters between Judaism and Christianity that affirm the difficult challenges of history and aspire to new levels of understanding. We share the conviction that spiritual ideals, human creativity, and commitment to principles that elicit deep interpersonal connections are the underpinnings for advancing our core values. We cherish the same ultimate hopes for humanity.

Our Hopes and Dreams
The members of CRT have been engaging in a process of due diligence, identifying what brought us to the community, what keeps us here, what aspects of our life together are important and must be honored, and what is important to us when our founding Rabbi retires. We recently conducted a series of ‘community conversations’ to provide every CRT member with an opportunity to engage in this dialogue. About a third of our members participated, and everyone felt that it was a very meaningful exercise.

A few key, universal themes emerged from these conversations.  Without question, the CRT community is committed to staying together as a congregation when Rabbi Berman retires.  We are dedicated to remaining a clergy-led (not lay-led) faith community. We are looking for a part-time Rabbi who can serve us liturgically, programmatically, and pastorally, and who will embrace and foster our relationship with Emmanuel Church.

 
Expectations
Community & Hospitality: It has been said by many in our congregation, in so many settings and in so many ways, that “we come for the people’ who gather together at CRT. Our hospitality and “aggressive” friendliness are not just for show but emanate from the very core of who we are. Our music, our liturgy, our expansive approach to Torah and learning have made this a place that has drawn primarily an adult community looking for a spiritual home for themselves. Our next rabbi must be committed to fostering this culture of hospitality and community and ensuring CRT as a liberal Jewish presence in the city center.

Relationships: CRT is a place where we are able to live out our values as a Jewish community in the 21st century – our dedication to interfaith and LGBTQ individuals, couples and families, and our commitment to make our home a place of kindness and welcome to all who enter. This is most visible in the love and support that Emmanuel Church and CRT demonstrate in sharing a home and the values of Tikkun Olam. Our next rabbi will need to commit to these values and relationships.

Services, Holy Days & Festivals: The congregation is strongly liberal in its ritual and practices, describing itself as ‘classical reform’ (the American Reform tradition of the early reformers) participating in services that are primarily in English using the Union Prayer Book as its foundation. Services are rich in music, participatory, and welcoming of all spiritual seekers.

Teaching & Learning: Our next rabbi has the opportunity to build on our foundation of rich adult learning experiences. There is a desire for more teaching and educational opportunities.  People are open to continued and new experiences – weekday study sessions, Saturday Torah study, continuing the Torah through the Arts and Touring as Torah programs, history walks through the city, learning sessions led by congregants who are doing interesting work or avocational pursuits, and finding ways to extend our community relationship throughout the month (especially on non-service Shabbats).

Social Action: There is a growing desire for a deeper commitment and opportunity to engage in social action.  Because the community is small, finding ways for members to work together on a cause or action, perhaps collaborating or joining forces with other organizations with established programs. Our next rabbi can be influential in building pathways for the congregation.

Family: While we are predominantly an adult community, members still are looking for ways to incorporate children into our programs periodically. This includes our families with kids and our members with grandchildren. Finding ways to provide engagement for children in our lives that are doable presents both opportunity and challenge.  Our next rabbi will bring new ideas and a fresh perspective on ways to connect.

Requirements

•       Bi-weekly Friday evening services

•       High Holy Day services (Erev Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah morning, Kol Nidre, Yom Kippur)

•       Other festival celebrations (e.g. Sukkot, Passover, Chanukah)

•       Leading adult education (e.g. Torah study, Touring as Torah, Torah through the Arts, engaging other teachers, etc.)

•       Pastoral care

•       Participation in Back Bay Clergy Association (and interfaith community)

•       Seat on the Emmanuel Center Board (the collaboration between Emmanuel Church and CRT)

Tagged as: boston refrom congregations, half-time rabbi, progressive reform congregation

Timing Expectations: Half-time position, must live in the Greater Boston area
Rabbi Qualifications: • Ordination required • Post-graduate training desirable • 10+ years of congregational and/or directly related experience is desirable • Demonstrating a deep commitment to providing a welcoming, spiritual environment for our Jewish community • Learned in areas of Jewish religion, Torah, history, literature, culture, and spirituality • Able to transmit significant knowledge of Torah (in its broadest understanding) to adults • Able to work closely with the Rector at Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Work Remotely: no
Qualifications:

•       Ordination required

•       Post-graduate training desirable

•       10+ years of congregational and/or directly related experience is desirable

•       Demonstrating a deep commitment to providing a welcoming, spiritual environment for our Jewish community

•       Learned in areas of Jewish religion, Torah, history, literature, culture, and spirituality

•       Able to transmit significant knowledge of Torah (in its broadest understanding) to adults

•       Able to work closely with the Rector at Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Position Start Date: June 1st or July 1st, 2020
Send resumes and cover letter to:

Please email your resume and cover letter to president@centralreformtemple.org
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: DECEMBER 15, 2019.

http://www.centralreformtemple.org/

About Central Reform Temple

Our Community and History
Central Reform Temple of Boston, affectionately called CRT, had its beginnings in 2004, out of a recognition that there was a need for a progressive, Jewish experience for a variety of constituencies in the city center. Central Reform Temple (originally called “Boston Jewish Spirit”) was conceived by Rabbis Howard Berman and Devon Lerner as a special outreach to interfaith and multicultural families, LGBT people, urban dwellers, and all spiritual seekers interested in an accessible encounter with the liberal ideals and traditions of Reform Judaism.

Fifteen years later, we are an adult community, worshiping in the historic Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 15 Newbury Street. This small, close-knit community is committed to be a house of prayer for all people, worshipping in the progressive traditions of American Reform Judaism, nurturing spirituality and learning, and working for justice and peace in our community and the world. We are a part-time congregation, meeting bi-weekly for Friday night Shabbat services, experiencing the High Holy Days together as well as Passover, Sukkot, and other festivals and observances, and engaging in an array of learning and cultural programs together throughout the year.

As partners in a recently documented covenant relationship with Emmanuel Church, each congregation is faithfully rooted in its own distinct religious traditions and deeply committed to our shared spiritual roots. We practice modeling compassionate encounters between Judaism and Christianity that affirm the difficult challenges of history and aspire to new levels of understanding. We share the conviction that spiritual ideals, human creativity, and commitment to principles that elicit deep interpersonal connections are the underpinnings for advancing our core values. We cherish the same ultimate hopes for humanity.