Overview

The Chicago Board of Rabbis (CBR) and the Jewish United Fund (JUF) have developed a unique, new full-time shared professional position.  The CBR seeks a Rabbi to serve as Executive Vice President. JUF seeks a Rabbinic Educator to provide a rabbinic voice within the team of professionals who develop and implement outreach and engagement programs of the Jewish Federation’s local system. The successful candidate should have five to ten years of congregational experience or its equivalent and be able to work within a strong organizational structure. Experience in interreligious activities is a necessity. The ideal candidate meets the membership requirement of the CBR as described below.

Those with interest in further exploring the position may contact Rabbi Michael Balinsky, the current Executive Vice President of CBR, at michaelbalinsky@juf.org, or Rabbi Scott Aaron, Executive Director of JUF’s Community Foundation for Jewish Education, at scottaaron@juf.org.

 

Position Description

There are two separate areas of focus for this Position: Chicago Board of Rabbis; Jewish Federation Community Outreach and Engagement.  We anticipate approximately half-time being devoted to each area.  For the CBR portion, the incumbent will report directly to the President and Officers of the CBR.  For the Community Outreach and Engagement portion, the incumbent will report to the senior staff member of the Department of Jewish Education.  An overview of responsibilities is as follows:

Executive Vice President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis:

  1. Works with the Officers and Executive Committee of the CBR to set policy and implement programs and serves as a trusted colleague available to be consulted by CBR members.
  2. Oversees the office, administration, and communications of the CBR, including managing the team which provides for religious services and classes at the Great Lakes Naval Base.
  3. Serves on the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, participates/leads other interreligious activities, often with JUF’s Judaic Scholar and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), and represents the rabbinate in civic and religious settings.
  4. Serves as a link and resource to Federation staff, local agencies, and rabbis, including recommending rabbinic participants on the JCRC, Government Affairs Committee and other Federation committees when requested.
  5. Works closely with CBR chaplains and Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) on the Jewish Healing Network and Tikvah-Jewish Chaplaincy program.
  6. Serves as a clearinghouse for community members looking for conversion or for rabbis for religious ceremonies

Rabbinic Educator

Provides expertise as part of Jewish Federation’s pluralistic Community Outreach and Engagement and Jewish Education teams:

  1. As a member of these teams works to conceive, conduct background research, develop program plans, budgets and evaluation plans for programming designed to engage more Chicago-area Jews in Jewish life.
  2. Plays an educator role as part of teams who will implement program services for young families, teens, young adults, volunteers, and synagogues.
  3. Serves as a resource for Federation staff to help elevate the Jewish content of program operations.

For the CBR and JUF, generally, there are no expectations of work on Shabbat and the Festivals/Haggim/Jewish Holidays.

Work Remotely: no
Qualifications:

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS Five to ten years of congregational experience or its equivalent. Meets the membership requirement of the CBR as described above. Demonstrated experience required: working within a strong organizational structure working in interreligious activities program development and implementation working with a Board of lay leaders Excellent interpersonal, organizational, written and oral communication skills, including public speaking in large and small groups Pluralistic orientation for outreach and engagement of Jews and Jewish families Familiarity with the Chicago Jewish community, the Federation system, and Jewish communal services. Proficient in all Microsoft Office Suite of Products.

Position Start Date: July 1, 2019
Salary Range: The total compensation includes salary and a comprehensive benefits package.
Send resumes and cover letter to:

To apply, please visit the JUF Careers page at www.juf.org/careers.

About

Chicago Board of Rabbis Membership Requirements Candidate must meet the membership requirements of CBR: Member in good standing of Central Conference of American Rabbis, Chicago Rabbinical Council, Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbinical Council of America and Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association; or Rabbis ordained by the Boston Hebrew College, the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and Yeshivat Maharat, even if they are not members of one of the rabbinical associations listed above.