Overview
Hebrew Congregation of Somers in Shenorock, NY is a Reconstructionist synagogue in northern Westchester. We are seeking applicants for a part-time rabbi position. The duties include planning and leading weekly Shabbat, holiday and High Holy Days services according to the schedule developed jointly with you, our cantor and the ritual committee. We have a first Friday Children’s service followed by a dairy Pot Luck dinner and the next 3-4 Shabbat services are on Saturday mornings. In lieu of a sermon, the rabbi leads a Lunch & Learn discussion after services with a light lunch Kiddush. We hold Religious school on Wednesday afternoons (4-6) and on Sunday mornings (9-12).
The rabbi’s responsibilities are to work with B’nei Mitzvah students on their program of study, coordinate participation with the students and their parents for their B’nei Mitzvah. Provide rabbinical services to members’ life-cycle events such as weddings and funerals in the Westchester and Putnam areas. Provide pastoral and counseling services to members of HCS including but not limited to visits and calls. Participate and/or conduct programs for the students in the HCS Religious school on a regular basis with the religious school director. Office hours generally coincide with the hours that religious school is in session. Be an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors, Ritual, Education and Membership committees and attend their meetings whenever possible. Participate in local Jewish and Community affairs including interfaith activities at your sole discretion. You will be governed by our by-laws, rituals, and practices.
We are a small 63 family membership in a secluded wooded setting. At present, our religious school has 26 students and 4 teachers.
Please send resume to our president, Mary Wolchan at maryzed@optonline.net
About
At HCS the rabbi’s responsibility is 4-6 on Wednesdays and 9-12 on Sundays. Those hours are for office hours, teaching, B’nei Mitzvah training, and counseling. There are 2-5 candidates for B’nei Mitzvah per year.
The other responsibilities are services 6:30-8:30 on one Friday a month and Saturday mornings 9:30-12:30. That adds up to 8 hours NOT counting prep time per week, calls or visits to the sick, shiva calls or funerals. We have 60 families. We average 2-4 funerals a year and sick visits are at the discretion of the rabbi. The building is not open during the week. There is no clerical staff. Volunteers do the day-to-day operations. We do have a cantor who provides back-up when the rabbi is away or not available. More prep and hours are needed during the High Holy Days but we also close (no Hebrew school/services ) during school holidays according to our local public school calendar. Somers Public schools. We usually close during 3 day weekends because we do not get the attendance.
We average 18 people on Saturday mornings and 30-40 on Friday nights because we have a Children’s service and a dairy Pot Luck dinner.