Part Time Cantorial Soloist

Temple Shalom, a 600-family inclusive Reform synagogue in Newton, Massachusetts, is seeking an experienced Cantorial Soloist with a love of Reform Jewish music and worship to join our collaborative team and congregation for a two-year contract beginning July 2022. This position will report to one of our co-senior rabbis and is approximately 30 hours per week mid-August through the end of June; 10 hours/week for six weeks in the summer.

Role Responsibilities:

Under the supervision and guidance of our co-senior rabbis, work collaboratively to create, develop, and lead worship experiences that include musical Friday evening Shabbat services, holiday celebrations, and High Holiday services.

Create weekly service outlines, prepare visual tefilah slides, and coordinate with tech professional to ensure services on both livestream, zoom, and in-person run smoothly

Lead music at B’nai Mitzvah services (approximately 25/year)

Support our lay led music committee (approx five-six meetings/year), attend and work with chair to convene meetings, create agenda, and plan music concerts and/or programming with the committee (two-four events/year)

Covid depending (our choir is not yet meeting), direct our volunteer choir. Build community through a shared love of music. Coordinate with our pianist/accompanist to review and rehearse the choir’s current repertoire, add new music and convene the group for rehearsals a minimum of once/month. Lead the choir during services (approximately three-five times/year).

Lead weekly music (guitar) in our nursery school and for our Grades K-6 learning and engagement programs (currently on Sundays and Wednesdays)

Covid depending, lead our lay and professional band (approximately seven-eight Shabbat evening services/year). This includes hiring musicians, working with the rabbis to create the service outline, and choosing appropriate music, organizing rehearsals

Meet with clergy on weekly or bi-weekly basis to vision, coordinate, and plan

Skills:

Ability to build quality relationships with members of all ages. An appreciation of diversity, knowledge and care for inclusive practices

Passion for Jewish music and worship, with demonstrable experience leading and developing prayer services based on Reform practice. Excellent knowledge of past and current Reform repertoire. A skilled teacher who is excited to introduce new music

Required: Ability to comfortably and fluently play guitar

Demonstrated experience communicating and collaborating with professional and lay partners

Experience leading a choir and/or band, ability to work collaboratively and comfortably with instrumentalists

Comfort with technology and able to utilize and navigate the many facets of Google suite (for example visual tefila using Google slides), and Zoom. The ability to work with our production/technology support to ensure all systems work as best they can both at home and in our sanctuary.

Compensation: $70,000 - $80,000 and commensurate with experience.
Paid vacation and sick time included; other benefits are negotiable and could include:
Employer contribution to retirement savings
Voice lessons/professional development allowance
Parsonage (if a member of the clergy)
ACC or other professional organization dues if applicable
Work from home when appropriate

How to apply:
Please submit a cover letter, resume and musical portfolio.
Temple Shalom is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcoming community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and beyond. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race or ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, living with disabilities, generation, socioeconomic class or veteran status. Candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.