Musical Worship Leader

Part-time Interim Cantorial Soloist/Musical Worship Leader
Temple Shalom, Chevy Chase, MD
Our Community

Temple Shalom, a Reform Jewish congregation located in Chevy Chase, MD, is seeking an interim part-time Cantorial Soloist/Musical Worship Leader for the 2022–2023 fiscal year (starting July 1, 2022). Our diverse congregation of 400 plus families includes lifelong Reform Jews as well as members who grew up in different Jewish movements and other faith traditions. Temple Shalom’s worship style includes kavanot (intentions/reflections) with prayers sung and chanted in Hebrew and English in a warm, welcoming, and participatory setting. Music is central to our spiritual experience, and we incorporate a variety of contemporary, traditional, and folk-style Jewish music during most services. We seek a partner who will guide the musical components of our creative, engaging worship community. Please visit to learn more about our worship experience, and to learn more about our music program and its integration with our worship.

Qualifications

The candidate will join a worship team and should demonstrate strong collaboration skills (experience interacting with rabbis, temple staff, and religious school, camp, and lay leaders is an advantage). The candidate will work with the clergy team to enhance and create prayer experiences that reflect who we are as a congregational community. We seek a musical prayer leader who is engaging and will relate well to congregants of all ages, from toddlers to seniors. The candidate must have musical knowledge, experience in leading services while playing an instrument (guitar preferred), and songleading. The candidate will possess excellent vocal ability that inspires spirituality and encourages congregational participation. The candidate will be flexible and willing to explore a broad range of Jewish worship music.

Statement on Hiring

Frequently cited statistics show that women and people of underrepresented groups apply to jobs only when they meet 100 percent of the job qualifications. Temple Shalom encourages individuals to break those statistics. No candidate ever meets 100 percent of the requested qualifications. We look forward to your application.

Position Details

1. Serve as interim musical leader for the period July 2022 to June 2023, with the option to
   begin sooner if available.
2. Lead music for approximately 26 Friday night services over the course of the year, as
   well as 26 Saturday morning Shabbat services that may include somewhere between 5-11
   b’not/b’nai/simchat mitzvah services.
3. Shabbat evenings services are always welcoming to people of all ages
   -First Friday of every month is includes a Tot Shabbat and family service with
   youth and teen choir
   -Coordinate with a professional accompanist, choirs and other musicians for select
   services
   -Shabbat mornings may include b’not/b’nai/simchat mitzvah, Shabbat Morning
   Worship and Torah study, Tot Shabbat, and youth/teen services
   -Meet with for b’not/b’nai/simchat mitzvah families to help bar/bat/simchat
   mitzvah select liturgical settings for the service they will be leading
   -Work with the Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Educator, and/or worship team to plan music
   for Shabbat and other services
4. Engage with worship team to help lead High Holy Days services
5. Design and lead periodic family or youth family Saturday morning Shabbat or learning
   experiences.

Additional duties, depending on abilities, interests, and the congregation’s changing needs, may
include:

1. Lead services, song sessions, and/or music programs at one or more religious school
   Shabbatonim (Shabbat overnight programs) and retreats
2. Preparing with b’not/b’nai/simchat mitzvah students
3. Engage with the religious school in coordination with Director of Education
   -Sunday morning/evening religious school
   -Mid-week trope education
4. Serve as choir director for the adult, teen, and youth choir for Family Shabbat services
   and periodic services with adult choir.
5. Provide audio, visual, and technology services including support with the sound board
   and Zoom meetings.

   The duties above will be subject to the approval by Temple leadership and will include commensurate compensation.

   Base salary would be based upon an average of 20 hours/week for a minimum of 26 Friday night services, 26 Saturday morning services, a minimum of 5 bar/bat/simchat mitzvah services, and High Holy Days. Final salary will be adjusted based on additional hours, experience, interest, and skill set. Salary ranges from $35,000-$50,000.

   If applying for this position, please submit a cover letter that makes clear your experience in your various areas of interest and resume to TSMusic[at]templeshalom.net . Please upload two current video/audio samples to the following link (maximum of 500 mb per file): https://www.templeshalom.net/upload/ Applications will be accepted until February 28, 2022 and will be reviewed as they are received. Selected applicants will be contacted for a virtual interview.