Full-Time Rabbi/Director, Center for Jewish Life
Job Description
Rabbi/Director, Center for Jewish Life
Posted on: July 27, 2012
Posted by: Jewish Community Project Downtown MORE / LESSDESCRIPTION BACKGROUND
The Jewish Community Project (JCP) of Lower Manhattan, Inc. was founded in 2002 as a grass-roots effort to grow Jewish life in downtown NYC. Based in Tribeca, JCP is an open and organic Jewish community which enables individuals and families to become a creative force in the life of the organization, and to connect to others through Jewish educational, cultural, social, and spiritual programs.
The organization now serves approximately 600 families and individuals living in Tribeca, SoHo, West Village, Battery Park, and the Financial District, and has become synonymous with what it means to create a modern Jewish community life that is rich in values, culture, and tradition.
The JCP philosophy encourages people to have a strong sense of personal ownership of their Jewish identity, and the organization offers the tools to design and explore one’s own personal or family Jewish journey. JCP is a post-denominational organization, as it does not identify with any one particular Jewish movement. It seeks to provide offerings to which families of diverse Jewish and interfaith backgrounds can connect and enjoy together as a community. It provides a warm, inviting environment which allows people to express their Jewish self at all stages of life through high quality, innovative and creative programming.
Today, JCP operates a prominent early childhood center, which includes a Jewish community preschool and a variety of programming for children ages 6 months to 5 years; a pre-school day camp; a Hebrew school; youth programming; a series of large community-wide programs throughout the year; on-going adult education classes; and Shabbat and holiday celebrations.
For more information about JCP visit our website at www.jcpdowntown.org
POSITION
The Director for the Center for Jewish Life [CJL] is an exciting position at a pivotal time in the life of JCP. This professional will serve as the full time Rabbi for JCP, provide spiritual guidance for the community, and demonstrate professional leadership in developing a wide variety of programs and Jewish experiences for the JCP community.
As the lead Rabbi for JCP, the CJL Director will be someone who is comfortable with the full range of Jewish identification in the community, including interfaith families. She/he will genuinely and energetically project a warm, joyful and welcoming “come as you are”
persona, embrace the core values and mission of JCP, be a relationship builder both within the JCP community and externally, and actively reach out to JCP families and individuals to offer opportunities for exploring and deepening their Jewish connections.
Reporting to and supported by the JCP Executive Director, the CJL Director will partner with staff and volunteers to fulfill this role through many avenues. Among his/her many responsibilities, the CJL Director will be expected to:
Cultivate volunteers within the community for involvement in, and leadership of, all CJL programs, Offer meaningful spiritual guidance, inspiration and education around life-cycle events (baby namings, bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, shiva and others), Build upon and expand the current JCP palette of joyful Holiday and Shabbat programs, celebrations and services, Create and lead JCP High Holiday services and experiences, actively teach and guide volunteers to take leading roles, and ensure a family-friendly approach to community participation, Create, encourage and facilitate networks of families to celebrate and explore Jewish observances around Shabbat and Holidays in their homes, and help them take ownership of these networks for themselves over time, Design and lead classes, seminars, workshops, trips, experiences and e-teachings (for website, email blasts, blogs, etc.) for adults and families, related to a wide variety of Jewish themes, values and questions, Design and implement, in partnership with the Early Childhood Center, engaging and joyful programs geared for parents with very young children, Design and implement, in partnership with the Hebrew School Project, a creative, meaningful and attractive Bnai Mitzvah program for boys and girls, and facilitate celebration opportunities with neighborhood synagogues and other venues, Design and lead a spectrum of informal and fun Jewish experiences for grade-school aged children, creating a JCP youth community engaged with a wide variety of Jewish themes, values and questions, Design and implement, in partnership with the Hebrew School Project, a creative and meaningful Jewish experience/education program for middle-school and high-school aged students, Create a series of appropriate programs related to Tikkun Olam – community service and social action – for youth and adults, Create a series of appropriate programs and environmental elements related to the State of Israel, for youth and adults, including Israel’s history, contributions, challenges, and value to the Jewish People, Explore the creation of a meaningful Adult Bnai Mitzvah program, in line with community interest, Establish warm, collaborative peer relationships with community Rabbis and sister organizations, in coordination with the JCP Executive Director, Oversee promotional efforts to market and support all CJL activities, track and record resulting participation and interest, and actively solicit feedback / evaluations for all activities, Plan and manage expenses within the budget allocated for the CJL, Assist with financial and other resource development efforts on behalf of JCP, Recruit, support and evaluate rabbinic and other staff team members assigned to the CJL, Work collaboratively and productively with the JCP staff team, develop and deliver reports to JCP Board and Committee volunteers as requested, and perform other tasks or projects as requested by the JCP Executive Director.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate for this position will meet the following qualifications:
Rabbinic Ordination from an established Jewish seminary / institution of higher religious education.
Interest in being a part of a dynamic and evolving work environment, eager to take a leadership role in shaping the Jewish educational framework of an energetic and demanding community.
Committed to a long-term relationship with the downtown NY Jewish community at JCP.
Personal understanding of, and experience with, the dynamics of American-Jewish community organizations.
Experience in the Rabbinate, including pastoral counseling, life-cycle events, leadership of worship services, adult education, youth engagement, and leading informal Jewish experiences.
Passionate commitment to pluralistic Judaism, radiate a warm acceptance of all those who wish to be counted as part of our community.
Energetic, engaging and outgoing personality, with sensitivity to individual needs and an understanding of family/group dynamics.
Articulate, comfortable with public speaking, enjoy interactive study and exploration, open to questions and challenges.
Ability to maintain and model high personal, ethical and professional standards.
Organized, self-starter, creative, adaptive, multi-task well, able to lead his/her team and collaborate with other team leaders as well.
Open to new ways of doing things, seek direction and accept constructive feedback as appropriate, actively committed to professional development for self and team.
How to Apply
This position is open for immediate hire. To express interest in this unique professional opportunity, please send your cover letter, resume and salary history to jobs@jcpdowntown.org. Please write: Director CJL in the Subject Line.3708 total views, 2 today
