Congregation Or HaTzafon

(Jewish Congregation of Fairbanks, Alaska)

Recruitment Bulletin

Student Rabbi or Cantor for Summer, 2024

When: Minimum 10 weeks to take place within the interval May 24, 2024 to August 2, 2024.

Who: Congregation Or HaTzafon is a Reform congregation of ~60 household members in a greater metropolitan area of about 90,000 people in interior Alaska. We have our own synagogue—a homey, remodeled duplex with a sanctuary, social hall, kitchen, library, and a private bedroom and bathroom for our student intern. We have interfaith families as well as members who run the gamut of Jewish upbringing and practice. Our community is warm, welcoming, and enthusiastic.

Nestled in Alaska’s scenic interior, Fairbanks has 24 hours of summer daylight, with warm days interspersed with chilly summer rains. We are just an hour’s drive from Chena Hot Springs and two hours from Denali National Park. Hiking and other outdoor activities abound.

We seek a summer student rabbi to help focus community activities and learning.

What: Primary duties include leading Friday evening services (unless there is a bar/bat mitzvah that weekend, when services are Saturday morning), leading Saturday morning Torah studies, being available for counseling, conducting a one-week day camp for about a dozen children (ages 5–12), teaching two to three adult education courses, and working with bar/bat mitzvah students. We are open to additional programming ideas.

We provide housing at our synagogue—private bedroom and bathroom, sanctuary, kitchen—or, when possible, in house-sitting arrangements set up by the synagogue. We include roundtrip airfare, car for in-town use, and a stipend of $600 per week (per Shabbat).

How to Apply: Please send a resume, recent drasha/sermon, writing sample, and two work references to Shelly Foint-Anderson at [email protected] or (907) 388-4738. The deadline for applications is April 21, 2024.

For more information on our congregation, please visit our website at https://www.orhatzafon.org/ and our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Or-HaTzafon-The-Jewish-Congregation-of-Fairbanks-100261940144068/

For more information regarding the summer student position, please contact:  Shelly Foint-Anderson at [email protected] or (907) 388-4738 ~ or ~ Thad Keener, President at [email protected] or (907) 460-4667.