Director of Prayer & Music (Shaliach-Shlichat Tzibur)

Director of Prayer & Music (Shaliach-Shlichat Tzibur) at Sutton Place Synagogue 

Sutton Place Synagogue (SPS) is a dynamic and vibrant Conservative congregation of approximately 460 families (and growing) on the East Side of Midtown Manhattan. We pride ourselves on being large enough to be “full service” across ages and interests, and small enough to offer personalized attention from the clergy and our administrative, programmatic, and educational teams.  We are seeking a Director of Prayer & Music (Shaliach/Shlichat Tzibur) to elevate our tefillah and music, deepen spiritual connection, and engage our community through prayer leadership, education and program innovation.  

Our congregation engages members through our services and through our three core educational pillars.  Our services are engaging and participatory. We often use musical instruments on Friday nights although not on Shabbat mornings or Holidays (except for Erev Simchat Torah). We currently engage a quartet on the High Holidays and our current Hazzan serves as the director for that. Additionally, we occasionally have our volunteer choir participate in our shabbat or holidays services to add meaningful moments at such as our Erev Shabbat Kristallnacht or Yom HaShoah observance. Most importantly, the goal of all services is for the congregation to be able to sing along and to feel a part of the service.

Educationally, Kaplan Nursery School offers a welcoming, play-based program for our youngest learners; the Jackson Religious School serves PreK-12th grade, and the Block Center for Jewish Exploration and Education, the newest addition at SPS, creates meaningful opportunities to connect with Jewish life in new ways for our adults though our director engages with all of our members.  These educational offerings are led by talented staff and clergy alongside a dedicated administrative and programming team. 

Do you have a love of Jewish community and an understanding of how Jewish music and prayer can elevate the spiritual lives of our members? We are excited to invite you to apply to join our professional team as our next Director of Music & Prayer (Shaliach/Schlichat Tzibur). 

The synagogue completed a strategic plan in 2022, and adopted the following mission statement, capturing the essence of our community:   

We are your Jewish Home, wherever you are, we…

•   Inspire through spiritual connections, meaningful prayer, and impactful tzedakah;
•   Educate through outstanding schools, compelling adult programming, and opportunities for growth and leadership; and
•   Engage through personal relationships, with a warm and vibrant membership shaped by local experiences, our relationship to Israel, and our commitment to Jews around the world.

…a community for every stage of life

Key Aspects of the Role: What You Will Do

1. Transformative Ritual Leadership

• Create Welcoming, Joyful Services: Lead Shabbat, daily, and holiday services where members are not just attending, but are excited to participate and sing along.
• Bridge Tradition and Innovation: Work collaboratively with the Rabbi and lay leadership to ensure services are deeply rooted in tradition while incorporating a discerning eye and ear toward innovative melodies and styles, finding the perfect balance for every moment of the Jewish year.
• Elevate Spirituality: Ensure that prayer, music, and spirituality are meaningful, moving, and profoundly welcoming to members and visitors by incorporating your voice, instrumental accompaniment (when appropriate), and the voice of our community into our services.

2. B'nei Mitzvah and Educational Leadership

• Empower Future Leaders: Play a central, hands-on role in the success of our foundational B’nei Mitzvah program.
• Program Oversight: Oversee and execute all B'nei Mitzvah tutoring in partnership with our Baal Koreh/Tutor, ensuring excellence in the instruction of Torah and Haftarah chanting and service leading with confidence and meaning.

3. Musical Program Development & Innovation

• Expand Music’s Reach: Develop creative, engaging programs that extend music beyond ritual services.
• Showcase Your/SPS’s Talent: Design and lead musical events, adult learning opportunities, and community programs that elevate SPS's musical profile within the broader community.
• Lead our Choir: Inspire, rehearse, and grow Kol Rinah, our volunteer choir for various events throughout the year.

4. Music Education for All Ages

• Instill a Love of Jewish Music: Engage learners across Kaplan Nursery School, Jackson Religious School, and teen programming to foster enduring connection.
• Seamless Progression: Use music and prayer as a tool for connection that keeps students engaged from preschool through B'nei Mitzvah and beyond.

Reporting line: This position reports to the Senior Rabbi/CEO and may supervise tutors and relevant contractors. 

What are we looking for?

We invite candidates with a wide variety of professional qualifications and congregational experiences. While some aspects of our job responsibilities are consistent with those of an ordained Cantor/Hazzan or Rabbi, ordination as such – while welcome and encouraged – is not a firm requirement. The following qualifications are more important than specific titles or specialized education. These qualifications include:

• Possess vocal skills and training and appreciation and knowledge of traditional and contemporary Jewish music, including liturgical settings. 
• Ability to manage and/or lead the full range of services held throughout the year, including weekly, daily and High Holiday services.
• Competency in reading and understanding Hebrew, and ability to read and teach Torah, Haftarah and Megillot though we do have a baal koreh who reads the majority of our Torah reading throughout the year.
• A love of teaching and working with students.
• A commitment to the values and practices of Conservative Judaism.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop positive relationships and inspire and encourage participation.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with synagogue staff and congregants on a range of activities.
• Excellent organization, time management and communication skills, including ability to organize and potentially direct areas of interest outside of traditional cantorial and/or rabbinic duties such as working with various affinity groups in the synagogue.

What do you bring?

You have a strong sense of musicality and an understanding of traditional and innovative Jewish worship. 

• Musical excellence and an understanding of Jewish prayer and liturgy remain a priority – strong voice, presence, and musical leadership.
• Worship should feel uplifting, connective, and spiritually resonant.
• However, musicality alone is not enough without the accompanying emotional and communal connection.

Having a strong and musical voice with the ability to adapt to the various services and programs inviting people to feel the energy and power of Jewish music as they sing along.

Community Engagement is something you love!

• Being a visible, accessible, and present figure in our communal experience.
• Knowing the congregation—building relationships and being present in both joyful and difficult moments—is essential.

The ability to work with people of all ages with varying backgrounds in all different aspects of synagogue life: daily/weekly/holiday services, teaching, and programming, with a can-do attitude. 

You are someone who exudes joy for the team and mission.

• Alignment on shared values and vision: someone who wants to grow with SPS and help SPS grow in return.
• Engages with the community naturally and authentically.
• Flexible and nimble: able to switch contexts quickly, pitch in wherever needed, and handle shifting priorities with calm and good judgment.
• Collaborative teammate: works seamlessly with clergy, educators, and staff within and beyond musical responsibilities, with a can-do approach.
• Problem solver: anticipates needs, adapts plans on the fly, and maintains a positive, solutions-oriented mindset.

Please note: While our ideal candidate is seeking a full-time role within the stated salary range and can fulfill the role as posted, we understand that great talent comes in many different forms.  If you believe you can excel in part of this role, we’d love to hear from you.  We are open to reworking the description and compensation to create a fit that works for both sides. 

More about Sutton Place Synagogue

The SPS team is a group of deeply caring and committed Jewish professionals, led by Rabbi Ain who is in her fourteenth year as the senior Rabbi/CEO at SPS. We also have an incredibly engaged lay team and truly offer something for every age and stage; this includes: 

• Kaplan Nursery School (& Parents Association) 
• Jackson Religious School
• Tot & Family programs 
• Teen programs
• Women’s League
• Men’s Club 
• Young Professionals (20s & 30s)
• B’yachad (Gen X)
• Day School Family Affinity Group
• BoCo (Boomer’s Community) 
• SPS Seniors 

These groups create a strong framework that helps every member of SPS find meaningful ways to engage with Jewish life and connect with our community.   

This is also a particularly invigorating time to join SPS as we just completed a capital campaign, ensuring that our values of community and security are evident from the first moment entering the building.

Here are some of SPS’s strengths!

1. A thoughtful, dedicated, and engaged congregation and board. 
2. Organized and effective clergy, educators, and administrative team that work both independently and collaboratively to fulfill the synagogue’s mission, reach new members, and engage with our current membership.
3. A dynamic and beloved senior rabbi who has been at SPS for more than a decade
4. A fiscally healthy and strong organization; we own our building and recently completed a successful capital campaign with a defined renovation plan that was completed on time and on budget.
5. A commitment to innovation and growth, demonstrated by the successful genesis, launch, and implementation of our Block Center for Jewish Exploration and Education.
6. Equally, a commitment to being an “old school shul,” reflected in strong participation in daily minyan, adult learning, High Holidays, celebration and support for Israel.  Our members also value giving their children a traditional Jewish education through religious school, while enjoying the flexibility of our two-day-a-week program. 
7. Our lay and staff leadership embrace a “yes and” approach.  Committed not only to exploring new ideas but to executing them, integrating them, and always asking what’s next.   This individual would be encouraged to bring fresh ideas and will have the support needed to turn them into reality.  
8. A diverse membership demographically; any given Friday night includes singles in their 20’s and 30’s, religious school families as they prepare for B’nei Mitzvah, retirees in their “next act” and more.  Even better, we not only offer individualized programs, we also encourage relationships across demographics to flourish. We have many individuals each year who go through a conversion process as part of our Living Judaism program. 
9. For this position in particular, a true love of Jewish music amongst the congregation and just as important a desire to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with a Shaliach/Shlichat Tzibur. 
10. There is a positive culture among members; they look for chances to “catch you doing something right.”  People regularly send emails thanking staff and lay leaders for their hard work.

Schedule and Expectations

This is an on-site, Shabbat-centric role in Midtown East, with regular daytime, evening, and weekend responsibilities. Typical duties include Shabbat services, daily minyan, festivals and High Holidays, rehearsals, educational programming, and life-cycle events. [Limited remote work may be possible for planning and preparation.] 

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Selected candidates may be invited to submit recordings and/or lead a sample service or rehearsal as part of the interview process. Employment is subject to work authorization and a background check consistent with SPS policy.