Organization
Ohr Kodesh is a thriving Conservative synagogue in the inner suburbs of Washington, DC. Our shul attracts families and individuals seeking a serious, Shabbat-centric, observant, and egalitarian community. Moreover, as a house of worship serving a government town, our members are uniquely worldly, cultured, and committed to making the world a better place. Our Senior Rabbi joined our congregation approximately five years ago, and since then our numbers have grown dramatically. On any given Shabbat at least 300 participants (roughly half of whom are children) attend our sanctuary service, and often many more. With our membership broadening, we are eager to support our Senior Rabbi in deepening our community experience. We envision Shabbat services where a larger crowd doesn’t mean more chatting in the pews, but louder, more joyful singing; where we take full advantage of our congregants’ many skills to broaden and diversify leadership of services and learning; and where every person who walks in the door has a meaningful connection with clergy and community members.
The Opportunity
We are creating a new position for a candidate who is enthusiastic about helping to promote a spiritually engaged and welcoming community. The candidate would partner closely with our Senior Rabbi to enhance the ruach and kavanah of our davening, to facilitate meaningful educational opportunities, and to create a relationally connected community. There is ample opportunity for the right candidate to shape the role and to help lead us into the future.
Core Responsibilities
We encourage candidates with strong skills in at least 2-3 of these areas to apply.
Community Building
? Cultivate a relationally connected community—proactively meeting congregants, welcoming newcomers, and creating intergenerational connections.
? Provide compassionate support across the lifecycle (funerals, shiva, illness, births, weddings/auf-rufs), in partnership with our Senior Rabbi, including collaboration with chesed and chevra kaddisha committees.
? Facilitate inclusive practices for members with diverse needs and backgrounds.
Prayer, Music, and Pulpit Leadership
? Support our Senior Rabbi to develop and implement creative strategies to make our sanctuary a place of communal song and kavanah for the hundreds of congregants who join us every week.
? Recruit, mentor, and train lay shlichei tzibur, Torah/Haftarah readers, and service leaders (including teens and newer daveners).
? Facilitate a musically vibrant and participatory Shabbat, Yom Tov, High Holy Day and weekday services.
B’nei Mitzvah Program Coordination
? Lead or oversee the b’nei mitzvah program: date setting, individualized learning goals, Torah/Haftarah trop instruction (directly or via tutors), rehearsals, and celebration integrated into community tefillah.
? Effectively teach, and train teachers of, traditional liturgy and nusach as well as Torah and Haftarah trop, with the primary goal of giving students the tools to participate in services in the future.
Leadership and Collaboration
? Serve as a full partner with our Senior Rabbi, staff, and lay leaders to realize a shared vision for a spiritually meaningful and welcoming, inclusive culture.
? Coordinate with and empower volunteers.
? Model derech eretz, transparency, and thoughtful change management.
What You Bring:
We encourage candidates with strong skills in at least four of these areas to apply.
? Enthusiasm to help promote a spiritually engaged and welcoming community for our rapidly expanding congregation.
? Demonstrated expertise in Jewish liturgy, nusach, and communal prayer leadership; ability to inspire, train, and manage lay leaders.
? Proficiency in Torah/Haftarah leyning and trop—both personally and as a teacher/coach.
? Sensitivity and experience supporting lifecycle needs.
? Track record teaching teens and adults; comfort with classical sources and modern scholarship. An eagerness to spark the interest of adolescents in particular in Jewish texts and to think creatively about theological or artistic pathways through which students may find meaning in prayer and Torah.
? A collaborative, relational style; superb communication and facilitation skills.
? Alignment with halachically grounded, traditional-egalitarian practice; ease within a politically diverse, highly educated community.
? Musical leadership ability a plus.
Compensation and Benefits
? Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package (medical care, retirement contributions, paid time off, parental/family leave, professional development stipends).
Application
Have questions before you apply? Please email [email protected] and we will respond promptly.
To apply, email applications to: [email protected] with the subject line: [Your Name] – Position Application. Applications received prior to January 6, 2025, will be prioritized.
Please include:
? Resume/CV and a brief cover letter describing your alignment with OKC’s vision.
? Contact information for 2–3 references (references will not be contacted without prior coordination with the candidate).
? Optional: One d’var Torah sample (written or video link).
? Optional: a 2–4 minute audio or video demonstrating your tefillah leadership (e.g., a piece of nusach or a communal nigun).