Senior Cantor

BETH TZEDEC CONGREGATION (TORONTO): SENIOR CANTOR/HAZZAN

Beth Tzedec Congregation is approaching its 70^th Anniversary as a leading voice in Conservative Jewry in Canada and around the world.  We are enjoying unprecedented growth, particularly with our “under 40’s” congregants who now comprise nearly half of our total membership of 2200 family member units (5500+ individuals).  

Our Mission, adopted 3 years ago, is to Inspire and enable our members to live Meaningful Jewish Lives.  We embrace this across our Six Core Values: Pray, Connect, Learn, Celebrate, Care, and Give & Get.  To support this, our large and varied professional staff provide a broad range of spiritual and pastoral, educational, social, and cultural programs, and services. 

Prayer services and musical programs and events are central to the success of our Vision.  We seek to create and foster inclusive, uplifting, and engaging experiences that meet people's needs within the framework of a dynamic and authentic Conservative Judaism.  Through Prayer, Music, Thought and Practice, we inspire and enable meaningful Jewish spiritual activity and provide a welcoming experience to individuals, families, and guests, through both in-person and virtual engagements.  

Beth Tzedec conducts a twice-Daily Minyan.  On Shabbat, Yom Tov and High Holy Days, the Congregation incorporates multiple service options for our members and guests to experience prayer, including our core main service (held either in the Sanctuary or Chapel), lay-led Little Minyan service, monthly family services, meditation, and other specialized services. The Senior Cantor primarily officiates in the main service. 

The Spiritual Leadership Team currently includes two Rabbis, a Cantor, a full-time Ritual Director, an Artist-in-Residence as well as additional professional member engagement, education, and programming resources.  We are now looking to hire a Senior Cantor to join this team.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Role:

 The Senior Cantor position is full-time, and the primary roles are:

• Lead the congregation in prayer in accordance with our mission and mandate
• Serve as a musical and spiritual leader within the synagogue community; and
• Provide leadership and direction in the development and delivery of all music programs 

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. RITUAL

• In collaboration with the Cantor and the members of the Spiritual Leadership Team, develop, supervise, and lead Shabbat and all holiday services.
• Promote understanding and knowledge of the liturgy;
• Promote increased congregational involvement and engagement in all services;
• Attend and participate in scheduled minyanim and Shabbat and holiday services;
• Recruit, engage, and prepare a choir for the High Holidays and for Shabbatot and other ritual moments in conjunction with other musical professionals;
• Co-ordinate, prepare, and lead High Holiday services in the Main Sanctuary in collaboration with the Sr. Rabbi.
• Officiate at lifecycle events for congregational members and occasionally, on request, for non-members.
• Develop innovative programs, from time to time, for specific Hagim or Shabbatot.
• Read Torah when required due to absence of Ritual Director or other lay readers.
  
  

2. MUSIC PROGRAMMES AND EVENTS

• Develop and supervise (and participate in where appropriate) musical programs for the Congregation such as concerts or special music events;
• Promote knowledge and increased participation in musical activities with a particular focus on youth engagement, choir participation and bar/bat mitzvah training; and
• Recruit, develop and co-lead an in-house choir (and potentially a youth choir) to enhance Shabbat and Yom Tov services.
  
  

3. PASTORAL CARE

• Participate with other members of the clergy, in shiva and hospital visits, and other pastoral responsibilities.

4. EDUCATION

• Provide leadership and direction and oversee the musical aspects of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program;
• Teach educational courses and Bar/Bat Mitzvah students as necessary; and
• Provide a presence in the congregational school (for example: address topics within the curriculum or teach a class).
• Develop and teach liturgical, nusah, musical, and other Adult Education classes of interest. 

5. COMMUNITY

• Represent the Congregation on the Toronto Council of Hazzanim and other relevant programs such as the Cantors Assembly, USCJ programs or UJA Federation; and
• Provide lectures or music programs in the broader Jewish and non-Jewish community from time to time. 

6. OTHER RELATED DUTIES

• Provide leadership to develop and execute musical programming within the congregation and the Jewish community; and
• Participate in specific planned giving (Foundation and Endowment) initiatives and congregational fund-raising events.
• Input, support, and participate in the leadership or implementation of other programs and events as requested and needed.
• Other duties that may develop from time to time. 

7. ACCOUNTABILITY AND AUTHORITY:

• The Senior Cantor is hired by the Board of Directors of the Congregation and, in particular, will:
  • Maintain their musical independence within the strategic vision of the Congregation.  As a member of the Spiritual Leadership Team, the Senior Cantor works in partnership with the Senior Rabbi, who is the Ma'ara D'atra, who has halakhic and religious authority in the Congregation, and who is responsible for the overall pastoral, religious, educational, and programmatic activities of the congregation and the Spiritual Leadership Team.
  • Supervise the musical responsibilities of other musical professionals in matters of selection of repertoire, timing, and quality of performance.
  • Provide direct supervision and performance reviews of the Cantor and other musical professionals and staff.
  • Participate in the annual reviews of other Spiritual Leadership Team members.
    
    

8. SEARCH CRITERIA:
   QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIRED SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Vocal excellence
• Professionally educated and trained as a Hazzan
• Membership in the Cantors’ Assembly is preferred but not required
• Committed to promote Beth Tzedec’s inclusivity practices in ritual and non-ritual matters
• Respect for tradition with flexibility in practice
• Shabbat-observant in accordance with Conservative halacha
• Able to read and write music
• Experience directing or singing with professional or volunteer choirs
• Successful in developing congregational participation in ritual services
• Successful in composing and arranging music for services and special occasions
• Ability to teach members on topics of interests
• Openness to receiving and generating new creative ideas
• Team player
• Ability to play a musical instrument preferred.
• Proven ability to produce concerts and other musical programs.

SALARY

Compensation is very competitive and commensurate with experience.  For information concerning salary and benefits, please contact Corinne Promislow, Cantor Search Committee Co-Chair, at [email protected] 

TO APPLY:

Please send your cover letter, resume and music files to Corinne Promislow, Cantor Search Committee Co-Chair, at [email protected] by May 10, 2024.  We do appreciate all interest; however, only those selected to be interviewed will be contacted.