Part-Time Cantor

Part-Time Cantor - Columbia Jewish Congregation

Columbia, Maryland

20 hours/week on average

Overview

The Cantor is an integral part of sustaining and growing the Columbia Jewish Congregation (CJC) community and the Congregation’s Jewish identity while enhancing  the spiritual life of the Congregation through music and song. As a teacher of Torah, Hebrew and liturgy, the Cantor imbues the love of language, text and music in both children and adults. The Cantor is part of the clergy team, supporting and working alongside the Rabbi and lay leaders with an emphasis on collaboration, innovation and creativity.

Sustain and Grow

• Religious Services - Read and chant Torah, provide musical direction
  • Lead or co-lead Shabbat services
  • Perform cantorial components of High Holy Day services
  • Lead or co-lead other holiday and festival services
  • Lead or co-lead monthly Shabbat programs for families with young children
• Participate in creating and leading other congregational events
• Officiate or co-officiate at congregants’ life cycle events, such as weddings (including interfaith and LGBTQIA+ weddings) and funerals
• Provide pastoral care to congregants

Enhance

• Develop the musical component of religious services
• Direct choir (after HHD 2023) and collaborate with musicians
• Encourage congregational singing at religious services
• Bring musical involvement to youth

Educate

• Tutor B’Mitzvah students to lead a Saturday morning service including reciting prayers and chanting Torah (an average of 10 students per year)
• Work with Rabbi to ensure students are fully prepared for their B’Mitzvah
• Teach a variety of ages and interest groups, including adult education classes (average 2 per year) and periodic classroom visits in religious school
• Build a lay corps of Torah and Haftorah chanters

Collaborate

• Support and collaborate with the Rabbi and lay leaders in creating innovative and meaningful worship
• Work closely with synagogue staff and congregational leadership, participating in synagogue committees as needed
• Collaborate, periodically, with the Jewish Federation of Howard County, other congregations that share space with CJC at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, and other religious and non-religious organizations in the community
• Participate in community events and concerts (Jewish and interfaith) and other forms of community outreach, representing the best of CJC with a view toward attracting new congregational membership

Qualifications

• Knowledge of nusach, trope and liturgy  
• Knowledge of liturgy for life cycle events
• Ability to read Hebrew and read and chant Torah
• Ability to sing and lead congregants of all ages in singing
• Ability to teach children and adults
• Ability to lead choirs
• Knowledge and competency in computer usage (including Microsoft Office, Google Docs, recording audio files, using Zoom and other communication tools)
• Knowledge of Reconstructionist prayer books, Kol HaNeshamah, preferred
• Ability to play guitar or another musical instrument, preferred
• Ability to read music, preferred

About Columbia Jewish Congregation 

Columbia Jewish Congregation (CJC), located in the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center in Columbia, MD is a welcoming, egalitarian community affiliated with Reconstructing Judaism). CJC was founded in the late 1960’s by residents who brought an experimental spirit and desire to create a more personal Jewish community than the synagogue life of their youth. They wanted to raise their children in a progressive environment open to all varieties of Jewish practice and learning. Now an established congregation of approximately 180 households, including traditional, interfaith, LGBTQIA+ families, and singles, CJC strives to be an inspirational Jewish home that lives Torah values in our congregation and the broader community. 

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary/parsonage:  range of $40,000 to $45,000.  Choice of benefit plans offered by CJC to its full-time clergy and staff, with Cantor to pay 50% of the cost of the selected benefits, in light of the 20-hour average week.  Benefits include health, dental and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and AD&D.

TO APPLY 

Candidates should submit the following 3 separate documents via email to: [email protected]

• Cover letter expressing your interest and why you would be a good fit for the Cantor position
• Resume highlighting your relevant experience

Separate page of links to video / audio recordings - do not include in resume or cover letter