Beth Am Prayer Leader (Shaliach/Shalichah Tzibur)

About Beth Am

Beth Am is an urban, egalitarian synagogue affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. As a warm, child-friendly, diverse congregation, we welcome interfaith families, Jews of Color, and LGBTQ+ Jews.

Located in Baltimore City, Beth Am is deeply rooted in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood, where we work closely with our neighbors as an anchor institution committed to justice and community partnership. Our congregants actively live out their Jewish values through service, advocacy, and engagement in the wider city, nation, and world.

Shabbat morning services are held every Saturday throughout the year in our historic sanctuary or our renovated modern Beit Midrash. They begin at 9:30 and are followed by a congregational kiddush luncheon. All are welcome to attend. Throughout the year, families celebrate Bnei Mitzvah simchas during the Shabbat service.  In addition to services for the chagim, we also have monthly instrumental Klei Kodesh services on Friday nights, as well as monthly Shabbat is Awesome services aimed at families with younger children.

What you hear at Beth Am services is a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary—from Weisgal, Sulzer, and Lewandowsky to contemporary prayer leaders like Navah Tehilah, Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz, and Joey Weisenberg. Services are led by our musical clergy, a diverse and talented group of lay leaders, our committed lay choir, and our Klei Kodesh Beth Am band.

Our Mission

To seek Jewish responses to life’s biggest questions. To foster sacred community in Reservoir Hill. To pursue justice in Baltimore and beyond.

Our Values and Vision

At Beth Am, Jews and their loved ones gather to engage in meaningful community building and discovery. As an intergenerational community of seekers, we draw on the depth and rootedness of the Jewish textual tradition. We value opportunities to connect with the ineffable oneness our tradition calls God. We embrace healthy skepticism but resist cynicism as we lead lives of curiosity and relevance.

As a do-it-yourself congregation in an historic urban synagogue, we have a deep sense of connection to place. We align our synagogue’s thriving with the well-being of our neighbors and the flourishing of our neighborhood. Our location in an historically Jewish and majority Black community motivates us to build relationships with our neighbors, work to dismantle systemic racism, and pursue justice for our city, country, and planet.

We welcome newcomers with open arms. As a “House of the People,” we are an assembly of generations gathering in shared spaces to joyfully explore life’s journey in sacred fellowship. We seek ways to map our ancient texts and traditions onto the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. In so doing, we seek the universal expression of particular Jewish ideals and values.

Beth Am members interact with our shul in various ways. When we gather, we cherish each other’s company, savor good food, laugh together, or enjoy the creative arts. When we daven, we take comfort in familiar melodies and also value the infusion of new tunes and approaches that shake us from complacency. When we advocate, organize, and march for justice, we do so with passion and purpose.

Responsibilities

The Shaliach/Shalichah Tzibur will:

• Serve as shaliach/shalichat tzibur for Shabbat and Yom Tov morning services with Siddur Lev Shalem as well as periodic Kabbalat Shabbat, instrumental Klei Kodesh, Shabbat is Awesome, and festival evening services. 
• Plan and implement a musical vision for Beth Am worship in partnership with the Rabbi,  which includes regularly engaging lay daveners, Torah readers and musicians to participate in services leadership.
• Collaborate with the Rabbi and staff/volunteers to facilitate Shabbat and Holiday youth services. Including preparation of order of service documents and Torah reading assignments
• Serve as the primary shaliach/shalichat tzibur for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Coordinate with the choir and choir director to weave Beth Am’s choral tradition into participatory Yamim Noraim services.
• Further develop and implement a robust B’nai Mitzvah experience for students and families including B’nei mitzvah administration 
• Engaging fully as a member of Beth Am’s clergy team, participating in major synagogue events and participating and leading member life cycle events as time allows.

The job could be expanded to include additional responsibilities such as:

• B’nai mitzvah tutoring for approximately ten kids per year
• Coverage for shiva minyans on an ad hoc basis
• Pastoral support as a member of the clergy team

Qualifications

The successful applicant will have:

• Traditional cantorial training and/or experience leading davening with a wide range of nusach/t’filah melodies
• Experience engaging a congregation in participatory Tefila 
• Competence in Jewish liturgy and Tanakh
• The ability to read music and proficiency in teaching music for prayer and tropes
• Facility collaborating with lay-leaders and promoting congregant participation
• Excellent written and oral communications skills
• Experience and enthusiasm working in a collaborative environment
• Experience leading vocal and/or instrumental ensembles

Research shows that many job applicants are reluctant to apply for roles for which they don't have all of the listed required qualifications. If you have many but not all of these qualifications and feel like you would be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation and Schedule

• Salary range: $25k-$30k per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Schedule is approximately 15 hrs/week averaged across the year
• Desired start date is July 1, 2026