Junior Rabbi and Rabbanit Team

Background

The Maida Vale Synagogue, at the junction of Lauderdale Road and Ashworth Road, is called Sha’ar Hashamayim but is customarily referred to as “Lauderdale Road”. It is one of three synagogues (the others are Bevis Marks in the City of London and Wembley) of the S&P Sephardi Community (formerly, the Spanish & Portuguese Jews’ Congregation). The congregation was founded in the City of London over 300 years ago by a community which had escaped the Inquisition to Amsterdam. It is a vibrant community with members from the founding families and also from Misrahi traditions. The community has over 800 families and aims to draw in more young families and continue to build.

Reporting Line

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The Junior Rabbi/Rabbanit team will report to the Senior Rabbi of the S&P and liaise with the existing Rabbi of Lauderdale Road, as well as the Lauderdale Road committee. The Rabbi of Lauderdale Road will offer training in ecclesiastical affairs.

Purpose of Role

To support the Rabbi of Lauderdale Road with ecclesiastical tasks and specifically to engage with the members of the community and potential new members to enable a thriving community and growth – in particular, engaging with young families and youth.

Working Hours: 1 Full Time (Rabbi) + 1 Part Time (Rabbanit) position

Salary: Competitive salary + benefits – plus accommodation, dependent on experience

Main duties

The Junior Rabbi is expected to:

1. Services

• Assist with ecclesiastical services and in particular reading the parasha on Shabbat /Yom Tob and leading services on the High Holy Days. Learning the minhag of our services will be essential.
• On occasion to deliver a sermon

2. Social Events/Programme

• Liaise with the Lauderdale Road Committee and Programme department to offer specific programming for young adults and families.
• Assist with the running of community programme events and attend those events (for example Yom Ha’atzmut event, Purim event, Chanukah and key festival events)
• Make his/their home available to members of the community for specific events e.g. at Chanukah or Shavuot and to offer hospitality (e.g. for meals on Shabbat) to visitors and members of the community

3. Lifecycle

Participate in all Lifecycles events (including burials) with the Rabbi (Rabbi Elia) and to, at times and as directed, assist the Rabbi in officiating on different occasions, including:

• Baby namings,
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah – Supervising progress and rehearsing each one
• Weddings (Preparation e.g. meetings of couple and family members prior to wedding)
• Preparation for the funeral arrangement (e.g. cemetery, family, Calos, Coroner Cases)
• Funerals service/Shivah/Shloshim service
• Subsequent cemetery visits (e.g. end of shiva week, shloshim and end of year)
  Stonesettings

4. Pastoral Care

• Take an active, compassionate and enthusiastic pastoral role towards members of the community, representing the synagogue and attending to the religious, spiritual and emotional needs of members and their families. Visiting and offering guidance, comfort and care to members of the community who have problems.

5. Young people/Youth

• Line manage the youth leaders ensuring that they engage in all possible ways with the youth and offer inspiring programme and services.
• Participating in children’s services
• Teach in Heder Sunday morning and engage with young families and children.

6. Local area

Form relationships within the local area including:

• Participate in interfaith meetings with local clergy

7. Specific projects

• Work with the Senior Rabbi on various projects and ambassadorial roles which build the community and focus on new members and family engagement.

Other duties

• Work with other Ministers of the Congregation on furthering the aims and aspirations of the S&P Congregation within Anglo Jewry.
• To visit Wembley and Bevis Marks on occasion and work as a part of a ministerial team.

Qualifications & attributes

• The individual must be a qualified Rabbi.
• Knowledge of the S&P Minhag is desirable, and the individual must commit to learning and improving their knowledge of this to an advanced level within a reasonable period.
• Participate in interfaith meetings with local clergy.
• Experience of delivering programme an advantage.
• Experience of youth work an advantage.
• Must be a self-starter with the ability to build and expand a community.
• Good organisational skills with the ability to use and organise potential talent within a community.
• Must have the ability to motivate young people to help in all aspects of building a community.

The Rabbanit’s duties

The Rabbanit will be expected to support the Rabbi in his general duties. The role also to include:

Home hospitality (on a weekly basis and all Chagim), hosting dinners / local events, meeting and greeting congregants, participating in children’s services, teaching (Heder and other ad hoc teaching as and when required) and other duties in line with community needs.

Salary commensurate with experience. 50 hours a week including evenings & weekends (divided between 1 Full time + 1 Part time post)
Accommodation is available on site – depending on experience.

The post is subject to receipt of satisfactory enhanced DBS (CRB).
Please send a covering letter + CV to: rachel@sephardi.org.uk
To arrive no later than 31st May 2018

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