Service Leader

Job Description

Adath is a conservative egalitarian congregation that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. We are in reasonable driving distance to New York City and Philadelphia. We are seeking an energetic Music Leader to assist us to continue a two-year old monthly “Shabbat in the Round” musical Friday evening service.

Our goal is to continue a successful, well-attended Friday evening service that was initiated in 2022 by a JTS Cantorial student in conjunction with our Rabbi, Hazzan, and a Congregational Committee. We want the service to be musical, relatable, inspirational, energetic, participatory, fun, and respectful. In order to promote a sense of expectation and continuity, the Shabbat in the Round is held monthly and, if possible, on the same Friday evening each month.

The Music Leader will lead a “melody workshop’ beginning at 6:30p to provide some guidance and introduce the melodies that will be incorporated into the Friday evening service which follows at 7:30p. Some of the Shabbat in the Round attendees have begun to lead or Co-Lead some of the prayers and we want to continue this process. The Music Leader may tailor the liturgy based upon the Jewish Holiday cycle and will also focus on segments of the Congregation, e.g. religious school students or young adults. The Melody Workshop and Services in the Round are held in a cozy space in our Social Hall with an Oneg to follow. On occasion, we schedule a Congregational Dinner at 6p that flows into the Melody Workshop and then Friday evening service. The Song Leader is expected to attend the dinner at no charge.

We would consider kicking-off the Fall 2024 Shabbat in the Round with our new music leader providing an artist-in-residence weekend in early September which would lay the groundwork for new melodies and introduce the Music Leader to the Congregation.

We are seeking a Music Leader who is passionate and excited about working with our Congregation. Please advise at your earliest convenience whether you are interested in working with us, your availability, whether you are Shomer Shabbos, your proposed compensation, and anything else you think would be helpful including recordings or videos of your musical leadership.