Job Description

Overview

Congregation Shir Tikvah was founded in 2002 and is seeking a spiritual leader to replace our founding Rabbi, who is retiring. We are conducting a search for a Rabbi who will play a pivotal role in our next stage of growth and development, while promoting Jewish traditions, values, and teachings within the congregation and the broader community. This individual will be responsible for coordinating our davening, supervising as well as teaching in our religious education program, supporting our network of congregant care, and guiding our community’s development as a kehillah kedoshah .

We currently have about 200 member families and are a very diverse community. Our Rabbi must be comfortable within this diversity. Members come from across the Jewish spectrum: Jew-by-birth, Jew-by-choice, queer, straight, trans, interfaith, atheist, devout believer. We welcome all who want to grapple with the beauty and contradictions of our sacred texts to better understand our faith, our world, and our place in it. The Rabbi must be able to lead, counsel, build, and communicate from this perspective. Incorporating music and singing is something many congregants desire and find helps build community and our connections to Judaism. Being a community builder is critically important.

Shir Tikvah was founded as a learning community , and that is still a major component of our DNA. Our founding Rabbi, Rabbi Ariel Stone, has brought a very deep and continually expanding understanding of Judaism that draws on diverse perspectives on Torah; we are seeking those qualities in our next Rabbi as well. Our Shabbat Torah study attracts 25–40 weekly participants in person, with another 20–35 on Zoom. We are looking for not only a scholar, but also a teacher who will engage with congregants active in their own learning, who wish to be challenged and to challenge the Rabbi. The Rabbi also leads a weekly Talmud class. Congregants will take over these classes when the Rabbi is unavailable. Congregants also lead a weekly queer Torah Study that averages about 10 participants and is supported by the Rabbi.

Social activism is important to the many congregants who take Tikkun Olam seriously. Healing the world, challenging the status quo when necessary, and working against injustice is part of the fabric of our shul. Healing within our shul through counseling and chaplaincy work is also a very important aspect of this role.

While our siddur draws on long-standing Jewish practices and our services are traditional, we are looking for a leader who is not afraid of innovation. As an example: our shul is housed in a non-traditional facility that we share with the Eastside Jewish Commons, with whom we work collaboratively in outreach to the Jewish community. The ability to approach change without fear, to be open to new ideas, and to be willing to try new approaches are key characteristics of our spiritual leader.

Community Description:

Our congregation is proud that we have built a diverse shul that has survived and grown over twenty years. We welcome a wide range of people to our community, many who for the first time in their lives have found acceptance in a religious setting. Members range from being religious to those who just wish to be a member of this community. Being a learning community is at the heart of Shir Tikvah – learning for adults, for children, and recently for teens.
We have survived and grown because over the years many members have given time to support congregational needs and help expand the congregation. We also are planning for the future through our endowment fund, and we have been able to raise funds as needed to support our conservative budgeting for operational needs each year.

Work Remotely: no

Qualifications:

The qualities we are looking for in a Rabbi include:

• Ordination as a Rabbi from a recognized rabbinical seminary
• Strong knowledge of Jewish theology, rituals, and traditions
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in pastoral care, teaching, and public speaking
• Demonstrated leadership and organizational abilities
• Commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth in Jewish studies and leadership
• Adherence to ethical standards and principles of halacha and middot in personal and professional conduct
• Understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and their connection to Jewish life across a spectrum of racial, cultural, and gender identities
• Deep knowledge about the State of Israel, a nuanced understanding and commitment to its flourishing, and a willingness to honor congregants who have diverse perspectives on the Middle East

Position Start Date: June 1, 2025

Benefits:

● Health Insurance
● 401 (k) match of 3%
● 4 Weeks Vacation
● .75 Time Position

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

Send resumes and cover letter to:

rabbisearch@shirtikvahpdx.org

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