Assistant Rabbi/Rabbinic Youth Director Position (Young Israel of Staten Island)
The Young Israel of Staten Island has been a staple of the Staten Island Jewish community for over 50 years, and is the largest synagogue on Staten Island with a membership of over 400 families. It is a Makom Torah and Avodah where we offer multiple daily minyanim and shiurim for men, women and children. While Staten Island is located in New York City, our community has an out-of-town enthusiasm and vibe.
We have a number of Jewish Day Schools and a boys High School/Yeshiva. The main school that our community sends their children to is Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah Rabbi Jacob Joseph School (www.ymht.org). We have two meat eateries, one dairy pizza store, as well as two Kosher supermarkets. There is an eruv around the community, and multiple mikvahs for both men and women. We are also a bridge away from Brooklyn with its many shuls, schools, yeshivas, restaurants and other Jewish establishments, and only 35 minutes away from the Teaneck/Bergenfield Jewish community.
What makes our community unique is that everyone knows everyone. We are a close-knit community and are looking for a young Rabbi and Rebbetzin to connect with our young families and their children. It is our hope that this new Assistant Rabbi/Rabbinic Youth Director will be able to perform the job requirements of an Assistant Rabbi and run a Youth Department.
The Assistant Rabbi/Rabbinic Youth Director is a part time position. The Rabbi will benefit from the guidance and leadership of our Morah D’Asrah, Rabbi Yaakov Lehrfield, who has been our Rav for over 20 years. The Rabbi will engage our membership, predominantly our younger families, and promote Limud HaTorah and Chesed within our community. The Rabbi will be involved with teaching Torah, providing pastoral support, spearheading and enhancing our young community education programming and working with our youth. In addition, the Rabbi will partner with our Board of Directors, more specifically the Second Vice President/Youth Vice President, in creating a fun and content-rich Youth group experience which includes compelling Jewish educational and social activities for youths of all ages and young families.
Our ideal candidate is a dynamic individual who can develop programs across a range of Jewish educational levels, encourage spiritual growth, engage our young community, and try to grow our community with more young families.
Responsibilities:
- Assistant Rabbi
- Participate in daily and Shabbos minyanim when possible.
- Deliver a Shabbos drasha to our 8AM Shabbos Minyan and 9:30AM Sephardic Minyan (this minyan mostly includes our young community).
- Deliver a weekly shiur (any night between Sunday and Thursday) (optional).
- Deliver a weekly Shabbos shiur prior to Mincha during longer Shabbos afternoons.
- Once per month, deliver the Shabbos afternoon shiur between Mincha and Maariv.
- During the winter months, deliver the Friday night shiur between Kabalas Shabbos and Maariv every other Shabbos.
- Fill in for Rabbi Lehrfield in his absence, e.g., shiur between Mincha and Maariv, attend life cycle events at the direction of Rabbi Lehrfield, when a conflict of rabbinical duties requires same, or when Rabbi Lehrfield is on vacation.
- Attend community events when possible.
- Be involved in community growth committee activities.
- Provide pastoral guidance to members.
- Host Shabbos and Yom Tov Meals.
- Youth Director
- Develop, implement and supervise youth programming and informal education for all ages of youth.
- Weekly programming on Shabbos morning and Shabbos afternoon, including supervising all aspects of youth department, including, but not limited to, Shabbos morning groups, Shabbos afternoon groups, junior congregation davening, and teen minyan.
- Special programming in advance of and/or on all Chaggim.
- Recruiting, hiring, training and supervision of staff.
- Coordination of other programming which shall include (i) a minimum of one program per month for youth on either Motzei Shabbos, Sunday or during the week, (ii) programs during Chol Hamoed Sukkot and Chol Hamoed Pesach, (iii) kickoff and end of year events and (iv) other activities for various ages.
- Advertising for all programming through emails, the Young Israel of Staten Island bulletin and website, and social media.
- Youth programming budget preparation and keeping accurate and comprehensive records of budgetary items.
- Prepare calendar of events.
- Communicate in a timely manner with parents and membership.
- Solicit member sponsorship.
Qualifiations
- Smicha and Torah education scholarship.
- Excellent people skills to relate to members of all ages and backgrounds.
- A Hashkafa consistent with a Shul that values and promotes Modern Orthodoxy, religious Zionism and a commitment to Limud HaTorah and Mitzvos.
- Comfort with public speaking.
- A Rebbetzin who wants to partner with the Rabbi in terms of the youth director responsibilities is a plus, and will result in higher compensation.
Compensation
- YISI is offering a salary package at approximately $75,000. In addition, YISI will provide financial support for relocation expenses and assistance with rent/mortgage for housing.
- This is an excellent opportunity for a passionate Rabbi and Rebbetzin interested in making a significant impact to our shul and growing our community. Additionally, we can try to help facilitate employment for a spouse at a local Jewish school and/or institution.
