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the search for a new cantor and educatorCongregation Beth El is undergoing a transition in the identity of certain members of its senior staff. This article is intended to answer some of the questions you may have about the Cantor and Educator positions and the search process.
In Spring 2007, Cantor Brian Reich announced that he would be leaving at the conclusion of his contract in June 2008, after 20 years of service to Beth El. During his time here, he taught a generation of children through the Beth El Religious School, tutored nearly a thousand b’nai mitzvah students and brought Jewish music and spirituality to countless adults. He has taught and inspired young and old to pray, taught them how to lead services and to chant from the Torah.
Beth El has had several devoted educators during its history. For the last eight years, Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman has been Beth El’s Rabbi Educator, providing leadership for our education programs and also serving in a rabbinic capacity. Rabbi Jane has brought creative programming to the Religious School and been actively involved in life cycles, counseling, adult education, women’s programs and the community as a rabbi of the congregation. The Board resolved in Fall 2007 that, upon the conclusion of the Rabbi Educator’s contract in June 2008, the position would be restructured to become a dedicated Educator position (as it had been for many years previously). This decision was made in the context of discussing the congregational budget and its needs. In light of this decision, Rabbi Litman has chosen to pursue other opportunities. We are grateful for her years of service and devotion to Beth El.
The Beth El Bylaws require that the President appoint a Cantor Search Committee to recommend a new Cantor to the Board. The Committee’s nominee must be approved by the Board by a 60% vote. The Board must also approve the Cantor’s employment contract. The Board also determined that a search committee should be appointed for a new Educator. This committee consists of current religious school parents, Religious School Committee members, and other lay leaders. The Board considered it most efficient that the Educator and Cantorial searches be conducted concurrently by a unified committee. The Committee’s nominee will be presented to the Board, who will make the final decision in concert with the Rabbi and Executive Director about the hiring of the Educator. Katherine Haynes Sanstad, President of Beth El, has appointed a diverse group of congregants to serve on the Cantor and Educator Search Committee. This group represents the wide range of Beth El congregants, but at the same time is small enough to work effectively and efficiently on behalf of the congregation.
The Search Committee members are: Cantor Search Sub-committee Stuart Berman Inna Gerlovina Robert Graup Ronna Honigman Peggy Kostick* Amy Oppenheimer Stacey Shulman Educator Search Sub-committee Lisa Cain Anita Cotton Lisa Friedman Dan Magid Jim Offel*
4. What is the process for selecting a new Cantor and Educator? The Search Committee was selected in October 2007 and met for the first time in December 2007. Our work which, broadly speaking, involves research, communications, recruitment, interviews, offers, and contract negotiation, began in December 2007. The Committee has undertaken many specific tasks in each of these areas to define Beth El’s needs and desires for a Cantor and Educator with whom to partner and to attract the strongest applicants. We want to keep you informed of the search process, which will proceed as follows:
5. What qualities are you looking for in the new Cantor? As part of the search process, the Cantor Search Sub-Committee will be seeking guidance and vision from congregants as to how they want music to contribute to their spiritual experience at Beth El and what they believe are the most important qualities to look for in the next Cantor for our congregation. A special forum was held on March 1 st for you to share your thoughts directly with us. We will also be informed by the Congregation-wide survey that was conducted as part of the search for our new Rabbi, the many congregational meetings held during that search, as well as from the formal and informal dialogues and discussions the Board and Rabbi Kahn have shared with members. Some of the qualities that have been identified are a Cantor who will 1) partner with the Rabbi to design and facilitate inspiring authentic and meaningful worship that emphasizes personal and congregational engagement, 2) be creative and versatile in his/her musical styles 3) be warm and personable, engaging and accessible, 4) administer the B’nai Mitzvah program, recommending best practices and innovative approaches, 5) have the ability to work and inspire a range of students.
Based on input from the Board, from participants in the Educator Search Forum on February 13th, and from congregants at large; the Committee seeks an Educator who will bring a creative vision for Jewish education that integrates the best practices currently being applied in congregational religious schools and who possesses the skills and knowledge to implement the vision. 7. How can I share my thoughts about the search process or other ideas I have with members of either the Cantor Search Sub-Committee or the Educator Search Sub-Committee? We encourage you to share your observations about the search process. Your comments will remain confidential. Let us know your thoughts on the qualities you feel are important in our next Cantor, the role of the Cantor as a service leader and teacher, your musical concerns and anything else you would like us to take into consideration. Let us know your thoughts on the qualities you feel are important in an Educator as well, including the role of the Educator in the larger context of Jewish learning in the Congregation and your vision for the religious school program. Please send your comments regarding the Cantor search to us at cantorinput@bethelberkeley.org and comments regarding the Educator search to us at searchinput@bethelberkeley.org .
We value every communication we receive. The committee will review and discuss the substance of what you tell us. In the interest of confidentiality, however, please do not expect a direct response from the Committee regarding the content of your message. We will respect your privacy, and all input that we receive will be held in the strictest confidence and will be shared only within the Committee.
The Search Committee wants to be as transparent, informative and accessible as possible in conducting the Cantor and Educator searches, while at the same time protecting the privacy of applicants and fostering complete candor in Committee deliberations and in private communications with congregants and others. Beth El’s Bylaws, to which the Committee is bound, reflect these sometimes competing goals, requiring both that the Committee solicit advice from the members and Board as it deems appropriate and that all deliberations of the Search Committee take place in executive session and be kept strictly confidential. A chief reason for confidentiality is that the mere suggestion or rumor that an applicant is considering another position may tarnish his or her current employment relationship to the great detriment of all parties. In addition, the Committee must address many personal facts about applicants that are not appropriate for the public domain. Only by assuring confidentiality will the Committee achieve open and frank discussions by and about those who apply. Accordingly, while we encourage your questions, the Committee is unable to share all of the details of its work. The integrity of the search process requires a judicious approach that, in keeping with Jewish values, protects applicants, Beth El members and the Committee from any kind of recrimination or Lashon harah (“evil tongue” or “bad mouthing”).
10. What opportunities will there be for congregants to participate in the search process? You can help us by describing how you want music to contribute to your spiritual experience at Beth El and what values are most important to you in Jewish education. It is also important to us to understand what you believe are the most important qualities to look for in our next cantor and Educator. If you were unable to participate in the Education or Cantor search forums, please send us an a confidential email with your thoughts.
11. Will I be able to hear the cantor candidates sing? According to the rules of the American Conference of Cantors, the primary resource for Reform cantors, through which we are working, “Candidates are not permitted to participate in worship services at an interviewing congregation.”
12. Will we hear about the process as it proceeds? How? We appreciate that members are eager to learn about the search process and we are committed to providing information about our findings and process as appropriate. We will update this website when we have news to share. There will be announcements in the weekly e-mail updates about community meetings or other opportunities to participate in the process. Finally, there will be regular articles in the Builder about the search process. If you know someone who is interested in the search process but doesn’t have access to, or isn’t comfortable using the Internet, please give that person’s name to Kate Lefkowitz in the Beth El office (510-848-3988 x235). She will send out periodic updates by US mail.
13. How are you advertising the openings? We have posted the Cantor position with the American Conference of Cantors, the primary resource for Reform cantors. For more information on the ACC please visit, http://www.accantors.org The Educator position has been posted with N.A.T.E. (National Association of Temple Educators) as well as jewishjobs.com. We have also posted the position locally in the "J" and on Craig's List.
14. What is an “invested” Cantor? In America, there are no licensing requirements for Cantors, as there are for lawyers and doctors. Anyone, even someone with no training at all, may call him/herself a cantor. Seminary trained cantors go through 5 years of graduate study at an accredited educational institution (usually the Jewish Theological Seminary's H.L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music for Conservative movement or at the School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, School of Sacred Music for Reform.) Both of these programs offer a five-year training program, and award graduate degrees in addition to ordination. Ordained cantors also belong to professional cantorial organizations that provide ongoing education, professional development, and ethical oversight.
15. Why are we posting the Cantor position with the Reform movement? Each accredited cantorial seminary is affiliated with a specific movement and the movement's umbrella organization of member congregations. Beth El is formally affiliated with the Reform movement. The Reform seminary, the School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, School of Sacred Music, trains cantors specifically to serve the needs and concerns of Reform Jews. The various movements have an interest in serving their own member congregations. Consequently, the Conservative movement usually does not let Reform congregations list with its placement service since its priority is serving its own member congregations. Similarly, the Reform movement will not allow Conservative congregations to list for placement of Reform cantors, because the Reform movement serves its member congregations. The same is generally true for Reconstructionist, Orthodox and organizations representing other branches of Judaism. Based on the movements’ policies, the most likely means of finding the match for Beth El is through a listing with the Reform movement.
16. Will we consider cantor candidates from outside the ACC? A qualified candidate from outside the Reform movement may approach the Search Committee through another means. However, we have an agreement with ACC to consider their candidates first. Unless we do not find a qualified candidate from the ACC, the Search Committee will not consider such applicants.
Many ways.
1301 Oxford St
Please note on the envelope whether your comments are directed to the Cantor or Educator search.
John Hartog, Chairperson
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