Shaare Torah, a Conservative synagogue in Gaithersburg, MD, seeks an interim rabbi for one year to provide guidance and a steady hand throughout our upcoming rabbi search.

About Shaare Torah

Shaare Torah aims to be an innovative, inclusive, transformative, Jewish space. We recognize that each congregant comes to Shaare Torah for a variety of reasons, and we look to ensure these are all equally respected.  Our congregation was founded to fill the needs of a progressive Jewish community in Montgomery County, Maryland. Our synagogue is based in a residential community (Kentlands/Lakelands), allowing for a true sense that we are not only our own synagogue, but part of the larger neighborhood.

Prior to the pandemic and since we have fully reopened, we have been in a state of growth and renewed energy and engagement.  We are a community in transition, as our Founding Rabbi of 20+ years departed the pulpit about five years ago to become CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). Our current rabbis (married to each other) will leave the region after their 3-year contract to attend to family needs.

Throughout the rabbinical transitions and COVID challenges, Shaare Torah has grown, both in membership and community impact. We look forward to meeting this rabbi search challenge with energy and commitment, identifying new rabbinic leadership, and continuing our progress towards meeting the needs of our community. This rabbi search presents our community with the chance to reflect on where we have been and where we want to go in our next 20+ years.

Our vision for our interim rabbi

Shaare Torah has an engaged membership and dedicated leadership, a dynamic Early Childhood Center (ECC), and an innovative religious school. Many synagogue members lead our creative programs and others can lead our Shabbat and chagim services. We hope that our interim rabbi will help guide our volunteer leaders as we continue to build our leadership bench, to grow our membership, and to meet the needs of our community. Our interim rabbi will help us prioritize our needs and provide wisdom throughout our permanent rabbi search.

In addition to supporting our leadership through the rabbinic transition, our interim rabbi will support our upcoming b’nai and gil mitzvah students, provide pastoral care for those in mourning or with health problems or in need of counseling, and attend to life-cycle events.

Our community has active adult education and adult chavurah programming and events. Our interim rabbi will support these programs by helping to plan and execute the programs our volunteers run.

The interim rabbi will attend periodic staff meetings and monthly board meetings, at the discretion of the president.

Additional Information

Although we are not restricting our search to members of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the interim rabbi will be expected to comport themselves in accordance with the laws and traditions of Conservative/Masorti Judaism as observed by our community.

We are seeking a candidate who can begin on July 1, 2024. A resume, cover letter and request for more information may be sent to Jennifer Schnur and David Freiman, Search Committee Co-Chairs, at [email protected]