Joint Commission on Rabbinic Placement



Joint Commission on Rabbinic Placement

Congregational Questionnaire

The Rabbinical Assembly

3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027

Phone (212) 280-6000

Fax: (212) 749-9166

E-mail: placement@

***BEFORE YOU CONTINUE PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW***

INSTRUCTION (for Word 6.0 and Above)

1. You must use Word 6.0/95 and above to answer the questionnaire.

2. Please do not “Zip” the file or change the file format.

3. When you are finished you must save the questionnaire with a file name that

a. Is unique (i.e. “Organization Abbreviation”)

b. You can locate the file in your computer and attach it to an e-mail message when sending the completed questionnaire. Please send the completed questionnaire to: placement @.

4. Since you may spend some good time answering the questionnaire, you may want to SAVE THE DOCUMENT FREQUENTLY.

Part I

DATE OF APPLICATION ______________________________

(mm/dd/yy; example 09/08/02)

NAME OF SYNAGOGUE __________________________________________________

Name of President __________________________________________________

Information About Synagogue:

Address __________________________________________________

City __________________________________________________

State __________________________________________________

Postal Code __________________________________________________

Country __________________________________________________

Telephone __________________________________________________

Fax __________________________________________________

E-mail __________________________________________________

Name of Search Committee Chairperson:

__________________________________________________

Address-home _______________________________ Address-business_____________________________

City _______________________________ City _____________________________

State _______________________________ State _____________________________

Postal Code _______________________________ Postal Code _____________________________

Phone _______________________________ Phone _____________________________

Fax _______________________________ Fax _____________________________

E-mail _______________________________ E-mail _____________________________

Prefer to Receive mail at (please choose one) ( Business ( Home

Prefer to be called at: (please choose one) ( Business ( Home

President/Chief Volunteer Officer:

Title (Mr., Rabbi, Mrs.,) __________________________________________________

First Name __________________________________________________

Middle Name __________________________________________________

Last Name __________________________________________________

Business Phone __________________________________________________

Business E-Mail __________________________________________________

Home Phone __________________________________________________

Home E-Mail __________________________________________________

Prefer to Receive mail at (please choose one) ( Business ( Home

Prefer to be called at (please choose one) ( Business ( Home

Corresponding Secretary of the Search Committee

Title (Mr., Rabbi, Mrs.) __________________________________________________

First Name __________________________________________________

Middle Name __________________________________________________

Last Name __________________________________________________

Business Phone __________________________________________________

Business Email __________________________________________________

Home Phone __________________________________________________

Home Email __________________________________________________

SUMMARY QUESTIONS

Number of Membership Units of Congregation to closest 25, e.g. 225, 750 _______________

Indicate Senior Staff – Please write out Hazzan, Educator, Executive Director, Assistant Rabbi, Early Childhood Director, Ritual Director – Indicate full-time=FT or part-time=PT

1._______________________2.______________________3.____________________4._________________

5._______________________6.______________________

Day School in the Community – Write YES or NO _______

Instrumental Music on Shabbat – WriteYES or NO _______

Congregation is Egalitarian – Write YES or NO _______

Comments:

Congregational Information

A. Number of member units today: Total _______

Families _______ Single Members _______ Seniors ______

Children 0-4 _______ Children 5-13 _______

Age Distribution _________________________________

B. Number of member units five years ago: Total _______

Families _______ Single Members _______ Seniors ______

Children 0-4 _______ Children 5-13 _______

Age Distribution __________________________________

Future demographic projections of the congregation, are: ________________________________

Talk about the future demographics of the entire Jewish community as a whole:_______________

What website can the candidate check for more information:

For the synagogue _______________________________________

For the larger Jewish community __________________________

For the general geographic area __________________________

What is the best book to learn about:

Your Jewish community _______________________________________________

The general geographic area _______________________________________________

Other resources you may want to tell us about_________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Year synagogue founded ________

Please answer one of these questions -

a) For North America Congregations - Are you affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism? Write Yes or No ____________

What region of the USCJ _____________________________________

b) For overseas congregations: What is your connection to Masorti Olami? _____________________________________________

C. Synagogue Facility

Describe about your physical space:________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the Rabbi’s study ____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Where are religious services held? Describe the space ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

List and describe other professional synagogue or congregational staff, e.g. Cantor –leads services, conduct an Adult and children’s choir ____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Does the Rabbi have a secretary/assistant? Describe:________________________________________

Religious Life

Describe your siddurim – Do you have a primary one?_______________________________

Daily/weekday: _________________________

High Holy Days _________________________

Sabbath and Festivals: _________________________

Describe the Sabbath Service (e.g. congregational singing/Torah discussion, Hebrew/English

Usage):Talk about both Friday night and Shabbat morning. _____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Full Torah Reading Write yes or no ________

Triennial Torah Reading Write yes or no________

Other (desribe) _____________________

Who reads Torah?___________________________________________________

Describe the High Holy Day Services (e.g. choir, number of parallel services):

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

What religious event is the synagogue most proud of and why?________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Describe weekday Yom Tov services and programs________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Adult attendance at services (excluding Bar or Bat Mitzvah or other life cycle events)

Friday – Kabbalat Shabbat early___________ late________________

Shabbat morning ___________

Weekday Yom Tov morning_________ evening_____________

Daily Minyan morning___________ evening_____________

Describe the process used to make ritual decisions:

What are your congregation’s attitudes about Conversion and Intermarriage? (involvement in synagogue program, membership policy)

In addition to leading religious services; the next most important tasks/priorities/roles of the Rabbi is?

List three:

What is your congregation’s current practice regarding:

Instrumental music on Shabbat?

Video taping on Shabbat?

Participation of women?

Ritual or religious trends the candidate should know about:_____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The last major religious policy change was:__________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the impact_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The next major religious policy issue facing the congregation will probably be?______________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

What religious policies/traditions should the next Rabbi make sure to preserve?______________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Programming

Describe three current synagogue events your congregation is most proud of?

Describe a unique synagogue event:

Other committees and programs the Rabbi should know about?

Women’s League/Sisterhood Membership Total: ______

Describe role in congregation:

Men’s Club Membership Total: _______

Describe role in congregation:

Describe your current Adult Education Program:

What involvement are you looking for from Rabbi in Adult Ed Program?

Congregation Education

How many days does afternoon school meet? (two, three) _________________

How many students are in the school grades aleph to heh? – Total ___________

Expectations of the new Rabbi in relationship to the school:

Describe Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program:

What percentage of Children continue after Bar/Bat Mitzvah? ______________

What expectation do you have of the new rabbi with the Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah program.

Describe the Early Childhood Program of Synagogue (including # of Students):

What percentage of ECE families continue membership after finishing the school? ______

What is current Rabbi’s role in ECE?

Describe the youth activities?

How many go to Camp Ramah?_________ Involved with USY?_________

USY Summer programs _________ Kadima _________

D. Community Profile

1. Other synagogues

Are there other synagogues in the local area? ______ How many? ______

What branch?____________________________________________

Describe your relationship with them:

How does your synagogue differ from them?________________________________

2. Jewish Community

Describe the other local Jewish community institutions:

What is the synagogue’s relationship to them?

What is the role of the current Rabbi in the greater Jewish community outside of the synagogue?

3. College and Universities (List those in close proximity)

Does the Rabbi have a role?

4. Is there a Jewish day school in or near your community? Write Yes or No _____

Solomon Schechter Day School Write Yes or No ______

Number of students in local Jewish Day Schools _______

Through what grade? ______

Number of students from your synagogue ______

G.

Name of present Rabbi __________________________________ Years served ______

Name of preceding Rabbi __________________________________ Years served ______

Name of preceding Rabbi __________________________________ Years served ______

Name of Cantor(Hazzan)__________________________________ Years served ______

Name of Executive Director________________________________ Years served ______

Name of Educational Director_______________________________ Years served ______

Does Rabbi attend Board meetings: Yes No

Comments:

Is Rabbi expected to attend other committee meetings? (Explain)

Why are you currently searching for a new rabbinic leadership?

What is it about your synagogue that makes your synagogue particularly attractive to a Rabbi?

Part II – Synagogue Finances

Remuneration

We ask you to indicate either a specific figure(s) or a specific range. The “Proposed Salary” section should read, for example, “the salary range is $70,000 to $80,000” or “the minimum salary base is $60,000 or the maximum salary is $120,000.” We ask you not to write “negotiable” with no numbers attached. (Enter additional comments below)

a) Proposed salary ________ (include parsonage if housing not provided)

and/or

b) Percentage of pension in addition to salary _____________

*Additional comments)

c) Standard benefits for Rabbi in addition to salary (not included in “a” above):

Income- Disability Insurance

Major Medical Insurance – Hospitalization

Convention Allowance/Continuing Education

Professional Dues

Describe the benefits arrangements.

d) Other benefits?

e) Additional comments:

(If outside the united States, please describe arrangements for medical coverage, private, insurance, etc.)

Housing (in addition to proposed salary)

a) Housing provided by Congregation? Yes No

b) If so, distance from Synagogue ______ miles (please enter one number, use additional comments if necessary)

c) Where housing not provided by the Congregation:

Cost of Housing? ___________________________________(please enter one number)

Cost ranges? Minimum Cost_______________ Maximum Cost___________________

Type? _____________________________________________________________

Distance? _______________________________________________________

Does the Rabbi need to ride to shul on Shabbat? _________

d) Housing arrangements with current Rabbi?

Are you willing to help the Rabbi purchase a residence? Yes No

If yes, please explain how.

Budget

(All amounts are in U.S. Dollars)

Size of Congregational budget? ________

Status of Financial condition?

Accumulated deficit is:

Describe sources of revenue (e.g. fundraising, income from pre-school)

If there a deficit this year, how is it met?

Does the current Rabbi have a role in fundraising?

Part III – Primary Mission

This section must reflect a consensus of the Search Committee

a) What is your congregation’s style?

b) What are the congregation’s core values? (list 3-5)

c) What are the three primary goals of your synagogue?

d) What is unique about your congregation?

e) What are your congregation’s strengths?(list three)

f) What are your congregation’s weaknesses?(list three)

g) The three most important issues to confront your synagogue in the next five years will be:

1.

2.

3.

h) What three qualities are most important to you in your new Rabbi?

1.

2.

3.

i) The three most important priorities of our Rabbi should be:

1.

2.

3.

What role does the Rabbi have in hiring/firing and supervision of staff?

j) The single most important issue a Rabbi needs to know about your congregation is:

k) What do you want the Rabbi to change?

l) What do you want the Rabbi to preserve?

m) What do you want the Rabbi to build?

n) How do you expect the rabbinic position to change over the next few years?

***FOR SENIOR RABBI YOU ARE FINISHED WITH THE SURVEY***

*** FOR ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE RABBI PLEASE CONTINUE***

Part IV

Name of preceding Second Rabbis were 1. ______________________

2. ______________________

3. ______________________

Describe relationship to Senior Rabbi:

Three most important priorities of Second Rabbi:

1.

2.

3.

Specific areas of responsibilities will be:

Role of Second Rabbi on the High Holy Days will be:

Role of Second Rabbi with regard to life cycle events:

Role of Second Rabbi with Youth Department:

Role of Second Rabbi with School Department-Elementary and High School. Pre-school:

Role of Second Rabbi with Adult Education:

Role of Second Rabbi with B’nai Mitzvah

Role of Second Rabbi with local Day School:

Additional comments:

Statement by Senior Rabbi about his/her vision of relationship to Second Rabbi

NOTE: It is expected that the congregation will reimburse all travel expenses for a Rabbi invited for an interview.

NOTE: The application is due the 25th of the month. A congregation will be listed upon completion of Parts I and II. Referrals begin when all the parts are completed.

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