Makom Shalom is 21 years old and the only Jewish Renewal congregation in Chicago. We are seeking a spiritual leader, working with us part-time, to inspire and creatively lead our community into a new chapter. The hallmark of our congregation is the focus on the desire to deepen our spiritual relationship with God and humanity within the context of our shared Jewish heritage. Uniquely warm and intimate, our members possess a deep commitment to our congregation and caring for one another.

Our services and activities are accessible to everyone regardless of their knowledge of Judaism or Hebrew and we are deeply committed to welcoming interfaith families. We embrace practices, teaching and wisdom from all traditions and are inclusive of all people who want to join us regardless of their religious traditions or background, race, age, sexual orientation and gender.

Our congregation treasures attention to kavannah, giving meaning and intention to all our prayers and congregational experiences. Readings, viewed from every aspect reveal new meaning and relevance each time they are uttered. Services and other spiritual activities are participatory and experiential, generally including movement, music and meditation with original readings woven into the fabric of our experience. We love to sing and dance; most services find the congregation singing and dancing to contemporary interpretations of traditional prayers, chants and melodies.

We are also a congregation of many talented lay leaders who teach and nourish our souls through music, study and social action; Makom has a deep commitment to social justice work.

Our new spiritual leader will be excited about the possibility of growing our congregation (currently 35 households), and in order to facilitate this part of her/his Makom activities the successful candidate will live in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs. We are looking for someone who is grounded in Jewish tradition and is also dedicated to creating spiritual experiences relevant and resonant with our lives and times.

To find out more, go to the job posting on their website.