E-placement
Rabbi Help

This help information is organized into four topics:

The following steps summarize the  steps required before you can take full advantage of the RA’s new E-Placement system.

Step 1: Signature Form
Please complete the online Rabbi Signature form. THE FRONT PAGE. You are able to select your own login and password. Please record them because you will need them later to access your account. You may use the same login and password you have used for your Rabbinical Assembly membership or choose something completely different. The form fields annotated with an asterisk (*) are required fields; you cannot submit this form without providing values for these fields.
There is a check box at the end of the form. This required field signals that you have agreed to abide by the Placement Code of Conduct. The Placement Code of Conduct is available for download here. 

Step 2: Rabbinical Assembly Validates that Rabbi is in Good Standing
The Joint Placement Commission will check that all matters of termination between the rabbi and their prior place of employment have been completed. The rabbi must be a member in good standing with the Rabbinical Assembly. Dues must be current including a dues declaration for the current year or payment arrangements made with the business office . The rabbi must be eligible to conclude his/her contract with his/her current congregation or other place of employment The Joint Commission will review your Signature Form and your membership status. For Eplacement purposes, rabbis must pay their full assessment by December 31 unless other arrangements have been made.
Upon successful submission of this Signature Form that acknowledges your agreement to follow the placement rules and after the RA business office confirm you are a member in good standing for the current year , you will be able to login into the placement site. If any profile information has changed, you are free to make any updates.
Senior rabbinical students need the approval of their Seminary dean in order to enter Eplacement.  Approval means the students has completed all of their academic requirement except for their second semester course work.  A letter from the appropriate seminary dean must be on file in the placement office stating that the student expects to graduate in May.  It is the student’s responsibility to check with the dean that the appropriate paper work has been filed in a timely manner with Placement Office
Once validated, the Placement Office will notify you (via email) that you have been approved for placement. MAZAL TOV! You are now officially in the system. Now fill out your Rabbinic Career Inventory Form, and write your resume.

Step 3: Rabbi Submits Career Inventory
Each Rabbi is required to complete and submit the Rabbinic Career Inventory Form and write and upload their resume.
The Rabbinic Career Inventory Form will be viewed only by the Placement Office. The Inventory form serves as a tool for your own self reflection and career planning.  It also becomes the basis to guide Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg and his staff in giving advice and support. Fill out the form offline and save it to your computer, or to a flash drive device.
When you are ready to submit your Rabbinic Career Inventory Form, click the portal “Inventory” then click on the blank space where it says “upload new inventory” then click browse to find the form on your computer or flash drive, click on your document. Click on “upload document”.
When you are ready to submit your resume, click on the portal “resume” then click on the blank space below “upload new resume” - then click on browse to find your resume on your computer or flash drive – click on your document. Click on “upload document.”

Step 4: Login into the E-Placement System
Enter your username (login) and password.
Successful login will position you at your Rabbi Information. This area of the site summarizes your profile information and also provides access to your placement documents and current set of self-referred positions.
To self refer select “Search for Congregation” from the navigation screen on the left of the page.

Step 5: UP TO DATE THE PLACEMENT LIST And Reading Questionnaires
The Placement Commission formally publishes a monthly placement list in writing which appears in the members only/placement section of the Rabbinical Assembly website.  The Placement List found in the members only section of the website is updated only once a month. All questionnaires are available on the Rabbinical Assembly website as well. However, the most up to date information is kept only on the Eplacement site.  When you access your Eplacement account you have immediate access to the most  up date placement list in real time.  The list and questionnaires are available as soon as a congregation posts them.
The most updated listing of congregations and their questionnaires may be found by going into your e-placement account – click on the portal that says “Search for Congregations”. You may search by congregation name – or city, and if you click “all” you will find the entire current list. When a list appears, if you click on the congregation, its contact information appears. (this is the contact information page) To view a questionnaire on line, go to the portal on the contact information page that says “Positions” – scroll to the column that says “Documents”. Select the box next to the questionnaire that you wish to review, click on the questionnaire and the document will open

Step 6: Forwarding Your Resume
After E-Placement approval, you will be able to self refer. The Placement Commission is the only agent in the Conservative/Masorti movement that is permitted to forward a student or a rabbi’s resume to a congregation.  A rabbi or senior rabbinical students must use Eplacement to forward their resume to a congregation.
Following are the steps for submitting your resume to a congregation. On the left side of the screen, click on the navigation tool that says ‘Search for Congregations:  On the Congregation search page, enter in search criteria of the congregations and/or positions you are interested in. If no search criteria is entered, all posted positions will appear.

Step 7: Select the Congregation Offering the Position of Interest
To select a position, select the name of the congregation associated with the position. The congregation name is a link to a page summarizing the congregation’s information.  Select this “Positions” tab to review all positions provided by this congregation. A congregation might have more than one position listed, for example – Permanent or Interim;  full and Part-time.

Step 8: Select the Position of Interest
Select the position you are interested in. It is possible for a position to be displayed but not selectable. Positions are only selectable if:

  • the position’s status  is  “Open” or In-Discussion”  
  • you are eligible for that position (Eligibility rules are discussed in the Placement Code of Conduct)
  • you have not previously selected the same position
  • the position’s available date is not greater or lesser than a year away from today’s date

Step 9: Sending a cover letter
Once a position is selected and prior to submitting your request you have the option to attach a message. In the text box on the “position” page, you may address the congregation with any specific details, comments or concerns that you may have. Write your message. (This step is optional and will not affect the submission of your resume.) Once you select the “send resume” button your resume along with any message will be emailed to that congregation.

Step 10: Confirmation
Congregations are instructed to confirm receipt of your resume directly via email to you (please be sure that your resume contains a current, working email address). Once you receive that confirmation from the congregation, you are then free to be in direct contact with the chairperson(s). You will also receive an email message from the E-Placement system that will thank you for your recent self referral and summarize the congregation and position details.

Step 11.  Track you own self referrals.   You can track  your own self referrals by going into your own  Eplacement account and going to your own  “Rabbi Information” page.  Go to the POSITIONS APPLIED TO tab to see a list of your referrals by date.
EPLACEMENT TOOL KIT


Document Resources
The following documents have been centralized here for your convenience:

  • Rabbinic Career Inventory Form - Completion of this Form is required to use this E-Placement system.
  • Model Engagement Agreement – The Model Engagement Agreement summarizes the mutually accepted standard contract advocated by both the USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly since 1991
  • Parnasah – The Parnasah, the Rabbinic Placement Manual, provides instruction on how to execute an effective job search.
  •  פרנםה In Hebrew.  The Rabbinic Placement Manuel translated into Hebrew with changes made to reflect placement in Israel.  
  • Placement Code of Conduct – The Placement Code of Conduct for Rabbis and Congregations - North America, Europe, IsraelInterim Rabbi Registration Form - Completion of the Interim Rabbi Registration Form is required to use this E-Placement system in order to be referred to an open interim position.
  • Membership Application – This application applies to senior students interested in Rabbinical Assembly membership.  Please download and complete.  must be returned to the RA office by January 18th at 10 AM.
  • Roster - This Roster provides contact information to reach the members of the Joint Placement Commission of North America.
  • Senior Placement Guide - This guide highlights the special instructions for the Rabbinical school seniors who are using E-Placement.
  • Putting the Partnership Under the Microscope - This feedback document summarizes the mutually accepted standard evaluation form advocated by both the USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly since 1991.
  • Contact Information for USCJ Regional Directors - This roster provides the most up to date contact information for the regional directors and officers of the USCJ, the congregational arm of the Conservative movement. These individuals are an excellent resource to answer questions and to partner in the search for a new congregation.
  • Roster - Europe Contact Information for Joint Placement Commission of Europe
  • Roster - Israel Contact Information for the Joint Placement Commission of Israel together with the Masorti Movement of Israel  


Dates to Remember

  • DECEMBER 14TH 2009.  With the prior approval of the dean’s office, date the JPC will open up Eplacement to graduating senior rabbinical students.
  • Wednesday, January 18, 2010: Deadline for completed Rabbinical Assembly membership applications and electronic resumes. THIS APPLIES TO GRADUATING SENIORS ONLY
  • Monday February 1  2010 10 AM  Date by which congregations must be registered for Eplacement and requested a date for senior student interviews.
  • Tuesday February 2-Wednesday February 3rd  .2010.  Dates senior students sign up for interviews with congregations.
  •  Monday February 8th  Noon to 5 PM  2010. Date on which congregations receive their list of students to interview.  (informed by email)
  • Sunday, February 21 -Wednesday February 24, 2010, Student Interview Week:
  • Monday February 22nd.   Welcome dinner  for graduating seniors.  Hosted by the officers of the Rabbinical Assembly.   
  • Friday, February 26th, 2010   10 AM EDT: Congregations may begin to offer invitations to Graduating Rabbis for an on-site visit to the congregation.
  • Monday, March 22, 2010    10am  EDT: Congregations may begin to offer positions to Graduating Rabbis. The choice of Monday afternoon was made based on the feedback of previous congregations. . This timing allows congregations to meet formally and finish their deliberations.
  • June 7, 2010: Eit Ratzon - the Transition Conference. A one day conference held at the conclusion of the search process to bring the congregational leadership together with the new rabbi for a day of learning, reflection and action planning. This conference has been held annually since 1992. The next conference will be held at the JTS in New York City. Please hold the date. The following registration forms are available for download:Solo Registration Form and Assistant Rabbi Registration Form.