Dear Search Chairs, Rabbis, Friends,

The search for a new cantor is a serious and a holy endeavor. Every member of your congregation will be affected by its outcome. Every worshipper, all B’nei Mitzvah, singers, instrumentalists, learners of all ages and newcomers who find their ways in should be able to connect with a cantor who is warm and energetic, who sings from the heart and who opens their voices, too. This hypothetical cantor will be a learner and a seeker alongside you, even as s/he leads. This cantor will be eager to join your congregational family and to support your synagogue’s vision. The Placement Department of the ACC will do everything it can to help you in your search for your next cantor.

The documents listed below are intended to provide inspiration to the members of your search committees. Although they can be used in their current "as-is" states, we provide them as guidelines. We are grateful to previous search chairs who bequeathed them to us so that the wheel would not be constantly in need of reinventing! Rest assured that this area of the website is reserved for you and may not be accessed by others, including ACC members.

Our Placement Evaluation Survey indicates that these materials have been helpful to search committees in the past, so we have made them available to you on our newly-revised website.

If you have any questions about these documents, please call Placement Director, Cantor Barbara Ostfeld at 716-568-1125 or email her at mailto: bjostfeld@accantors.org.

Cantor Telephone Interview Guide - Experienced Cantor
Cantor Telephone Interview Guide - Student
Interview Feedback Questionnaire
Letter of Intent
Phone Interview: Human Resources Type Questions
Search Committee Questions For References
Reference Form
Sample Rejection Letter
Sample PR Blurb
Sample Interview Questions
Sample Schedule for Cantor Visit
Tips for Search Committees
Tips for HHD Search Committees
Transition Team Tasks

Congregational Placement Conference Call

If you were unable to join us for the 2009-10 Congregational Placement Call with Cantor Barbara Ostfeld, you may download the full audio/visual presentation here and the PowerPoint slide presenation without the audio portion here.