Thank you for showing interest in volunteering at SPS. Please take your time and enjoy finding out more about the volunteering roles available. If you do not find a role that interests you, feel free to suggest alternatives to the office.
At SPS we have a small yet lively, friendly and inclusive community of volunteers involved in the Synagogue in many ways. We would love to hear from you if you would like to get involved in any way you can. Contact the office, at office@sps.uk.com, to have a chat about volunteering. We would love to hear from you.
Click on the Volunteering Role to read a short description of each role.
New Initiatives
Host for Shabbat at Home
Purpose: Hosting Shabbat meals for members of the community.
Basic description of the role: You would be hosting a gathering of members who may be of a similar demographic, may live locally to you or may simply be looking for a Shabbat meal to join. The idea would be chavurah style where everyone brings a dish. You would organise who brings what.
Location: Your Home.
Amount of time required: 2 hours for the meal and some time to prep.
When time is required: It would be great if you are prepared to host once every 3-4 months, but if it’s just once that is ok too.
Skills/training required: None.
What isn’t required: You don't have to be a cordon bleu chef or have Shabbat ritual knowledge.
For more information, please contact: office@sps.uk.com
Inclusive Lay Leaders/Volunteers
Purpose: To take part in the service and or help to formulate the new Inclusive service.
Basic description of the role: We are working to make our existing services as inclusive as possible for people with mental and physical disabilities. However, there may be an opportunity to create a service which pays special attention to these needs.
Location: In the Sanctuary.
Amount of time required: One service per 3/6 months. Meetings and discussions as required about not only the content of the service but also the style of the service and potentially the layout of the sanctuary.
When time is required: On a Saturday morning or Friday night (to be decided).
Skills/training required: Confidence and skill in taking part in the service. Singing and playing an instrument is an advantage.
Comfortable to be in a room with a diverse congregation who may do things you don’t expect!
What isn’t required: Detailed knowledge of the prayers and service, as the rabbi will be leading the service.
For more information, please contact: Chair of RAC
Mourners Support
Purpose: You will help ensure that no-one’s funeral and/or shiva is a lonely occasion.
Basic description of the role: You’ll be one of a group of our members willing to be contacted by the Rabbi or Administrator when a funeral (or shiva service) is thought likely to be sparsely attended.
Location: Attending at a cemetery (or shiva house).
Amount of time required: About 2 hours, as and when requested and if convenient.
When time is required: At short notice during the day or evening.
Skills/training required: None – you would not be expected to lead the service or prayers but if you have this skill, please let us know.
What isn’t required: You don’t need to be a competent Hebrew reader, just willing to participate in English reading (anything else is a bonus).
For more information, please contact: office@sps.uk.com
Lift Rota - Helping Hands
Purpose: You will help to organise lifts/volunteer to drive members to services or events, or picking up the occasional shopping.
Basic description of the role: Coordinating lifts/volunteering for members who would like to attend services and events in-person. If you wish to co-ordinate, you would need to maintain a list of members who are happy to help out.
Location: At home planning and/or travelling around the local area from A to B.
Amount of time required: The time it takes to commute, and/or plan the rotas.
When time is required: Could be planned or at short notice during the day or evening.
Skills/training required: To coordinate it would be easier if you have basic organisational skills. A car will be needed if you wish to volunteer to do the driving.
What isn’t required: Knowing the community well. This is a role that will help you to get to know the community better!
For more information, please contact: office@sps.uk.com
AdHoc Volunteering
Security Volunteer
Purpose: To join our group of security volunteers and be on the rota for services and festivals.
Basic description of the role: To stand on the Gates at SPS on a Friday or Saturday Shabbat service with the paid security guard and to stay alert whilst keeping the congregants safe.
Location: Usually at the main gates of the site or within or outside the site at various locations during the High Holy Days.
Amount of time required: From 30 minutes before the service until about 15 minutes after the end of kiddush.
Skills/training required: The chair of Security will provide guidance.
What isn’t required: Any knowledge about the services.
For more information, please contact: Chair of Security
Current Remit under: Security Committee
EcoSynagogue and Environmental Action
Purpose: EcoSynagogue is an umbrella non-denominational organisation to help and encourage synagogues to reduce their carbon footprint. SPS is a member of EcoSynagogue.
Basic description of the role: To help audit our site, to see where we can improve our energy efficiency and to encourage the synagogue and its members to be aware of green initiatives and participate in community wide projects.
Location: The audit to be done on site, however the planning and implementation of projects can be planned off site.
Amount of time required: 2 hours a month.
When time is required: Site visits when needed, however the planning can be done at home when convenient.
Skills/training required: None
What isn’t required: Knowledge of our site.
For more information, please contact: Our EcoSynagogue representative (Currently Chair of Site Maintenance.)
Governance & Risk Management
Purpose: To prepare and/or update SPS policy documents, as required, including updating our Constitution from time to time.
Basic description of the role: To identity and help update required Health & Safety, safeguarding, HR, and other policies which the synagogue needs. Research legislation and prepare draft documents for approval.
Location: Meetings will be virtual or at the Synagogue.
Amount of time required: Varied depending on the nature of the project.
Skills/training required: Previous experience of governance would be an advantage as well as writing and drafting and editing skills.
What isn’t required: Any formal training in legal or financial issues.
Remit: The Executive Officers
For more information, please contact the Chairman.
Legacies in Wills
Purpose: To get information to our members as to how they may wish to make a legacy in their will to our Synagogue.
Basic description of the role: To help prepare a document to explain and encourage members to change their will to leave a donation to the synagogue. To publicise, in the magazine and on the website, the legacy system. Possibly calling members to inform them too.
Location: Work from home.
Amount of time required: Occasional.
When time is required: ASAP, and then maintaining and ensuring information is accurate and reflects any changes in legislation.
Skills/training required: A knowledge of the system of bequest and legacies.
What isn’t required: Knowledge of the current membership database.
For more information, please contact: Honorary Treasurer
Communications
Monthly Magazine, website and Social Media Columnist
Purpose: To write articles of interest, reporting of events within SPS, or wider subjects for our monthly magazine, website, facebook page and other social media.
Basic description of the role: To write articles which will stimulate and maintain interest by our readers.
Location: Work from home.
Amount of time required: Depends on amount written.
When time is required: Copy to be sent to editor by publication deadlines.
Skills/training required: Ability to write interesting/thought provoking copy.
What isn’t required: To have been a published author.
For more information, please contact: the office.
Welfare Callers
Purpose: To help keep in contact with elderly, sick and vulnerable members of our community.
Basic description of the role: To make contact with a small group of members assigned to you.
Location: Phone calls from home, occasional home/hospital visits and delivering gifts.
Amount of time required: As much or as little as you like. This will depend on how many members you choose to be assigned to call. Regular committee meetings.
When time is required: When it is convenient to you and the individuals in your group.
Skills/training required: Guidance on safeguarding and confidentially will be given before your initial calls.
What isn’t required: You are not required to deal with problems or difficult situations but to report back to the Chair of the Welfare Committee or Community Development Manager who will take any necessary actions and forward to the relevant Staff/Committees.
For more information, please contact: Chair of Welfare Committee
Current Remit under: Welfare Committee
Community Callers
Purpose: To help ensure as a Community that we are in contact with our members, at least twice a year and check their contact details are up to date.
Basic description of the role: To make telephone calls to the community.
Location: Phone calls from home/office
Amount of time required: As much or as little as you like. This will depend on how many members you choose to be assigned to call.
When time is required: When it is convenient to you and the individuals in your group.
Skills/training required: Guidance on safeguarding and confidentially will be given before your initial calls.
What isn’t required: You are not required to deal with problems or difficult situations but to report back to the Community Development Manager who will take any necessary actions and forward to the relevant Staff/Committees.
For more information, please contact: the office.
Festival Planning
Festival Volunteers
Purpose: To assist the festival coordinators as much or as little as you can, on any festival you wish.
Basic description of the role: To help plan, prepare and encourage attendance to the festival services/activities held.
Location: Festival events are usually held in the Schindler Hall or Sanctuary as appropriate.
Amount of time required: 5 hours a year depending on the festival you volunteer for.
When time is required: This will be dependent on the festival/s you choose to volunteer for.
Skills/training required: None
What isn’t required: An in-depth knowledge of the festival although a basic understanding of the reason for/and traditions associated with the festival would be an advantage.
For more information, please contact: Chair of RAC
Current Remit under: RAC
Social & Cultural
Social and Cultural Events
Purpose: To be part of a committee which plans social and cultural events throughout the year, usually on site or at an outside location.
Basic description of the role: To help plan, organise and lead the chosen events and help to come up with new and innovative ways for the community to socialise.
Location: Meetings will be online or in person. Events may be at the Synagogue, online or other locations.
Amount of time required: Attending committee meetings monthly as well as time during the events.
Skills/training required: An interest in community building and organising events.
What isn’t required: Jewish knowledge or deep familiarity with the SPS community.
For more information, please contact: Chair of Social
Current Remit under: Social and Young Families Committees
All Things Services
Shamashim for Services
Purpose: To be part of a rota of people responsible for non-rabbinical practical elements of shabbat and festival services
Basic description of the role: Ensuring, for every service, that there is someone to prepare for Kiddush, that all mitzvot are allocated and to supervise those carrying out the mitzvot and to read the announcements.
Location: On site in the sanctuary.
Amount of time required: 2.5 hours per service.
When time is required: To liaise with the administrator, a week or more before the service, to check whether those with a Yahrzeit would like a mitzvah.
Skills/training required: To be organised.
What isn’t required: You should not need to undertake any of the Mitzvot yourself, although you might fill in, if short of numbers.
For more information, please contact: The Chair of RAC.
Lead or be part of a Group?
Israel Group
Purpose: To provide a forum for members with an interest in all things Israel and to raise community awareness of relevant issues and topics.
Basic description of the role: To help bring awareness of Israel related issues to our members. To help organise speaker events with a wide range of expert contributors. Actively contribute to synagogue activities, including services focused on Israel, Yom Ha’Atzmaut and Yom HaZikaron. To be part of an interest group to liaise and support a twin congregation in Israel.
Location: To attend monthly in person, as well as working remotely to plan/assist for various events.
Amount of time required: 2/3 hours a month
When time is required: Regular meetings, as well as Israeli focused festivals.
Skills/training required: A thirst for knowledge for all things Israel.
What isn’t required: You don’t have to be Israeli or have visited Israel.
For more information, please contact the office or a member of the Executive.
Mitzvah Day
Purpose: To help involve as much of the community as possible with our Mitzvah weekend. We are helping others, in accordance with the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) which is central to our community.
Basic description of the role: To liaise with the various committees to organise a variety of 'good deeds' for the day involving both children and adults. The events will take place either on site or in the local community.
Location: At the shul and where initiatives are being hosted in the local area.
Amount of time required: Up to about 10 hours of planning and/or carrying out the mitzvahs.
When time is required: The Coordinator will need to prepare in the months leading up to to Mitzvah Day. Volunteers will be needed on the Mitzvah Day weekend.
Skills/training required: Communication skills. We all have them!
What isn’t required: This is not a time-consuming role. There should not have to be many actual meetings eg. emails and zoom will be okay if meetings are required.
For more information, please contact the office.
Social Action Group
Purpose: Our aim for Social Action is to look outward to the wider community and society, and the social issues that we feel able to engage with and to raise consciousness about.
Basic description of the role: To be proactive with our ongoing food bank and keep links with our Mitzvah Day projects throughout the year. To work alongside JCORE (the Jewish Council for Racial Equality), focus on the issue of inclusivity and diversity within the LJ movement and to support the EcoSynagogue policy.
Location: Both onsite and off-site, as well as at home.
Amount of time required: Up to 2 hours a month.
When time is required: More hours may be needed when projects are in motion.
Skills/training required: A thirst for Social Action.
What isn’t required: You don’t have to have the initial knowledge of external organisations.
For more information, please contact the office.
Choir & Music Group
Purpose: To take part in the choir and help with the revitalisation of music within our existing liturgy. There is also a role to take a lead in these activities.
Basic description of the role: To learn and take part in the creation of our Choir & Music Group, leading and singing in services and festivals. To help shape the future of music and singing at SPS depending on your skills.
Location: On site in the Sanctuary.
Amount of time required: 1-4 hours a month to practice, plus as many services as you can attend.
When time is required: Before and during services.
Skills/training required: Reading music is an advantage but not essential. Love of music essential!
What isn’t required: You do not need to commit every week to turning up to the services.
For more information, please contact: Chair of RAC
Interfaith Group
Purpose: To liaise and help organise events with other faiths in the local area to foster a better understanding of other faiths and to engender a respect for other beliefs within and without our community. To serve as a resource for mixed faith families within the community.
Basic description of the role: You will advocate a forum for discussing and responding to the ritual, educational, and social support needs and challenges of interfaith families—both those of our members and those in the wider community. If you wish to be part of an Interfaith Group, please get in touch too.
Location: Both onsite and off site, as well as at home.
Amount of time required: 2 hours a month
When time is required: More hours may be needed when projects are in motion.
Skills/training required: To have an interest in other faiths. Some knowledge is an advantage.
What isn’t required: You don’t have to be Jewish.
For more information, please contact the office.