Who is the spiritual leader of the synagogue?

Answer 1

Any Jewish person may lead prayer services in a synagogue, but often a Rabbi leads.

Answer 2

Often, the Rabbi is the spiritual leader of a synagogue, but this is not a requirement, since a Rabbi is, first and foremost, a teacher.

Answer 3

The Rabbi

Answer 4

Every congregation has a parnas, a Hebrew word which means president, typically elected by the membership and in charge of such activities as hiring a rabbi, managing the congregations finances and contracts, and other practical affairs of the congregation. If the congregation is big enough to hire a rabbi, the Parnas typically manages multiple committees to handle each of these things. If the congregation hires a rabbi, the rabbi may lead services, but any knowledgeable Jew may lead services. When a congregation has a rabbi, the rabbi is almost always the public face of the congregation, speaking for the congregation in its relations with the larger community.