Faith leader shot close to synagogue (4)
I believe the answer is:
pope
'faith leader' is the definition.
'shot close to synagogue' is the wordplay.
'shot' becomes 'pop' (**).
'close to' says to take the final letters (the close/ending of).
The final letter of 'synagogue' is 'e'.
'pop'+'e'='POPE'
(Other definitions for pope that I've seen before include "Head of RC church" , "Top bishop" , "served in the Vatican" , "Writer" , "Poet - religious leader" .)