Senior Jewish Educator
Maryland Hillel
Role Overview
Maryland Hillel serves one of the largest and most dynamic Jewish campus communities in the country. Actively seeking to engage Jewish students on their own terms, Maryland Hillel provides students with Jewish opportunities that are meaningful, empowering and engaging. Through a creative mix of leadership training, education, volunteerism, social, spiritual, and cultural opportunities, students are inspired to realize their potential and become the best versions of themselves.
Maryland Hillel seeks a Senior Jewish Educator (SJE) who will bring contagious energy and passion for Judaism. They believe strongly in the value of pluralism, have a desire to nurture a community with diverse and varied expressions of Jewish life, possess the ability to connect deeply with students from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds, be enthusiastic about building micro-communities and enjoy creating new opportunities for students. They will work to develop and foster relationships with our Reform, Conservative, and underinvolved Jewish population on campus. The Senior Jewish Educator will serve as part of a multi-dimensional educational and programmatic leadership team working to advance Maryland Hillel’s educational vision and engagement strategy. They will engage directly with students, help lead the student life team, serve as a mentor and a resource to students and staff, and work to bolster opportunities for Jewish education and experience. The Senior Jewish Educator reports to the Assistant Director for Student Life.
What You’ll Do
- Engage students in conversations, experiences, and opportunities to further Hillel’s vision of Jewish diversity and pluralism.
- Build relationships with students through meaningful conversations and by creating connections to opportunities to participate in Jewish life on campus.
- Innovate and experiment with different engagement methodologies designed to reach students who are currently uninvolved.
- Serve as the lead educator and administrator for multiple cohort based Jewish learning opportunities.
- Develop and facilitate creative educational approaches and innovative curricula targeted towards specific micro-communities.
- Be a part of a collaborative process to create a diverse set of student programs and initiatives.
- Serve as a liaison with on-campus partners for interfaith and religious life projects.
- Be a regular staff presence at Shabbat and holidays at Hillel as well other Shabbat experiences across campus.
- Serve as a staff member on immersive experiences such as Birthright Israel and alternative breaks.
A Typical Day May Include
- Have coffee in the student union with a student you met during the welcome BBQ.
- Join a sorority for dinner at their chapter house and lead a conversation about an issue connecting Judaism to a relevant topic in their lives.
- Teach a session as part of an ongoing cohort-based learning experience.
- Stop as you walk across campus to chat with multiple students about their interests and what Jewish life on campus has to offer.
- Brainstorm with a staff member on how to bring Jewish ideas and values into an upcoming program.
- Meet with other religious community leaders on campus to plan an interfaith service project.
- Engage in a design thinking process with students to reimagine the Shabbat experience.
What You’ve Accomplished
- Rabbinic ordination or an advanced degree in Jewish studies, Jewish education, or a related field.
- 4+ years of relevant work experience. Experience in community organizing, Hillel, youth movements, camping, or experiential Jewish education is a plus.
- Proven success in community building and outreach, previous experience in program visioning and implementation as well as success in developing curricula and informal educational experiences.
- Ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects simultaneously.
What You’ll Bring to the Job
- A strong knowledge base of Jewish content, ranging from traditional Jewish texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, culture and unconventional Jewish sources.
- Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journeys.
- A commitment to creating an inclusive, vibrant and pluralistic Jewish community.
- A strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for Judaism and Israel.
- Ability to engage with people of all interests and backgrounds.
- Confidence initiating and running programs, and comfort asking questions.
- Creative problem-solving, proactive communication, and collaboration.
- Excitement to be a part of a diverse team of staff.
- Ability to collaborate across teams both inside and outside of Hillel.
What You’ll Receive
- Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $85,000-$100,000 commensurate with experience.
- A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), flexible spending account, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
- Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
- Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel.
About Maryland Hillel
Maryland Hillel, located in College Park, MD in close proximity to Washington, DC, enjoys a national reputation for its Jewish community, both due to its size with some 5,800 Jewish undergrads, and, more critically, due to the vibrancy of Jewish life on campus. A team of 9 professionals work in concert with Jewish students to facilitate a veritable menu of experiences and opportunities. Hillel strives to ensure that Jewish students derive meaning and value from connecting, in their individual ways, with our tradition, heritage, and Israel. Maryland Hillel draws students to the University of Maryland from around the country with large contingents from Maryland, the tristate area, Florida and California. Following many years of growth, Hillel is conducting a capital campaign to construct a custom-built 38,000 square foot Jewish student center to continue to support this thriving Jewish community into the future.
About Hillel International
In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at more than 550 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.
Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.
