Senior Jewish Educator/Campus Rabbi at Arizona State University

Senior Jewish Educator/Campus Rabbi

Arizona State University

Role Overview 

Join Hillel at Arizona State University as the Senior Jewish Educator/Campus Rabbi to help enrich the lives of students and shape the future of Jewish life on campus. As an authentic Jewish teacher, you will inspire and guideJewish students at ASU so that they will actively engage in the process of building and sustaining vibrant, meaningful, and pluralistic Jewish communities throughout the ASU campuses and surrounding areas where students live.  As the Senior Jewish Educator/Campus Rabbi, you will drive Hillel forward and play a vital role in building Jewish community and connection.  You can think big while also balancing meaningful conversations, exploring collaborative ventures, building educational experiences, and innovative approaches to religious life. Embrace your magnetic personality to inspire students to make Judaism integral to their life choices and infuse Jewish values. 

Our Hillel has grown rapidly and you’ll be joining a team that is eager to continue to grow, learn, and experiment every day. Speaking of experimentation, you’ll be doing this work at the #1 university for innovation; you won’t find anyone here telling you “we already tried that.” You will, however, find a data-informed organization committed to providing high-quality experiences that meet a diverse and expansive student population. 

What You’ll Do

Leadership

• Ensure a pluralistic and welcoming atmosphere throughout Hillel through education, relationship building, and mentorship of staff and student leaders 
• Develop and support vibrant Jewish experiences, one-on-one or small group learning, and educational programs, including immersive trips, as students find relevant. Pilot creative, new educational approaches and initiatives on campus.
• Advise and mentor student interns and volunteers, empowering them to create regular, warm, welcoming, and inspiring ritual and Jewish experiences for their peers
• Collaborate with other Hillel senior-level staff to shape and develop the mission and educational vision of Arizona State University Hillel
• Serve as a visible campus presence and a Jewish role model
• Serve as a thought leader, champion, and resource for Jewish learning among the professional team

Engagement 

• Use an engagement lens to lead, coordinate, implement, ensure student ownership of and evaluate all aspects of major Jewish holiday programming and observances on campus, including Shabbat, High Holidays, and Passover (reaching 150-300 students/holiday through both traditional ritual practices and informal experiential opportunities)
• Create innovative rituals for Shabbat and holidays that respond to students’ needs, connect students to one another, and foster a unique culture of community at ASU Hillel 
• Have coffee/one-on-ones with at least 7-10 students/week to understand the diverse ASU student experience. 

Education/Spiritual/Pastoral

• Train student leaders in basic Jewish rituals, holiday practices, etc.
• Infuse elevated Judaic content and intentionality into programmatic spaces in and outside of the Hillel building
• Develop Jewish content for a range of media including online and social media spaces
• Oversee full arc of educational offerings by managing the curation of classes to execution of recruitment 
• Serve as an educator and pastoral resource to students in a one-on-one setting, be on call during ‘off’ days for student pastoral needs
• Lead high holidays services for the ASU Hillel community (students, faculty, staff, community members)

Campus Relations

• Build and maintain strategic connections that support students’ needs including with ASU faculty, relevant campus departments (i.e., counseling), and the Council of Religious Advisors at ASU 
• Build relationships with identity, culture, and faith-based groups on campus
• Serve as a staff liaison to Jewish faculty & staff, Counseling Center, and others as needed
• Represent ASU Hillel on the Council of Religious Advisors at ASU
• Pursue and deepen multi-faith and inter-faith initiative
• Develop and nurture relationships with junior-level staff, university student life, religious life staff, and the local Jewish community

Team & Overall Engagement Responsibilities 

Hillel at ASU is a collaborative and integrated team. We expect every team member to:

• Hold at least 5 relationship-building meetings per week to develop 1/1 relationships and gain a deeper understanding of our various target audiences
• Be a part of the staff rotation for Shabbat and holiday programming, ensuring each and every student feels warmly welcomed into Hillel’s “doors” 
• Staff “The First Six,” our welcome week(s) initiative, and each semester’s “Signature Social”
• Support recruitment for immersive experiences such as Birthright Israel, Jewish Learning Fellowships, and social cohort experiences
• Participate in ongoing Jewish learning and professional development

Qualifications

• Rabbinic ordination from an accredited institution and a commitment to a pluralistic approach to Jewish life
• Previous rabbinic experience is an advantage, but recently-ordained candidates are encouraged to apply
• 4+ years of relevant work experience. Experience in Hillel, youth movements, camping, or experiential Jewish education is preferred
• Ability to work flexible hours, including some nights, weekends, and holidays
• Proven experience thinking critically and acting strategically to reach goals
• Comfort taking healthy risks toward growth
• A team-oriented approach and strong work ethic
• Training and experience in counseling, innovative program development, and work in diverse Jewish spaces is desirable

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Commitment to campus, students, and emerging Jewish leadership
• Enthusiasm for an immersive and collaborative team culture
• Ability to mentor emerging Jewish leaders
• A hunger and drive to reach each and every Jewish student and an understanding that this approach must be customizable and unique to each individual. 
• Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel, meeting students at various points in their personal Jewish journeys
• Embrace of Jewish pluralism and acceptance of every student’s Jewish identity
• A strong knowledge base of Jewish content, ranging from traditional Jewish texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, culture, and unconventional Jewish sources
• A passion for engaging students through Jewish learning and religious practice and an ability to foster intellectual, spiritual, and ethical curiosity and exploration

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $90,000-120,000
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, Life, AD&D and Long Term Disability (LTD) insurances, Flexible Spending accounts, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities.
• A work community that values professional growth and personal balance.
• Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel.
• Additional Hillel at ASU benefits, like lighter winter and summer hours, the opportunity to present on passion projects, and lots of free coffee! 
• Paid Jewish holidays or alternate days for those holidays worked. 

About Hillel at Arizona State University

The mission of Hillel at Arizona State University is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people, Israel and the world. Hillel at ASU provides religious, educational, social and academic programs, which deepen students’ understanding of Jewish life, and connect students to the Jewish homeland, Israel. Through Shabbat and holiday celebrations, service projects, and Israel engagement, Hillel at ASU creates the space and provokes the conversations that encourage students to gain ownership over their own Jewish experiences and subsequently make an enduring commitment to Jewish life. 

From stunning sunsets to sprawling mountains, Phoenix boasts countless opportunities for outdoor living most of the year. As the 5th largest city in the United States, Phoenix is home to over 100,000 Jews, strong synagogues and Jewish organizations, and many exciting choices of places to live as a Jewish adult. 

Hillel at Arizona State Unviersity is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel.