Join the B’nai Jeshurun team as our new Youth & Young Professionals director! We are a traditional Conservative congregation in suburban Cleveland, and you will be responsible for all youth/teen programming and leadership development, as well as running The Bridge, an organization building connections and Jewish community for those in their 20s & 30s.
With our students and teens you will work together with our Youth & Learning Center team to create, plan and carry out meaningful and inspiring programming and learning, as well as provide leadership and personal growth opportunities to student members of all ages.
With our young professionals, you will meet over coffee 1-on-1 and serve as a welcoming face for new Jewish Clevelanders, plan and staff Happy Hours, Shabbat dinners, social events and more to connect Jewish Clevelanders with one another!
This position is a full-time, professional position and requires an average of 40 hours per week, including frequent nights and weekends, and will require some travel. At times during the year, this position may require greater than 40 hours per week; while at others, the workload will be lighter. We support any and all opportunities for professional growth! Position includes our full synagogue benefits package.
Thinking about applying?
Frequently cited statistics show that historical biases in hiring lead to fewer applications from underrepresented groups due to a false perception that they must meet 100% of the qualifications. We encourage you to break that statistic and apply if you meet a majority of the requirements. We look forward to your application.
Specific Responsibilities Include:
Youth Director:
• In coordination with Education Engagement Rabbi, plan and implement weekly Monday night Makom teen program (6:30-8:30 pm) for students grades 7-12
• Work with Education Engagement Rabbi to schedule, plan, coordinate and implement Hineni Teen Fellowship (grades 9-12), including staffing 3-day out of town trip, applications, interviews, pre-sessions and post-sessions
• Lead the development and implementation of youth events and lounge nights for grades 3-5, 6-8 & 9-12, including youth participation on holidays and for congregation-wide events (i.e. High Holiday teen programs, Teen Tikkun Leil Shavuot, Congregational Shabbaton, etc.)
• Work with Education Engagement Rabbi on planning/facilitating programs regularly with 2nd-6th grade students during a weekly Tuesday afternoon learning program (4:15-6:00 pm)
• Plan and implement student leadership cohort to mentor and coach students in planning and executing programs while improving student leadership skills
• Run B’nai Jeshurun teen social media accounts and create/run other social media accounts as necessary to engage teens and their families
• Prepare and manage the youth programming budget while working within the Synagogue structure
• Develop a data-driven engagement plan to increase membership, participation, and engagement in all youth organizations
• Maintain positive communication with parents, students, staff, and overall community
• Represent and develop opportunities for students to represent B’nai Jeshurun in the broader community
• Serve as a role model for students
• Create and maintain personal relationships with B’nai Jeshurun youth
Bridge Director:
· Serving as The Bridge’s point person to plan and execute events, including monthly happy hours, Shabbat Dinner clusters, annual Friendsgiving event & Purim event, and additional social & learning events
· Working with venues, restaurants, rental companies and other outside vendors in advance of events to reserve and secure all necessary items for a successful event
· Designing and managing event registration before and during events.
· Serving as the on-site lead for events throughout the year
· Processing financials, including monthly invoices and relevant reimbursements
· Managing communication about events
· Spearheading an evolving outreach strategy for maximum impact, including connecting with community members over coffee (avg. 1-2/week) who are interested in learning more about The Bridge and how to get involved in Jewish life
· Collaborating with The Bridge rabbi and lay leadership team (known as The Builders) to design impactful events throughout the year
· Designing The Bridge monthly e-newsletters & communications
· Updating database of participants and leading ongoing efforts to track newcomers
· Visioning and executing a robust social media campaign across multiple platforms
Qualifications Include:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Proven leadership skills and ability to serve as a role model and mentor for youth
• Experience working with teens & young professionals, with a strong background in informal Jewish education
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Self-motivated with strong vision for participation, engagement, and growth
• High energy, optimistic, creative and passionate about making a difference for Jewish youth & young professionals
• Conversant in all forms of social media as well as intermediate computer skills