Director of Youth and Family Education

About Beth Am

Beth Am is an urban, egalitarian synagogue affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. As a warm, child-friendly, diverse congregation, we welcome interfaith families, Jews of Color, and LGBTQ+ Jews.

Located in Baltimore City, Beth Am is deeply rooted in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood, where we work closely with our neighbors as an anchor institution committed to justice and community partnership. Our congregants actively live out their Jewish values through service, advocacy, and engagement in the wider city, nation, and world.

Education and learning are central to our mission. Our Jewish Discovery Lab provides children with a fun, inquiry-based environment to explore Jewish traditions and learn Hebrew, with classes meeting on Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons throughout the school year. For post–B’nei Mitzvah students, the Tichon program is a teen-led justice-oriented program that includes opportunities for students to be madrichim during Lab.

All young people at Beth Am–whether or not they participate in Discovery Lab–have the opportunity to participate in our Kadima and USY youth groups, which create opportunities for service, leadership, and fellowship.

Our Mission

To seek Jewish responses to life’s biggest questions. To foster sacred community in Reservoir Hill. To pursue justice in Baltimore and beyond.

Our Values and Vision

At Beth Am, Jews and their loved ones gather to engage in meaningful community building and discovery. As an intergenerational community of seekers, we draw on the depth and rootedness of the Jewish textual tradition. We value opportunities to connect with the ineffable oneness our tradition calls God. We embrace healthy skepticism but resist cynicism as we lead lives of curiosity and relevance.

As a do-it-yourself congregation in an historic urban synagogue, we have a deep sense of connection to place. We align our synagogue’s thriving with the well-being of our neighbors and the flourishing of our neighborhood. Our location in an historically Jewish and majority Black community motivates us to build relationships with our neighbors, work to dismantle systemic racism, and pursue justice for our city, country, and planet.

We welcome newcomers with open arms. As a “House of the People,” we are an assembly of generations gathering in shared spaces to joyfully explore life’s journey in sacred fellowship. We seek ways to map our ancient texts and traditions onto the 21st century’s most pressing challenges. In so doing, we seek the universal expression of particular Jewish ideals and values.

Beth Am members interact with our shul in various ways. When we gather, we cherish each other’s company, savor good food, laugh together, or enjoy the creative arts. When we daven, we take comfort in familiar melodies and also value the infusion of new tunes and approaches that shake us from complacency. When we advocate, organize, and march for justice, we do so with passion and purpose.

Responsibilities

The Director of Youth and Family Education will guide our congregation in articulating and implementing a textually-rooted, innovative and deeply engaging vision of Jewish learning—rooted in tradition and relevant to today’s world—for children, youth, and families. Through our Jewish Discovery Lab, Beth Am has developed an inquiry-based educational program where students explore big questions and create end-of-unit projects that reflect their learning. Grounded in the belief that every child has a unique pathway to connect with Judaism, Discovery Lab fosters curiosity, creativity, and lasting Jewish values. The Director of Youth and Family Education will build on this strong foundation and lead Discovery Lab to new levels of creativity, depth, and engagement.The Director’s leadership will also extend to other areas of congregational learning and engagement.

To achieve this, the Director will have the following responsibilities:

Discovery Lab

• Oversee all aspects of the Jewish Discovery Lab, Beth Am’s innovative religious school for grades K–7 and the post-B’nei Mitzvah Tichon program
• Develop, implement, and continually refine a curriculum that reflects Beth Am’s educational vision
• Ensure that the Discovery Lab welcomes and supports students of all backgrounds, learning styles, and support needs, creating an inclusive environment where every child can thrive and connect meaningfully with Judaism
• Recruit, train, and supervise teaching staff, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for educators
• Supervise classroom instruction and assessment to ensure engaging, high-quality learning experiences
• Coordinate school logistics, including calendar planning, class scheduling, materials, and family communications
• Engage parents as partners in their children’s Jewish learning through regular communication and family learning opportunities
• Grow Jewish Discovery Lab enrollment by engaging current Beth Am member families and reaching out to new families in the broader community

Other Programming Responsibilities 

• Ensure high-quality, age-appropriate programming for Beth Am’s youth group programs, including Pre-Kadima (grades 2-5), Kadima (grades 6-7), and USY (grades 8-12), either through direct planning or supervision and management of a part-time Youth Group Coordinator
• Oversee the design and implementation of Camp Tekiah, Beth Am’s youth programming that runs during High Holy Day services
• Create and guide Shabbat and holiday experiences for families with children of all ages that are engaging, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate 
• As needed, recruit, train, and supervise staff and teen assistants to ensure safe, meaningful, and well-organized learning experiences for all participants
• Engage youth and families with young children in age-appropriate Shabbat, holiday and year-round programming, cultivating meaningful experiences and increased participation
• Communicate regularly with parents, students, and congregational leadership to ensure detailed awareness of upcoming events and to promote continued participation

Qualifications

Beth Am is a dynamic, mission-driven synagogue led by a small and deeply collaborative team of professionals and lay leaders. The Director of Youth and Family Education will serve as a key member of the synagogue’s senior leadership team—playing an active role in shaping the vision and direction of our community, not only in education but in synagogue life as a whole. While ordination as a rabbi or cantor is not required, candidates with clergy training or experience who can offer pastoral presence and support are particularly encouraged to apply.

The ideal candidate is a creative and compassionate Jewish educator who is both self-motivated and collaborative, eager to embrace a leadership role across multiple domains in a close-knit environment. If you’re excited to bring innovative ideas to life, deepen your professional practice, build nurturing relationships, and grow within a supportive and purpose-driven community, Beth Am is the right place for you.

Required qualifications include:

• Masters Degree in Jewish education or related field
• A minimum of 5+ years of experience in Jewish education
• Demonstrated experience supervising teachers and/or other staff
• Strong Judaic knowledge and Hebrew proficiency
• Proven ability to design and implement curriculum across multiple age groups
• Understanding of diverse learning styles and a commitment to inclusion
• Ability to articulate and inspire others with a compelling vision of Jewish learning
• Rabbinic experience or background is ideal but not essential

Research shows that many job applicants are reluctant to apply for roles for which they don't have all of the listed required qualifications. If you have many but not all of these qualifications and feel like you would be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation and Schedule

• Salary range: $70,000 - $110,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Benefits include health insurance, leave early for Shabbat, Federal holidays, vacation, parental leave, sick days, complimentary congregational membership, and Discovery Lab tuition
• Evening, weekend and holiday work required during the school year
• Desired start date is July 1, 2026