Director of Education and Engagement

Temple Beth-El, Ithaca NY

WHO WE ARE

Temple Beth-El is an active center of Jewish life, providing cultural, educational, and religious experiences for all in downtown Ithaca and the surrounding area, which is also home to Cornell University, Ithaca College, and the extraordinary natural beauty of the Finger Lakes. The synagogue is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and maintains a progressive, egalitarian, shomer mitzvot culture within the synagogue, while remaining radically welcoming to Jews of a wide variety of religious practices. Temple Beth-El welcomes Jews and their families from all backgrounds. We proudly celebrate the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity of the Jewish people and their families, and we’re proudly LGBTQ-affirming. We are a vibrant and diverse community of intellectually curious and engaged members who love to learn, are passionate about volunteering, and love to contribute to our culture of grassroots Judaism.

WHY WORK FOR TBE?

TBE has experienced significant growth over the last 2 years, with a dynamic young rabbi at the helm and a Religious School that has seen a 70% increase in enrollment. Our Religious School parents and lay leaders are deeply committed to ensuring a robust future for generations to come. Ours is a scrappy, grassroots, volunteer-based synagogue community. With a small (but mighty!) team of paid staff, collaboration and volunteerism are the watchwords of our congregants, who all pitch in to run creative, engaging, and meaningful synagogue services and programs. Our Rabbi, Director of Education and Engagement, Administrative Coordinator, and our part-time Financial Administrator work closely with each other and the TBE board and other volunteers to foster an environment of mutual commitment and open communication and collaboration.  Our goal is to do awesome stuff, and to do it together.

Ithaca is a great place to live. It was named America’s best town to visit by CNN in 2025. It ranked in the top 20 in Business Insider’s list of the best American cities to live in, and it topped Newsweek’s Readers' Choice Awards for Best Farmers Market in the U.S.

WHAT YOUR ROLE WOULD BE:

The Director of Education and Engagement is responsible for all formal and informal education of children and teens, and family engagement at TBE. Reporting to the Rabbi and working closely with lay committees, you will direct the Religious School (Wednesdays and Sundays during the school year) and oversee all teen and family programming including Tot Shabbatot (monthly), Likrat Shabbatot (bi-monthly; for grades 3-7children) holiday programs, Junior Congregation (monthly), teen gatherings and trips, and other programs.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Religious School

• Hire, supervise and mentor teachers and teen madrichim
• Serve as the primary contact point for families, faculty, and volunteers
• Oversee curriculum, and support teachers in adapting according to individual student needs.
• Oversee operations of Religious School including registration, budget, and facilities.

Teen Programs

• Plan and implement the TBE teen programming to include Jewish learning, community-building and service opportunities within TBE and in the greater Ithaca area.
• Plan, coordinate, and teach Midrasha (our weekly post B'nei Mitzvah social and educational program).

Youth and Family Programming

• Plan, implement and evaluate a range of family programs, including: Shabbat Programs, Holiday Programs, and Social Programs.
• Oversee the planning and facilitation of family High Holy Day services and programming.

Administrative

• Communications: monthly religious school newsletter, website and synagogue calendar
• Recruit and coordinate congregational volunteers.
• Collaborate with other TBE committees, Jewish organizations, and local non-profits.

WHO YOU ARE & KEYS TO YOUR SUCCESS

• Ability to engage and relate well to people across generations
• Detail oriented, successful in prioritizing, tracking and executing work on multiple fronts
• Passionately committed to Jewish education, both formal and informal
• A natural collaborator
• Strong communicator, both orally and in writing
• Creative and entrepreneurial, eager to test out, assess and revise new ideas
• Strong administrative skills
• Trusted role model for Jewish identity and learning for students and their families from all backgrounds
• Ability to partner and work together with lay committees and synagogue board

YOU HAVE ALL OR MOST OF THE FOLLOWING

• Training and experience in Jewish education
• Ability to make accommodations to educational offerings for diverse learners
• A track record in administration and supervision
• An engaging presence for all ages
• Experience crafting, implementing, and evaluating curricula for a wide age-range
• The ability to recruit, hire, and mentor teachers and madrichim.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range is between $65K-$85K, depending on education, credentials, and experience. Temple Beth El offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, pension contributions, paid vacation and personal leave, and funding for professional development.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Note: Systemic inequities in hiring have caused many women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people to apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. If you do not have all of the qualifications listed above, but are extremely organized, passionate about our mission, and believe you have applicable and transferable skills from other fields or experiences, we encourage you to apply. We’d love to hear from you. In your cover letter, be sure to highlight how your experience, skills, and personal qualities have set you up to succeed in the role.