Director of the Religious School
The Forest Hills Jewish Center (FHJC) is seeking a passionate, engaging, qualified and experienced professional to be the Director of the Religious School.
FHJC is a welcoming, vibrant, inclusive Conservative synagogue, with more than 350 families, located in the center of Forest Hills, N.Y. We are a spiritual, cultural and educational center of Jewish life for all ages. Many of our members consider FHJC to be their second home, where they come for both celebration and comfort. FHJC is conveniently located, within easy distance to both Manhattan and the New York City suburbs.
The Director of the Religious School will embody the warm and inclusive spirit that FHJC strives to represent. His/her passion for Jewish education and the ideals of Conservative Judaism will inform the development of mindful, friendly and creative curriculum, services and programs centered on Torah, mitzvot, tikkun olam, chessed, tzedakah, Israel, Shabbat and holidays. The Director will be a bridge between school families and the synagogue, as well as develop community connections and outreach to raise awareness of and involvement with FHJC.
We believe that the synagogue is the central institution of Jewish life, and that it must constantly measure the pulse of the congregation and the community, and respond within the bounds of halacha. The Director of the Religious School will be a member of the FHJC professional team which includes Rabbi Daniel Graber, Hazzan Randy Levin, the Early Childhood Director and the Executive Director, who together create a welcoming environment at FHJC for every sector of our membership and the larger community. The Director will work with this team, as well as with members and volunteers to establish open avenues of communication.
As we are currently beginning a major rebuilding project; the Director will participate in the visioning process for our new facility. This position is a rare opportunity for a progressive Jewish educator who wants to see inclusive Jewish life grow and flourish, and help educate the future leaders of our Jewish communities.
Essential Functions:
Education, formal and informal:
- Develop and implement the K -12 educational curriculum in the Religious School to include a broad-based curriculum of Jewish values through study of Hebrew, texts, Jewish culture and religious rituals in accordance with the precepts of the Conservative Movement.
- Create and implement a spiritually uplifting, fun Religious School/Hebrew School experience for our school-aged children that is firmly grounded in Torah and Jewish text and connected to Israel, our history, culture, language, and traditions. Personalize curriculum to accommodate students and families with special needs.
- Establish measurable goals for teachers and students.
- Hire, train, supervise and review performance of all teaching and support staff and provide staff development opportunities and training.
- Work with professional and lay leadership to integrate Religious School students and their families into the larger synagogue community with innovative classroom and experiential learning, creative family services, intergenerational community building activities, special holiday programs and parent education opportunities and social action projects.
- Integrate formal classroom and informal youth group components of the educational program.
- Administer and coordinate in conjunction with clergy, on-going Jewish Family programming.
- Administer a program to recruit and train teen teacher aides (madrichim), retaining teen engagement in the synagogue and providing role models for younger students.
Communication:
- Share curriculum content and goals with parents.
- Foster relationships between students, families and staff that encourage lifelong love of Judaism and engagement with Jewish life.
- Maintain open channels of communication with parents and the leadership of our Congregation.
- Ensure timely and accurate publicity for registration and events.
Administrative:
- Prepare projected annual budget and written description of anticipated expenses and income.
- Maintain all expenses in accordance with budgetary constraints and provide periodic updates.
- Prepare grade by grade enrollment and projections for upcoming year.
- Investigate and apply for grant funding for special projects.
- Assist leadership of lay education boards in identifying, recruiting, training and retaining volunteer lay leaders.
- Maintain accurate and detailed attendance records for all events
- Develop protocols for recurring events
- Maintain up to date and accurate database of families and children
- Must be computer literate and technologically savvy.
Shabbat and holidays:
- Be a presence and a leader to oversee and supervise diverse and enriching Shabbat and holiday programs for families and youth in conjunction with the Rabbi, Hazzan, Youth Leaders, Early Childhood Director and the School Board.
- In cooperation with the Early Childhood Director, conduct programs for nursery and kindergarten families at holiday and other appropriate times.
- Must have the capacity for flexible scheduling, including evenings and weekends as necessary.
Desired Qualifications:
- A. or equivalent in Jewish education or a related field.
- 3-5+ years of professional experience in an education related field.
- Experience providing professional supervision and support of teachers.
- Experience in creating, delivering and overseeing engaging and meaningful Judaic curricula.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong leadership, interpersonal and organizational skills.
- Demonstrated passion for Jewish learning and working with children and their families.
Job Details:
Full-time, 12 months a year.
Salary:
$90,000-$105,000 commensurate with experience.
Benefits:
Paid holidays
Paid vacation
Paid sick days
Application:
Please send cover letter and resume to: [email protected]