Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) is a vibrant, cutting-edge 1200-family Reform synagogue in Park Slope, Brooklyn. We are an inclusive and diverse community, rooted in Jewish tradition, enthusiastically welcoming of the full spectrum of identities that make up the Jewish community. We come together to learn, pray, celebrate the rhythms of Jewish time, address injustice in the world, and support each other through the joys and sorrows of our lives. We are a spiritual, cultural and intellectual center for Jewish life, reimagining Judaism, building community, and manifesting our values of justice, education, and inspiration throughout the neighborhoods where we live and beyond.
At Congregation Beth Elohim, working for a more just and compassionate world is core to our mission and central to the Judaism we practice.
We are seeking a Community Organizer who is creative, relational, strategic, collaborative, and accountable. This person will work in direct and close partnership with the CBE clergy to craft and execute the vision for a major project of the congregation over the next 3-4 years, guiding the community’s visionary work in futurism, imagination, and justice.
This person is highly skilled at using the tools of community organizing to train and nurture a vibrant Leadership Team (LT), guide that team through a process of congregational engagement including, but not limited to a listening campaign, and help the team discern how to best and most strategically take action on multiple issues of shared concern. Most notably, this person is also able to be flexible and playful with the classical tools of community organizing. This person has the patience to organize for change over a long term, robust process, but is impatient with the world as it is, and is eager to work with a team engaged in imagining a different future and narrative for this country. This person is intrigued enough by that last sentence to not quite understand it, but apply for this position anyway.
The CBE Community Organizer will work closely with CBE members, one or more of the CBE rabbis, as well as a “Futurist in Residence” and other staff members engaged in justice work at CBE. This person will report to Rabbi Stephanie Kolin, and will be able to rely on some support from administrative staff.
Key Responsibilities:
- Building and nurturing relationships with a 20-25 person “Leadership Team” (LT).
- Training the LT in the tools of community organizing, including concepts and skills such as the cycle of organizing, power, relational meetings, house meetings, cutting an issue, research campaigns, action, evaluation, and others as needed.
- Scheduling monthly (or more) meetings with the LT and communicating clearly and regularly with members of the team.
- Working closely with co-chairs of the LT and clergy to plan each monthly meeting agenda and prepping them to lead each meeting, as well as leading appropriate parts of meetings yourself.
- Write bi-annual grant reports, including keeping track of the budget for the project, and otherwise keep thoughtful progress notes about the project and congregational relationships.
- Meet weekly with supervisor, coming prepared to each meeting with a basic agenda to focus on.
- Conduct hundreds of relational meetings with non-LT members of the congregation to engage them in the community’s conversation about imagination and a better world, and to help CBE identify leaders of all kinds.
- Hold supervisor accountable to doing her own relational meetings when necessary.
- If the relationship continues into Year 2, guide the LT in leading a robust congregation-wide Listening Campaign, including up to half of the congregation or more in conversations over a year’s time.
- If the relationship continues into Year 3, guide the LT and congregation through discerning what action or actions to take, craft a strategic campaign (or strategic campaigns) with them and clergy, and lead that/those campaign(s).
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree
- 7+ years' minimum experience in community organizing, preferably in a synagogue or non-profit setting
- The ideal candidate is mature, yet playful, able to relate to a full spectrum of individuals from seniors and board members to 20s/30s and teens in an authentic, relational, respectful, and personable manner.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Experience in designing and leading both an internal (within an organization) and external (justice oriented, outward looking) campaign.
- Very comfortable collaborating with clergy who organize and other senior staff members.
- Is a skilled and approachable trainer.
- Willing and eager to read and explore concepts like futurism, imagination, and protopian thinking. (Absolutely okay if these are brand new ideas to a candidate, but the candidate should be curious and open to learning more).
- Knowledge of Jewish tradition and experience working in the Jewish community is very desirable.
- Willingness to adjust hours based on needs related to the cycle of organizing and the Jewish year.
- Looking to be part of an employee culture built on trust, mutual respect, kindness, and creativity.
Salary Range: $85,000-$100,000, based upon demonstrable experience. Full time position and includes benefits.
Please include a cover letter about why you are interested in this position and share a time when you have successfully organized a community and made measurable change. Kindly keep it to one page. Thank you.
Please submit your resume for consideration to [email protected].
No phone calls please.
Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) is an equal opportunity employer. It is a violation of CBE’s policies to discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, age, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family status, sexual preference, status with regard to public assistance, mental or physical impairment, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.