Associate Director of Youth and Family Engagement

The Associate Director of Youth and Family Engagement is a dynamic, relationship-driven leader responsible for cultivating meaningful connections and creating engaging Jewish experiences for children, teens, and young families at Temple Solel. This role integrates strategic engagement with the operational excellence of the Religious School and Solel Preschool, ensuring that every touchpoint, from first enrollment to ongoing participation, reflects a warm, welcoming, and mission-aligned community experience. This individual will help strengthen pathways into Jewish life by building relationships, designing impactful programming, and partnering with clergy and staff to create meaningful Jewish experiences that inspire lifelong connection to Jewish life, community, and the values of Temple Solel.

Strategic Purpose

This role advances the synagogue’s core value of “You Belong” by:

• Guiding young families as they build meaningful pathways into Jewish life and community at Temple Solel
• Strengthening the Religious School as both an educational and relational hub
• Designing engagement strategies that foster continuity from early childhood through adolescence
• Supporting a culture of warmth, communication, participation, and belonging
• Supporting Temple Solel’s mission of building a vibrant, multigenerational Jewish community grounded in relationships, learning, and belonging

Core Areas of Responsibility

1. Youth & Family Engagement
   • Develop and implement a cohesive engagement strategy for:
     • Families of: The Solel Preschool
     • Families of: the Religious School
     • Pre-teens and teens
   • Create intentional opportunities that move families from initial contact to sustained involvement
   • Use participation trends, enrollment data, and follow-up to strengthen family engagement
   • Partner with clergy to design experiences that integrate Jewish values, holidays, and lifecycle moments
2. Program Design & Execution
   • Lead the planning and execution of innovative, relationship-centered programming, including:
     • Shabbat and holiday experiences for young families
     • Family education initiatives grounded in Jewish learning, values, and tradition
     • Youth engagement events and social programming
   • Ensure programs are welcoming, organized, mission-aligned, and reflective of Temple Solel’s values and culture
   • Evaluate program success and continuously refine offerings based on feedback and participation data
3. Religious School Integration & Operations
   • Collaborate with the Religious School Director to ensure seamless integration between education and engagement
   • Oversee key administrative and operational functions, including:
     • Enrollment and retention processes
     • Family communications and calendar coordination
     • On-site experience during Religious School sessions
   • Help position the Religious School as a central gateway to broader synagogue involvement
   • Support enrollment, retention, and family follow-up efforts through thoughtful communication and relationship management
   • Collaborate with staff to maintain accurate family engagement and enrollment records
4. Communication and Relationship Building
   • Serve as a strategic communicator for youth and family engagement:
     • Develop clear, consistent, and compelling messaging
     • Oversee weekly communications, event promotion, and follow-up
   • Ensure communications reflect a tone of warmth, inclusivity, and belonging
   • Collaborate with staff to align messaging across platforms (email, social media, website, print)
   • Welcome and onboard new families with intentionality and care
   • Help foster a sense of warmth, ruach, and belonging across youth and family programs and experiences
   • Identify and cultivate lay leaders, volunteers, and parent ambassadors
5. Cross-Functional Collaboration
   • Work closely with clergy, Executive Director, Religious School Director, Preschool Director, and Senior Staff team to align engagement efforts with broader synagogue priorities
   • Participate in strategic planning and contribute to organizational goals related to growth, retention, and community vitality
   • Support a culture of teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement

Qualifications & Experience

• Demonstrated experience: in community engagement, Jewish education, youth programming, or related field
• Organized, proactive: and able to balance strategic thinking with operational execution
• Exceptional interpersonal: and relationship-building abilities
• Excellent written: and verbal communication skills
• Experience: with program development, event coordination, and volunteer engagement
• Comfort: with digital communication tools, databases, and basic content creation
• Experience: with synagogue or nonprofit database systems and communication platforms preferred
• Knowledge: of Jewish traditions, values, and communal life preferred

Schedule & Availability

Flexible schedule with required availability on:

• Sunday mornings (Religious School)
• Evenings and weekends for programs, holidays, and events

Core Competencies

• Relationship-centered leadership
• Strategic thinking and initiative
• Organizational excellence and follow-through
• Creative program design
• Effective communication
• Adaptability and collaboration

Measures of Success

• Greater continuity of family involvement from preschool through adolescence
• Strong retention and satisfaction within the Religious School
• Growth in attendance at youth and family programs
• Positive feedback reflecting a culture of warmth, connection, and belonging
• Clear, consistent, and effective communication across all touchpoints

Impact of the Role

The Associate Director of Youth and Family Engagement plays a central role in shaping the future of the synagogue by building meaningful, lasting connections with the next generation. Through thoughtful strategy, engaging programming, and authentic relationships, this individual helps ensure that families not only participate but find meaningful pathways into Jewish life, learning, community, and belonging.