USY enables Jewish teens to create meaningful Jewish experiences. For 73 years, USY has equipped young Jews with the skills, values and confidence essential to become strong leaders in their religious and secular communities.
USY offers Jewish experiences that support and connect youth as they navigate the joys and challenges of growing up. Through Jewish education and shared experiences, youth discover their passions, realize their potential and find their place in a lifelong supportive community.
USY ensures safe spaces for teen participants to broaden their horizons by exploring, sharing, listening, challenging, empathizing, supporting and thriving in order to pave the way for the next generation of Jewish youth.
USY empowers teens to build relationships that elevate leadership skills that make an impact and a sense of belonging to the Jewish People and Israel, along with a commitment to inspired Jewish living through meaningful and fun experiences rooted in Conservative Judaism’s approach to experiential learning, spiritual expression and social responsibility.
USY inspires teens to share a deep sense of pride and love for their Jewish identity through year-round programming, immersive experiences, domestic and international opportunities and connections.
Our Team’s Core Values
At USY, our team seeks to live our core values every single day: Collaboration, Dedication to the Mission, Generosity of Spirit, Innovation and Adaptability, Integrity, Solution Orientation and Striving for Excellence are guiding principles that shape our culture and drive our success.
To learn more about us, visit www.usy.org.
Position Summary:
CHUSY (Chicago Area United Synagogue Youth), in partnership with JUF and other community organizations, is seeking a dynamic and passionate Israel Engagement Specialist. This role will lead youth-centered Israel education and engagement programming throughout the Chicagoland Jewish community. This position is made possible by a JUF Enhancing Israel Education & Addressing Antisemitism Grant.
The Israel Engagement Specialist will serve as a contractor under the supervision of the CHUSY Community Director. This role will enhance and expand Israel education through youth programming at CHUSY events, synagogues, Ramah Day Camp, and broader teen community programs. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and educator with a passion for Israel and youth engagement.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Development & Implementation:
- Develop and lead Israel education programming across CHUSY events, religious schools, and synagogue youth groups.
- Design and implement a citywide Israel festival for 2nd–7th graders.
- Date currently set for November 15th.
- Assist with implementation and develop Israel programming at joint community youth group programming for 8th-12th graders.
- Dates currently set for December 6th and March 4th with a 3rd potential event TBD.
- Embed Israel content in immersive USY retreats, including speaker sessions and experiential learning.
- Immersive events currently set for 10/24-10/25, 2/20-2/22, and 3/13-3/15, with a potential 4th event TBD.
- Develop and lead Israel sessions at Ramah Day Camp during Summer 2025.
Teen Leadership Development:
- Train and mentor CHUSY teen leaders to serve as Israel Ambassadors.
- Support teen-led Israel sessions at middle school events and retreats.
Speaker Series Coordination:
- Collaborate with CJA and synagogues to plan and facilitate an Israel-focused speaker series for teens and parents.
- Coordinate at least 3 speakers between September and March.
Community Partnership:
- Work closely with organizations such as iCenter, IsraelLink, Ramah, JEA, and CJA to access resources, staffing, and outreach opportunities.
Data & Reporting:
- Track attendance and program feedback.
- Collect and analyze pre-/post-program surveys for evaluation.
- Support mid-year and final grant reporting as required by JUF.
Job Requirements:
- Strong background in Israel education, informal Jewish education, and/or youth engagement
- Experience working with 2nd–12th grade youth and in developing age-appropriate content
- Knowledge of current events in Israel and ability to facilitate nuanced conversations
- Self-starter with strong organizational and communication skills
- Familiarity with the Conservative movement and Masorti values preferred
Schedule:
Part-Time hours, approximately 10 hours per week.
The position is generously grant funded by JUF Chicago and begins as soon as possible, with programming running through at least March 2026.
Contractor is expected to manage own schedule within expected deliverables and timelines.
Compensation:
Monthly rate: $1,500/month
Potential for additional compensation provided through Ramah to serve as a guest educator at Ramah Day Camp this summer
USY is an Equal Opportunity Employer.