Campus Rabbi and Senior Jewish Educator

USC Hillel

Role Overview 

Join USC Hillel as Campus Rabbi to enrich the lives of Jewish students and shape the future of Jewish life at the University of Southern California. As a visionary educational and spiritual leader, the Campus Rabbi will strengthen Jewish student life and deepen the quality of USC Hillel experiences. The Campus Rabbi champions our Jewish practice through weekly Shabbat celebrations, holy day observances, and meaningful Jewish ritual. The Campus Rabbi will create imaginative spaces for Jewish learning and modern engagement with ancient text through co-facilitation of learning fellowships and pioneering new educational opportunities. The Campus Rabbi works in collaboration with our student life team to embrace pluralism in reaching Jewish students of every background and empowers students to lead through USC Hillel’s student-led, staff-supported ethos. We envision the Campus Rabbi as a senior professional working in intensive partnership across our deeply collaborative team, under the supervision of the USC Hillel Assistant Director.

What You’ll Do

Student Engagement

• Steward individual student Jewish journeys
• Mentor students in formal leadership roles and cultivate students on a leadership arc
• Provide Individual and communal pastoral care
• Infuse elevated Judaic content and intentionality into programmatic spaces
• Serve as a visible campus presence and a Jewish role model

Jewish Practice

• Plan, lead, and cultivate engagement in and student ownership of Shabbat and holiday experiences
• Envision Jewish practice with student leadership and colleagues as partners
• Create innovative rituals in response to expressed student need
• Foster a culture of fully realized Jewish pluralism

Education

• Co-facilitate learning fellowships
• Create opportunities for formal and informal Jewish learning in a variety of campus venues
• Infuse Jewish content into a range of media including online and social media spaces
• Serve as a thought leader and champion for Jewish learning among the professional team

Community Partnership and Leadership

• Build relationships with identity, culture, and faith-based groups on campus
• Serve as a core partner in rabbinic and pastoral leadership with the USC Office of Religious and Spiritual Life
• Represent the USC Jewish community in greater Jewish Los Angeles
• Pursue and deepen multi-faith and inter-faith initiatives

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Commitment to campus, students, and emerging Jewish leadership
• Confidence initiating and facilitating programs
• Enthusiasm for an immersive and collaborative team culture
• Ability to mentor emerging Jewish leaders
• Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel, meeting students at various points in their personal Jewish journeys
• Embrace of Jewish pluralism and acceptance of every student’s Jewish identity

Qualifications

• Rabbinic ordination from an accredited institution and a commitment to a pluralistic approach to Jewish life
• Previous rabbinic experience is an advantage, but recently-ordained candidates are encouraged to apply
• Demonstrated ability to relate to emerging adults
• Pastoral counseling skills
• Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work flexible hours, including some nights, weekends, and holidays
• A team-oriented approach and strong work ethic 
• Proven experience thinking critically and acting strategically to reach goals
• Comfort taking healthy risks toward growth

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the nonprofit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $100,000-140,000. This position is classified as exempt.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA), pension plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
• Candidates claiming parsonage will receive an equivalent payroll tax contribution.
• Outstanding professional development both individually and as a team.
• Travel nationally and abroad, particularly to Israel.

About USC Hillel

USC Hillel is the Center of Jewish Life at USC, annually engaging over 75% of our 2,000+ Jewish student population. Our mission is to enrich the lives of our students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Fostering meaningful Jewish experiences, USC Hillel develops leaders and inspires young Jewish Trojans to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life. We offer a welcoming environment to nurture a strong Jewish community and place an emphasis on peer-to-peer relationship building among an actively engaged student base. USC Hillel offers opportunities for students to become leaders, mentors, and community members within the greater USC and Los Angeles communities. USC Hillel prioritizes the development of our professionals by investing in team-wide and individual skill building opportunities, both in and outside of the Hillel context. USC Hillel received the “Great Place to Work” award in 2022 from Hillel International which highlighted our emphasis on professional growth opportunities, strong interpersonal relationships, and prioritization of personal wellness. 

About the University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, USC enrolls more international students than any other U.S. university and offers extensive opportunities for internships and study abroad programs. With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education, USC fosters a vibrant culture of public service and encourages students to cross academic as well as geographic boundaries in their pursuit of knowledge.