Temple Ahavat Achim, Gloucester, Massachusetts
Temple Ahavat Achim is located in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a beautiful seaside community on Cape Ann, 45 minutes north of Boston. We are a USCJ-affiliated congregation of approximately 200 families that seeks to nurture both minds and souls, fostering love and commitment to Judaism and the Jewish people, participating and contributing to the larger community, and putting into action the Jewish values of caring for our fellow human beings while transmitting our Jewish faith and traditions from generation to generation.
To learn more about our community, visit: https://www.taagloucester.org
Role Overview
Reporting to the Rabbi, the Director of Family Learning will lead the Sylvia Cohen Family Learning Project (SCFLP). SCFLP is an innovative, experiential, project-based, Jewish education program rooted in sacred text that centers children’s curiosity, community-building, joy, and kavod. The right candidate will be a hands-on Jewish Educator with a deep knowledge of and love for Jewish text and tradition and will possess creativity, charisma, a sense of adventure, and a strong growth mindset. Your predecessor led a program that is beloved throughout our community. Your role will be to bring your own unique capacities and passions to build on the visionary work that has already been set in place and bring it from strength to strength.
The program currently enrolls 31 students across 22 families. Younger students meet once/week on Sundays and older students meet twice/week with the addition of 1 weekday afternoon (currently Tuesdays).
RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES
Programming
- Teach students in creative and engaging ways
- Devise, update, and implement a comprehensive Hebrew & Judaics curriculum as most appropriate for the TAA community for grades K-7, including educational goals, in consultation with the Rabbi
- Identify and implement appropriate strategies for inclusion of students with a variety of learning styles
- Provide creative points of access for Hebrew and tefillah learning
- Craft family-inclusive and intergenerational Shabbat and holiday services and programs in partnership with the Rabbi
- Scaffold and implement a robust B’nei Mitzvah program in partnership with the Rabbi
- Communicate regularly with parents and create opportunities to engage parents in their children’s learning
- Develop and implement preschool curriculum for preschoolers at TAA, as needed
- Work with post B’nei Mitzvah congregants to sustain their ties to the community and to Jewish life, with a goal of launching a teen-focused program
Program Oversight
- In partnership with the Finance Committee, create the annual budget for SCFLP
- Recruit, hire, and conduct all employment-related activities for the teaching staff, in consultation with the Rabbi and Human Resources Committee
- Provide performance reviews for teachers
- Plan and implement in-house professional development opportunities for all teaching staff
- Supervise and mentor teens serving as “Madrichim”
- Work with lay leaders to craft and fill volunteer opportunities that strengthen the educational experience
Leadership
- Model best practices in Jewish education
- Communicate regularly with the Rabbi. Meet on a weekly basis to ensure coordination, facilitate problem solving and receive professional support and mentorship
- Lead in recruitment and outreach to new families to join the SCFLP
- Provide outreach to local preschool families through joint programs with PJ Library (such as Jewish Holidays for Little Hands) and other family-friendly events
- Work with the School Committee in setting and meeting goals for each academic year
Other duties may be assigned, consistent with the typical work of a Director of Family Learning.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Degree in Education or Jewish Education, Masters preferred (or equivalent degree)
- 5+ years experience teaching children in grades K - 7
- Experience leading in an educational setting, including supervision and hiring
- Knowledge of Hebrew language at intermediate level (fluency not required)
- Expert in meeting the learning needs of a wide range of learning styles
- Teaching philosophy and personal qualities as outlined in the role overview
We invite applications from candidates who do not meet all of the qualifications listed above, but who may bring other relevant professional and life experience.
TIME COMMITMENT
This is a salaried, full-time position. The Director of Family Learning is expected to manage their workload, including setting their work hours. The Director of Family Learning may conduct their work with a “hybrid” schedule with consistent, posted time in the office, as approved by the Rabbi. This schedule will include evening and weekend hours during SCFLP sessions, Shabbat, Jewish holidays, key committee meetings, and events.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The Director of Family Learning’s benefits package will include a professional development stipend, paid vacation time, and a combination of secular and Jewish holidays. Salary range: $65,000-$85,000 commensurate with experience.
TO APPLY
Please submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected] by April 24, 2024.