Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation

Director of Congregational Education

Are you a creative Jewish educator with a vision of collaborating with a rabbi and lay leadership to foster community-wide educational engagement in a spirited Conservative synagogue?

Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation is a warm, inclusive, egalitarian synagogue community in greater New Orleans that honors tradition while embracing modernity, where all are welcome to join in praying, learning, and celebrating together. The only Conservative synagogue in the New Orleans area, Shir Chadash is a dynamic, vibrant congregation with over 300 member units, approximately 50 children and teens enrolled in educational programming, and a robust, active adult education program.

The job includes:

Youth and Family Engagement ● Religious School: Direct the Congregation’s religious school (which meets weekly for preschoolers-1st graders and twice weekly for 2nd-6th graders). Continue to develop and revise the existing curriculum. Hire, train, and supervise religious school teachers. Maintain regular communication with parents and help coordinate parent volunteers. (Approximately 30 children ages 3 to 11 currently enrolled in religious school.) ● Teens: Collaborate with the rabbi in long term strategic visioning of bar/bat mitzvah program. Initiate and direct all programming for post-b’nai mitzvah teens, including teaching twice monthly Sunday evening teen classes. (Approximately 20 teens in 7th-12th grade currently enrolled.) ● Family: Maintain meaningful communication with all young families, in person and electronically. ● Create and implement a variety of Friday evening and Shabbat morning programming for children and families. Manage Shabbat, holiday, and periodic Sunday morning babysitting. ● Holidays: Plan, publicize, and lead holiday programming for children in conjunction with synagogue programming.

Adult Engagement ● Envision, develop, implement, and teach, in conjunction with the rabbi, a robust calendar of adult education and congregational learning, including Judaic texts, davening skills, and Hebrew at all levels.

Community Engagement ● Maintain an active presence during Shabbat and holiday services and celebrations. ● Seek out, invite, and program yearly lecture series/Scholar in Residence. ● Plan and program biennial congregational retreat in collaboration with the rabbi and lay leadership. ● Establish and maintain an active relationship with the Jewish Community Day School leadership, including collaboration on joint programming. ● Produce written learning materials for the community in collaboration with the rabbi.

of 5 ● Create and nurture new learning and community-building initiatives to bring Jewish education to presently underserved sectors of the community. ● Collaborate on community projects (e.g. consultation on the forthcoming community mikvah). ● Attend committee and board meetings as necessary to communicate and implement the educational vision of the community.

Desired qualifications: ● Master’s degree preferred, Bachelor’s degree minimum ● Significant Judaic and educational experience ● Competent Hebrew skills (e.g. able to teach Hebrew at all levels) ● Knowledgeable about Conservative Judaism ● Experience with supervision and management of teachers and professional staff ● Computer literacy, including social media, Microsoft Office, and other relevant software and platforms ● Demonstrated success in teamwork, innovation, and leadership ● Ability and passion for incorporating music into programming is a plus ● Knowledge of nusach and trope, and ability to lead services, is a plus

This is a full time position with a benefits package.

To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, completed application form, and educational vision statement to: [email protected]. The application form (including guidelines for the educational vision statement) are attached to this document.

Please e-mail [email protected] with any questions.

Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation Director of Congregational Education Application for Employment

of 5 Please send a resume, cover letter, educational vision statement (see guidelines below), and this completed application form to: [email protected]

HOME ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBERS: Day Evening Cell

E-MAIL:

CANDIDATE’S RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION: _____Conservative _____Orthodox _____Reform _____Reconstructionist _____Other (Please explain)

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: (You may be asked to verify every degree awarded.)

GENERAL HIGHER EDUCATION: NAME OF COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY YEARS FROM-TO DEGREE SPECIALIZATION

JEWISH HIGHER EDUCATION: NAME OF SCHOOL YEARS FROM-TO DEGREE SPECIALIZATION

INFORMAL/ADULT JEWISH EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES (e.g. Melton Program, Limmud, Jewish camping, etc.)

CERTIFICATION: Type of License: License # Issued By: Date Received: Other Teaching Certificates: Day School Leadership Training Institute _____Yes Cohort #______No (NDI) New Directors’ Institute ____Yes Year______No

of 5 HEBREW LANGUAGE Please self assess your level of Hebrew fluency and literacy: Reading: ___excellent ___good ___minimal ___I do not read Hebrew Speaking: __excellent ___ good ___minimal ___I do not speak Hebrew Writing: ___excellent ___ good ___minimal ___I do not write Hebrew

Comments:

ADMINISTRATION Experience, Skills and Expertise in Other Administrative Areas. Check all that apply. You may write a comment to amplify your response.

_____Budget and Finance:

_____Board Relations and Board Development:

_____Marketing and Public Relations:

_____Hiring, Supervising and Termination of Professional Staff:

_____Professional Development (for teachers and support staff)

Other Comments

PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY: As part of your responsibilities, are you willing and prepared to: _____teach _____supervise youth activities _____lead adult education classes _____conduct family education programs _____conduct youth services _____participate in Shabbat services _____organize/lead congregational programming

CHECK SUBJECT/S THAT YOU ARE WELL QUALIFIED TO TEACH AND SUPERVISE _____Elementary Hebrew _____Advanced Hebrew _____Humash _____Jewish History _____Tefillot _____Rabbinics

of 5 _____Trope _____Other Subjects: ______

LIST RECENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE ATTENDED AND THE YEAR OF THE PROGRAM/S

LIST ANY PUBLICATIONS (Books, Articles, etc) that you have written:

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: Name of Organization City Position in Organization

Educational Vision Statement In 500-750 words, please share with us your vision for congregational education. Within your statement, please consider the following questions:  What makes for a successful Jewish supplementary school for pre-b’nai mitzvah age children?  How can we best engage post-b’nai mitzvah age teens?  What is your vision for strong ongoing life-long learning in a congregational setting?  How does congregational learning contribute to the flourishing of a Jewish community?  What experiences have you had that have set you up for success as an educator and school leader?  What are the skills, talents, and professional strengths that you could bring to this work?