Director of Youth Engagement Beth Emet The Free Synagogue Evanston, IL
Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, a vibrant Reform congregation, seeks an innovative, dynamic Director of Youth Engagement to join our senior team of clergy, educators and administrators. We are seeking a youth professional who can encourage youth ownership and leadership in programs that emphasize critical thinking, intentional learning, and engagement with Jewish worship, action and thought.
Responsibilities include:
• Supervise and mentor youth advisor(s) for our three youth groups: Garinim (4th and 5th grades), Chasamba (6th, 7th and 8th grades) and BESSY (high school)
• Develop and facilitate social and informal education programs for 4th-5th grade students and their families
• Coordinate our 8th-11th grade education programs
• Teach one or two grades in our school program
• Support and advise Kabbalat (B’nai) Mitzvah students on their gemilut hasadim projects
• Create and implement experiential learning opportunities, including social justice and community service programs and weekend retreats
• Develop caring, mentoring relationships with Beth Emet youth that are both supportive and promote growth
Qualifications and Core Competencies: • Strong Jewish identity and good understanding of the principles of Reform Judaism • Background in Jewish experiential and formal education • Collaborative work ethic (the Director of Youth Engagement works closely with the senior synagogue staff, lay volunteers, and teaching staff) • Passion for working with pre-teens and teens, and their families • Strong organizational, technology and communication skills • Ability to communicate sensitively and compassionately with youth and adults with various backgrounds, gender identities, and ethnicities. • Good judgment regarding the physical and emotional safety of youth • The ability to attend to details, be creative, and serve as a Jewish role model will mark the ideal candidate for this position.