OUR CONGREGATION

Founded in Oakland almost 120 years ago, Temple Beth Abraham (TBA) is a dynamic, egalitarian, multigenerational Conservative-movement synagogue of close to 500 households of all ages.

Known for our vibrant, musical, ruach-filled services (we use our own traditional siddur written by Rabbi Bloom called Shirat Avraham), our congregation has nearly doubled in size over the last 20 years. A significant source of that growth has been the attraction to our high-quality religious school, where our children and teens learn, grow, explore, and find their Jewish home among the community.

We are often referred to as “conservative but fun,” as our diverse membership of traditional and non-traditional Jewish families continues to thrive. Through preserving and evolving tradition, serving every generation and stage of life, celebrating Israel, deepening education and understanding, and nurturing our community, TBA is a special congregation, beloved by its congregants.

OUR SCHOOL

We have two primary goals for our Bet Sefer students: to build a strong foundation in Hebrew and prayer, and to build enduring communities of friends.

For the Hebrew component, there is a strong emphasis on prayerbook Hebrew reading and the ability to lead and understand prayers, so that our students feel comfortable at any synagogue in the world. Of course we also teach holidays, text study, history, life cycle, and more, and there is a lot of room for our new educator to provide strong directional guidance in these areas, to reflect your Jewish educational passions.

But in addition to all this learning—and there is a lot of learning!—we place equal emphasis on relationships and community. Our philosophy is that these two foundations—Hebrew prayer and community—are the firmest and most binding ties between our children and their development into Jewish adults.

Bet Sefer is our K–7th grade after-school religious school program of approximately 115 students, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4–6 p.m. throughout the school year. Our K–2nd grade children attend Tuesdays only; 3rd–6th graders attend Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 7th graders attend Thursday only.

We also have a weekly, half-year program for 8th–10th graders. There is no Sunday school.

While TBA also has a popular and vibrant preschool—Gan Avraham—it does not fall within the Education Director’s scope.

OUR STAFF

Our staff is comprised of dedicated individuals who have committed decades to our congregation. Our Rabbi has led TBA for over 24 years; the current Education Director has served for over 20; our Executive Director for over 15; and our Facilities Manager for over 30.

These long-tenured employees set the tone for our newer staff members, with all members supporting each other through the challenges and joys of dedicating one’s working hours to a religious community. As we embark on this search, we are excited to welcome the next member of our Senior Team.

OVERVIEW OF THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR ROLE

Given how important and integral Bet Sefer is to the vitality and culture of the congregation, the Director of Education is a critical leadership role on our staff.

Inspiring the students to learn and the teachers to lead, cultivating the joy of Jewish learning, and helping our youngest members build a vibrant and fulfilling connection to their Judaism, this role is multi-dimensional and substantial.

The Education Director reports directly to the Rabbi and also has a liaison on the Board of Directors.

The right candidate will come to us with energy, curiosity, vision, compassion, and a dedication to the joyful, soulful, complex, and beautiful job of educating our Jewish youth.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

As described in more detail below, the Education Director will be tasked with running the Bet Sefer, conducting youth services, coordinating our B’nai Mitzvah program, organizing our teen Tichon program, and providing a small selection of adult educational opportunities.

Bet Sefer

This is the core of the role and includes hiring and preparing teachers, including teen assistant teachers (Madrichim), with an orientation before the year begins. The role also includes developing curriculum and helping teachers implement it, including lesson planning in many cases.

The Education Director oversees in-school special programming such as a welcome BBQ, Sukkot Festival, Chanukah Party, Purim Carnival, Yom Ha’atzmaut Round Robin, field trips (such as a shopping trip to purchase supplies for the Alameda County Food Bank), 7th grade Holocaust projects, and more. The specifics of these special programs will likely change, depending on the new Director’s vision and priorities.

Administrative duties include registration, preparing the annual budget and bi-monthly payroll, maintaining emergency binders and supplies, ordering books and other materials, and more.

Youth Services

In addition to class time, TBA supplements its education program through monthly youth services. The Education Director runs a monthly Junior Congregation service for 3rd–6th graders, scheduled to overlap with the main service in the chapel space, and a similar monthly program for K–2nd graders called T’fillat Y’ladim.

The Director organizes a “Share a Shabbat” service once a year for each Bet Sefer class. Each K–5th grade class leads a Friday night service in the main sanctuary followed by a potluck dinner for families of that grade. The 6th graders and their parents collectively lead a Saturday morning service in the main sanctuary and support the Shabbat Kiddush.

The Education Director also organizes and leads High Holiday Youth Services, leading 60–90 minute services for 1st–6th graders on the mornings of Rosh Hashanah (first day only) and Yom Kippur, and helps solicit teen Torah readers for the main High Holiday services.

B’nai Mitzvah Coordination

In conjunction with the Rabbi, the Education Director helps B’nai Mitzvah families learn about the process and choose dates. During the 6th and 7th grade years, the Director helps families organize honors, orders gifts from the synagogue (Tanach or Tikkun, Kiddush cups, and candlesticks), helps families find tutors to train students on Torah and Haftarah, and follows up to remind them of the many components involved in becoming B’nai Mitzvah at Beth Abraham.

Tichon Teen Program

One evening a week for half the year, TBA offers an 8th–10th grade program for post B’nai Mitzvah students. The Rabbi teaches the 10th graders, and the 8th–9th grade class is taught by the Education Director or someone they hire.

Adult Education

The congregation has an appetite for adult education opportunities, and the Education Director has historically organized a small set of offerings that vary from year to year, including Hebrew reading, Torah and Haftarah trope, and other topics. These offerings are not the core focus of the role, though they are valued by the congregation.

REQUIRED

Expertise in and connection to Jewish prayer, Hebrew, services, and rituals.
Experience with and dedication to youth education, development, and guidance.
Strong written and oral communication skills with both adults and children.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Experience managing and training others.
Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects under time constraints.

OPTIONAL

Experience or comfort with learning differences and neurodivergent students.
Interest in adult Jewish education.

SALARY, BENEFITS & START DATE

Salary: $80,000 – $105,000

Benefits include vacation, sick leave, and Kaiser health insurance (if elected). In addition, we offer full membership status for the Education Director’s immediate family, free religious school, discounted preschool, and a conference budget.

The position is mostly in-office, with some work-from-home flexibility.

The expected start date is July 1, 2026.