Temple Beth Shalom Education Director

Temple Beth Shalom, in Spokane, WA, is seeking a Director of Lifelong Learning who wants to share their love of Judaism and has a deep desire to support a strong community of learners across the lifecycle. Our goal is to foster a positive and inclusive environment that will allow our Jewish community to learn and grow.
Temple Beth Shalom houses an innovative, forward-thinking educational program, which provides formal religious education and community experiences for both Temple Beth Shalom, a liberal Conservative synagogue and Congregation Emanu-El, a local Reform congregation.
Salary: $75,000 – 80,000 DOE

Benefits: Pension, Health Insurance, Professional Dues and Continuing Education, PTO, Family Leave, Moving Allowance

Qualifications: B.A., M.A. preferred in Jewish Studies, Education or equivalent
Broad-based knowledge of Jewish sacred texts, Hebrew language, Jewish values, Jewish history, and Jewish holidays
Unique talents or interests are welcome: Singers and guitar players, those with artistic talents, and educators who love the outdoors or have camp counselor experience are a plus!
Responsibilities:
Youth Education
• Update and create religious school, Hebrew school and Midrasha High curricula as needed.
• Collaborate with the Rabbi regarding Midrasha High. Assist in developing curriculum, supervise its meetings, and teach or find guest teachers as needed.
• Interview, hire, evaluate (and discharge, if necessary) teachers, madrichim, tutors, and other school personnel.
• Plan training for new and ongoing teachers to include curriculum familiarity, classroom management, lesson planning, and Torah lishmah.
• Conduct monthly faculty meetings as part of an ongoing teacher training program and as an aid in the administration of the school.
• Ensure that teachers maintain a warm, safe, organized and dynamic classroom environment that encourages inquiry and curiosity.
• Be a visible and supportive presence for students and parents.
• Maintain connections and open lines of communication directly with parents, and facilitate connections between parents and teachers.
• Supervise the b’nai mitzvah tutorial program.
• Create madrichim programs that focus on pedagogical and leadership skills
• Oversee Youth Group programs for all ages—Keshet, Gesher and USY, including hiring and supervising youth advisors.
Adult Education
• Provide adult learners with educational and cultural opportunities that will build and maintain a positive relationship to Jewish living, creativity, and community through lifelong learning.
• Collaborate with the Rabbi in structuring year-long Introduction to Judaism and Adult Bar/Bat mitzvah courses, as well as other multi-session courses.
• Invite guest speakers and teachers, and coordinate educational and cultural community-wide experiences, such as scholar-in-residence programs, Global Day of Jewish learning, and individual lectures and concerts.
Community Programming
• Oversee family programming, which currently includes:
o Tot Shabbat (usually led by one of our teachers)
o Shabbat Babayit (This is our zoom Friday night experience for families--it is usually in collaboration with the Rabbi.)
o JVillage, a program lead by volunteers for affiliated and unaffiliated families with children ages 5 and under.
• Create holiday celebrations for the entire community, such as the Purim service and spiel, Tikkun Leil Shavuot, or Hanukah party
General Administration and Governance
• Plan and oversee the budget for all educational programming.
• Attend Temple Beth Shalom board meetings and submit monthly reports.
• Develop volunteer leadership for the Education committee, and staff the committee.
• Coordinate b’nai mitzvah schedule.
• Coordinate all other calendars related to educational programming. This is done in collaboration with all of the Temple staff.
• Attend staff meetings, and function as a valuable member of the staff team.

We are vibrant and established community comprised of many multi-generational families and new families moving to the inland Pacific Northwest. Our membership encompasses a wide array of backgrounds, opinions and viewpoints that expand our horizons intellectually, theologically and through interpersonal relationships. We welcome and encourage collaboration both within our Jewish community, specifically between our two congregations, as well as with the Spokane community at large.

We are proud of our award-winning legacy of quality Jewish education. Many individuals who graduated from our program have gone on to influential positions in the Jewish world, from camp leaders and professional Jewish educators, to university faculty and rabbis. We are proud of this essence of who we are as a community. The combined education program of Temple Beth Shalom and Congregation Emanu-El is an essential component of who we are, and we are excited to continue strengthening and developing this program with new leadership.

Spokane is a dynamic, growing and beautiful city that enjoys four distinct seasons and provides residents with world class outdoor adventures, including: whitewater rafting in the Spokane River; biking the Centennial Trail; snow skiing at five nearby mountains; and hiking or boating at numerous nearby lakes and nature preserves.

Spokane also offers great indoor activities: several theaters (from Broadway shows to small productions), live music (from the Spokane Symphony to an eclectic assortment of concerts), multiple exhibit venues (from the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture to a robust public arts program); a diverse array of dining options and a number of local wineries, distilleries and craft breweries. Higher Education opportunities include three public universities, two private universities and a robust Community College system. Spokane Public Schools is the second largest system in the State.