Director of Hebrew Innovation

You will help expand Hebrew language offerings, advise in hiring of Hebrew teachers, partner with local organizations that need support, create learning opportunities, and work with a cohort of communal Hebrew leaders. Overall, your role will be to act as the communal resource to local organizations engaged in Hebrew learning to help increase the importance and visibility of Hebrew across the Chicago community, especially in schools.

What you’ll be doing:

Design and oversee a focused effort to expand existing modern Hebrew offerings in Chicago-area public and independent middle and high schools.
Identify qualified candidates for professional Hebrew teaching positions in local school districts and serve as a conduit for the accreditation process to meet required regional hiring guidelines.
Support other local organizations engaged in Hebrew learning as requested, individually and collectively. Key constituencies might include day school Hebrew teachers, supplementary schoolteachers, camp staff, lay leaders, etc.
Partner with other local organizations engaged in Hebrew education for the purpose of leveraging existing community efforts and maximizing resources.
Create opportunities for shared professional learning, expertise, and resources amongst and across local organizations engaged in Hebrew education.
Create opportunities to recognize community-wide and organization-specific achievements in Hebrew outcomes.
Document, analyze and present data collected from the field to all key constituents.
Participate and contribute to a pilot cohort of communal Hebrew leaders in other North American communities under the auspices of Hebrew at the Center to:
Leverage and share expertise and programmatic models across communities
Share learning opportunities with leaders and experts in the field

What you need to succeed:

REQUIRED
Commitment to strengthening community through the lens of Hebrew
Experience working with school districts and school leadership and teachers in both private and public-school settings
Strong communication skills in English and Modern Hebrew
Experience in effective problem-solving and innovation and able to pick up on technology programs
Strong interpersonal, collaborative, decision-making, and project management skills
Able to work independently and interdependently within and across multiple organizations

SRRONGLY PREFERRED
5+ years’ experience in high-level leadership and community organizing in the educational landscape
MA or higher in second language acquisition, secondary education, or other related fields
What you’ll love about us:

At JUF, you can be part of one of the largest non-profit social welfare institutions in Illinois. We provide food, refuge, healthcare, education, emergency assistance, and essential services to 500,000 Chicagoans of all faiths and millions of Jews around the world. We take pride in our mission and in having a work culture that fosters a sense of belonging and feels rewarding, supportive, and inclusive.

Time off: Up to 22 days paid time off, up to 10 sick days, 8 paid federal holidays, up to 13 paid Jewish holidays, and 6 weeks paid parental leave.
Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance. 401(k) with base contribution and Additional health and wellness benefits, financial benefits, professional training, tuition reimbursement, and much more.
Hybrid Model: We have a flexible schedule with core hours and the ability to work from home a few days per week (for most positions).