Israel Education & Engagement Manager - Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

Israel Education & Engagement Manager

Full-time: HYBRID (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in office)

Location: Whippany, NJ 

Salary: $80,000 - $90,000 Benefits 

WHO WE ARE?
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ is a nonprofit organization that serves the Jewish community in Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union, and parts of Somerset County in NJ. Our mission is to convene and lead our community to ensure the continuity and strength of the Jewish people, to support a secure Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and to care for Jews in need locally and around the world. Federation enables community members to engage in meaningful ways, impact the lives of others, and access valuable resources. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

With the goals of elevating Israel education throughout our catchment area and engaging a significantly larger number of community members with Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest is seeking an innovative expert in Israel education and engagement to play a leading role implementing these organizational priorities.

Especially in the context of historically high levels of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, few tasks are more timely and strategically relevant than inspiring community members and allies to connect with, and learn more deeply about, Israel.

The successful candidate for this new position will report to the Director of Global Connections and will work in partnership with agencies across and beyond the Jewish community, Federation professionals, lay leadership, and community members at large.

WHY WORK WITH US?  

Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ serves one of the largest Jewish communities in NJ. Our employees contribute to our mission of strengthening Jewish life and identity and meeting basic human needs. We foster a collaborative, positive, and inclusive workplace culture where employees can work together to achieve common goals and develop careers. Located on a beautiful campus, we are close to several major highways, dining, and shopping options.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Community Engagement & Education (50%)

• Develop a robust network of organizational leaders and educators from our community with whom to collaborate on Israel programming;
• Through research and surveying, create a “community inventory” on Israel education and engagement to assess where and how Federation can play a relevant role in this field;
• In partnership with the Senior Community Shaliach, plan, support, and run a diverse range of high-quality Israel education and engagement programs across Greater MetroWest;
• In collaboration with Federation colleagues who oversee the relationship with those institutions, lead educational trainings and convenings at schools, youth movements, synagogues, JCCS, etc. to raise the quality of Israel education in our community;
• Identify resources that can help enhance our community’s Israel education and engagement, such as relevant content providers or grant opportunities;
• Support Global Connections’ efforts to maximize the impact of our Mishlachat by identifying opportunities to expose them to the wider community;
• Support the Mishlachat with the community-wide Yom Ha’atzmaut and Yom Ha’zikaron events;
• Support the Manager of Global Partnerships with the recruitment of participants and running some of Federation’s Living Bridges programs (these are programs ran in parallel between our Greater MetroWest NJ and our global partner communities which include virtual meetings as well as, occasionally, in-person encounters).

Volunteer Engagement (30%)

• Staff the Israel Programming Committee together with the Senior Shaliach, providing guidance, support, and thought partnership to the Chairs and Committee Liaisons.
• Attend and support the Living Bridges Committee meetings;
• Ensure all Committee-related communication, planning, evaluation, and coordination with the Chairs are managed in a timely and professional manner;
• In coordination with the Chairs and the Development team, help steward the relationship with existing Committee members and engage prospective Committee members;
• Together with the Senior Community Shaliach, serve as a content expert in Israel affairs at meetings, briefings, and presentations for donors and lay leaders across Federation.

Internal Federation and Global Connections Responsibilities (15%)

• In coordination with the Mishlachat Coordinator, support the Rishonim’s work by:
  • Running regular training sessions that provide educational and pedagogical tools and help them elevate the quality of their lesson plans and delivery;
  • Reviewing lesson plans, observing some of their activities and providing feedback;
  • Working closely with the institutional supervisors where they are placed.
• Serve as the Global Connections liaison for the Community Engagement team, including attending their meetings, presenting opportunities for collaboration to and from Global Connections, and serving as point-person for their different department heads.
• Serve as a Global Connections in-house Israel expert, providing innovative ideas on how to educate and engage our community around Israel, as well as resources to enhance our Israel-related sessions, events, and presentations;

Administrative Responsibilities (5%)

• Ensure interactions with volunteers and organizations are captured in our CRM system;
• Ensure professional communication, timely follow-up;
• Follow Federation and Global Connections guidelines for program and event planning;
• Ensure all program materials and logistics are taken care of in advance;
• Support marketing efforts to spread the word about Federation’s Israel and Overseas work.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Degree in Israel Education or similar. Advanced degree strongly preferred;
• Proven experience as an Israel educator and/or Israel engagement professional, working with a wide range of populations;
• Ability to manage difficult conversations with nuance and respect for different positions;
• Experience collaborating with volunteers;
• Fluency in Hebrew preferred;

EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK

• Position will require occasional work on evenings and Sundays;
• Position requires driving regularly (gas and toll expenses that exceed the commute to Federation to be paid by Federation) and be physically present at different sites, mostly in New Jersey;
• Position will require occasional travel to Israel and/or other countries.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Additional functions and responsibilities may change or may be assigned.
 

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