Open Positions / דרושים
Director of Family Education, The Kitchen
Location: San Francisco, California
Reporting Relationships: Founding Rabbi Noa Kushner & Executive Director Spencer Weiss
THE ORGANIZATION
Now at thirteen years old, The Kitchen is a San Francisco Jewish landmark institution, focused on building a stellar shabbat community, with our formula of combining a generous approach both to tradition and the wide variety of people we serve. Serving thousands locally (350 households, w/many non-members joining us every week), we also regularly advise communities, rabbis and Jews in places as far away as Jerusalem, Paris, and Berlin.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Kitchen is seeking an exceptional educator to join our team and spearhead dynamic family, early childhood, teen and social justice programming.
Freedom School, our growing family school is a vibrant program of 75 students in grades K-7 and their families. Meeting approximately thirty times a year on shabbat mornings, holidays, and several times a year for service opportunities, Freedom school is integrated into our communal Kitchen shabbat experience.
Kitchen Playground, our early childhood program which includes 70 families with children between 0-5 meets several times a month on shabbat and holidays and is an opportunity for informal, experiential learning for kids and their parents / caregivers.
Our teen program, Freedom City, includes programs 2-3x a month during the week for about 15 students from 8th-12th grades. Focused on Justice projects and organizing, Freedom City is led by a Kitchen staff member and supervised by the Director of Family Education.
Building on our existing legacy and dedicated, joyous shabbat school community, The Kitchen seeks a Jewish Educator who is interested in the challenge of further integrating students of all ages and parents into our exceptional shabbat morning t’fillot, with the aim of increased literacy and ownership of the traditions, for parents and students alike.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Kitchen is seeking a stellar educator to join our team starting Summer, 2024. In collaboration with our clergy and staff, the Director of Family Education will have a portfolio of responsibilities including but not limited to the following:
Oversees all aspects of Freedom School, our shabbat family school for students K-7th and their parents, including:
Curricular and programmatic vision on shabbat and holidays
Working with teachers to create a comprehensive K-7 curriculum with the aim of teaching students and parents ownership of t’fillot and chanting torah.
Hiring and supervision of teaching team (4 teachers, specialists)
Teaching parents and students as needed
Leading GLIDE partnership, implementing Justice days
Overseeing Kitchen Escape, our annual shabbaton, which includes a full shabbat of tracked programming and learning opportunities for the entire Kitchen community.
Build and Coordinate
Recruitment, growth of families and students
Overseeing budget (currently ~200K) including tuition
External and internal communications, vision for web page
Administrative tasks including but not limited to maintaining the calendar and forms, assessing locations, procuring materials
Oversight of b’nai mitzvah process, liaison to families
Orientation, materials, assigns trope teachers, clergy assignments
Supports the Freedom School parent community through informal gatherings
Oversees all aspects of Kitchen Playground, our monthly program for families with kids 0-5, including:
The curricular vision of programs including: First Fridays, Musical Shabbat AM, Holiday gatherings and Playground TK (for families with kids ages 4-5).
Hiring specialists, teaches / leads as needed
Build and Coordinate
Recruiting and maintaining relationships with the existing community (about 70 families involved), encouraging Kitchen membership
Working with community partners to collaborate
Overseeing the budget and creating growth plan
External and internal communications, vision for web page
Administrative tasks including but not limited to maintaining the calendar and forms, materials
Oversees staff member for Freedom City, our program for students 8th-12th grades, including:
Supervision of Staff member in recruiting and developing relationships with participants
Consulting and supporting re: curricular and programmatic goals
Helping integrate teen participants into Freedom School community and Kitchen offerings
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
We are seeking someone who is:
Moved by and knowledgeable about shabbat and our tradition, and the possibility of bringing that tradition to more people.
Generative and entrepreneurial, willing to experiment and have the flexibility to work in a variety of circumstances (and locations!).
Game to build Jewish religious life in the 21st century connecting their considerable knowledge of the tradition to anyone who wants it, generously offering full access to Jewish life.
Relational, interested in seeking and building connections with and between Kitchen-ites,
Approachable and likable, with the ability to connect and build relationships with all types of people and all ages.
Responsible, able to be entrusted with work from the holy to the mundane.
Conscientious, self-motivated, and detail-oriented, with the capacity to set goals, manage priorities, and use time and resources wisely within the goals of the organization.
Excited by the mission of The Kitchen and ready to help us create our next chapter, as we enter a new moment in Jewish history.
This person will have:
A degree in Jewish Education or 5+ years of either rabbinic, Jewish Education, or Educational experience
Significant knowledge of Jewish tradition: Ashkenazi torah and t’fillah, interest and / or knowledge of Sephardi torah and t’fillah
Experience in immersive education
Demonstrated skill in community building
Leadership / Supervisory experience in Education
The ability to work collaboratively or hierarchically as needed with clergy, staff and Kitchen-ites to reach larger organizational goals
Strong verbal and communication skills, with an emphasis on timely communication
The ability to focus on the big picture while implementing details on a day-to-day basis
A strong work ethic with a positive results-oriented attitude and a bent towards problem-solving
Professionalism maturity, and a sense of humor
COMPENSATION
The salary range, depending on level of experience, is $120K-$175K + benefits.
The Kitchen is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.
Please email a cover letter & resume, or nominations in confidence to careers@thekitchensf.org.
Download a PDF of the job description here.