Director of Religious Education Congregational Bet Ha’am, South Portland, Maine

Bet Ha’am is a vibrant Jewish community in South Portland, Maine. We welcome Jews

from all backgrounds, embrace interfaith families and maintain an open and

progressive approach to worship and religious expression. Established in 1985, we

have become the largest Jewish congregation in Maine and are dedicated to social

justice and healing the world.

The Religious School at Congregation Bet Ha’am has 100 students ranging from pre-

kindergarten through 12th grade. It meets regularly on Sunday mornings and follows the South Portland public school calendar.

We are seeking a Religious School director to be an integral part of the staff of Bet

Ha’am. This person will work closely with our full-time Rabbi, office administrator,

parents and volunteer teachers to ensure that students of all ages gain a high quality Jewish educational experience.

Required Education: BA/BS, preferable in education, child development or related field.

Advanced degree and formal teaching certificate is preferred.

Required experience:

1. Curriculum development

2. Direct personal experience in Jewish religious beliefs and culture.

3. Organization and program management.

4. Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a

diverse team of volunteer educators and engage with students and parents.

5. Excellent organizational abilities, with attention to detail and the ability to manage

multiple priorities and deadlines.

6. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively

collaborate with various stakeholders.

7. Commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and creating a welcoming environment for all

students and families.

8. Weekends, especially Sunday mornings, are required to accommodate Religious

School programs and events.

Preferred experience:

1. Fluency in Hebrew

2. Experience in teaching Hebrew, leading Jewish prayers and services

Responsibilities:

1. Evaluate curriculum goals for the school with the help of the Rabbi and Education

Committee.

2. Recruit, interview and engage teachers. Because our teachers are volunteers, it is

important to provide ongoing support to insure consistency and adherence to

curriculum guidelines/goals. Provide support and guidelines for the teachers in areas of

student behavioral issues and discipline.

3. Meet regularly with the Rabbi, teachers, and Education committee to discuss and

recommend revisions in school procedures, policies and standard curriculum changes,

budget requirements, school calendar and related matters.

4. Establish and maintain regular office hours.

5. Assist teachers in maintaining student attendance records and curriculum progress.

6. Manage the registration process for the upcoming school year.

7. Coordinate the Bet Mitzvah program with the Rabbi, Hebrew teachers and tutors that

prepares students to lead a service and read from the Torah

8. Maintain or manage a school email that goes to teachers, office staff, Rabbi and

parents that outlines programming and schedules in a timely way for the upcoming

Sunday mornings and evenings.

9. Work with bookkeeper and parents to collect school fees.

10. Plan and coordinate open house/parent information programs, joint parent-student

programs and family education.

11. Work with the Education Committee, Office Administrator and

Rabbi to ensure family holidays such as Purim and Chanukah are well coordinated with

the Religious School programs and curriculum.

12. Manage Family and Tot Shabbat services with the Rabbi, and key volunteers.

Schedule:

This is an in-office position approximately 35-40 hours per week which

includes one Friday evening a month for Family Shabbat service and Sunday mornings for Religious School which follows the South Portland public school annual calendar.

Compensation/Benefits:

This is a full time position with salary of $70,000, stipend for medical insurance and

PTO.

Pay: $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person