Jewish Educator

Job Title: Jewish Educator  

Location: San Bernardino National Forest, Angelus Oaks, California  

Season: Summer 2025 

Position Type: Seasonal 

Supervised by:  Camp Director and Assistant Director.  

Supervises:  Head Song Leader.  

About Camp Mountain Chai 

Camp Mountain Chai is a premier Jewish summer camp nestled in the scenic beauty of the San Bernardino National Forest in Angelus Oaks, California. Our mission is to provide a vibrant, safe, and inclusive community where campers can grow, learn, and create lasting memories while embracing Jewish values and traditions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards in camp management and operations set forth by the American Camp Association (ACA). 

Position Summary 

Camp Mountain Chai is seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join our team as a Seasonal Jewish Educator— for the Summer 2025 season. As a Jewish Educator, you will play a pivotal role in creating an enriching, positive, inclusive, and educational experience for our campers and staff through Jewish learning. This position is an excellent opportunity for individuals who are passionate about Jewish Education, teaching, and working with children and teens while promoting personal growth and fostering a sense of community. In this role, the Jewish Educator will see campers in their units once a week throughout the entire summer. The Jewish Educator will be required to implement a relevant curriculum that is fun, age-appropriate, and educational for campers in 2nd until 12th grade.  

Qualifications/Certifications: 

• Significant experience in Jewish Education and/or Jewish Camping, ideally as both a camper and staff person.  

• Candidate must be well-versed in Jewish culture and education resources and topics.  

• Informal Jewish culture and education experience is preferred.  

• Minimum age requirement: 21+. 

• Desire and ability to work with children and young adults in a camp setting.  

• Ability to effectively communicate with, relate to, and serve as an example to all campers and staff. 

• Ability to foster a sense of respect and camaraderie among campers and staff members of various ages, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. 

• Willingness and ability to take full responsibility for the safety and security of campers. 

• Ability to accept guidance, constructive feedback, and support. 

Job Responsibilities 

1. Camper Supervision and Safety: 

• Always maintain a high level of safety for all campers throughout the day, during Peulah, Shabbat Services, Havdalah, and Opening/Closing Campfire.  

• Build a strong and positive relationship with all campers. 

• Responsible for the health, safety, and happiness of campers always. 

• Attend and actively participate in camp-wide safety and emergency response training sessions and protocols.  

2. Mentoring and Role Modeling for Campers & Staff: 

• Serve as a positive Jewish role model for campers and staff, promoting CMC’s mission and values. 

• Help every camper make friends, become acclimated to camp life, and grow toward their potential. 

• Facilitate age-appropriate Jewish Education based programs that encourage personal growth, and character development and adhere to the camp’s unit values.  

• Ability to accept guidance, constructive feedback, and support.  

• Ability to ask for help when needed.  

3. Program Activity Leadership: 

• Design a Jewish Education Curriculum for campers in 2nd – 12th grade that is both informative, fun, and age-appropriate.  

• Coordination of the educational programs within parameters set by the Director and Assistant Director.  

• Lead Friday night, Saturday morning (Torah), and Havdalah services in collaboration with the Head Song Leader.  

• Meet regularly with the Head Song Leader to practice selected camp prayer melodies.  

• Shabbat – Be a resource to staff, SITs and campers. Use the Shabbat Planning Checklist to make sure that both Friday and Saturday are thoroughly planned. Make sure Siddurim is available at the proper locations and has enough quantities. Do the same for Shabbat candles, Havdalah sets, and the Torah(s). Make sure the Torah is rolled to the proper parsha each week.  

• Coordination of Bar/Bat Mitzvah practice and monitoring that they are meeting 1-3 times per week.  

• Special Programming (Tisha B’av etc.). Lead or coordinate the planning of special programming. Utilize skilled staff to help create an interesting and valuable learning opportunity. Your role is to make sure that something meaningful is happening on these days.  

• Work with visiting Rabbi’s. Our full-time team will be able to share our clergy calendar so that you know who is coming when to camp.  

• Assist in the creation and implementation of Staff Training Week (Shabbat services, Judaism 101 session, and Jewish rituals).  

 4. Group Dynamics: 

• Foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity within campers through your Jewish Education programming sessions.  

• Build a strong and positive relationship with every camper who comes to Pe’ulah.  

• Help every camper make friends, become acclimated to camp life, grow towards his/her/their potential, and become part of the community. 

• Assist with resolving conflicts and create a supportive, respectful, and positive atmosphere within the group.  

• Create a safe space for campers and staff to ask questions related to pluralistic Judaism and allow them to figure out how they would like to incorporate Judaism into their lives.  

 5. Health and Wellness: 

• Provide basic first aid when necessary, following camp health and safety policies.  

• Responsible for the cleanliness of the Jewish Education program supplies, and Torah, including pre- and post-camp inventory.   

• Notify the Camp Director and/or Assistant Director immediately of any incidents or issues so they can fill out an accident/injury report.  

• Document and report any incidents or issues ASAP by filling out accident/injury reports. 

• Promote good hygiene practices and encourage campers to stay hydrated, eat nutritious meals, shower, change their clothes regularly, etc. 

• Promote good cabin hygiene in your assigned staff cabin (making sure that cabins stay clean).   

6. Communication: 

• Maintain open and effective communication with the CMC full-time team, summer Leadership team, Unit Heads, and fellow staff members.  

• Able and willing to work with a variety of campers and staff members in a calm, always collected manner. 

• Attend walkie-talkie training so that if you need to use one, you know how.  

• Charge walkie-talkie nightly so that the Leadership team can communicate if needed.  

7. Environmental Stewardship: 

• Instill in campers and staff respect for nature and the environment. Lead by example in eco-friendly practices (picking up trash around camp, keeping CMC clean, recycling paper and/or soda cans, putting lost items in the lost and found bin).  

8. Responsibilities as Staff and a Leadership Team Member at Camp Mountain Chai: 

• Adhere to the goals, mission, and camp rules set by Camp Mountain Chai. 

• Act as a Jewish role model in camp for the entire camp community. 

• Participate in the mandatory pre-summer Leadership Orientation and staff week.  

• Participate regularly and enthusiastically in all camp day-to-day programs and special events. 

• Able to attend regular supervisory meetings (one-on-ones) with the Camp Director and Assistant Director.  

• Share responsibilities of Leadership Staff including Shmira G’dolah (Camper Supervision), and coverage during staff Onegs and meetings.  

• Attend unit staff tickets and weekly all-staff meetings as assigned.  

• Participate regularly and enthusiastically in all camp programs (Chai’dol, CMC Games, Maccabiah, and Embassy). 

• Assist with the closing down of camp at the end of each session and summer.  

• Assist with end-of-summer inventory for Jewish Education and additional areas at camp.  

Physical Demands:  

• The ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 35 pounds, such as coolers, program equipment, and camping supplies.  

• The ability to frequently stoop, kneel, bend, crouch, and crawl, especially when assisting campers with various activities.  

• The ability to stand and walk for extended periods, often while leading campers on hikes, nature walks, and field trips.  

• The ability to operate machinery and equipment, such as camp grills, canoes, and archery equipment, with proper training and safety precautions.  

• The ability to work in a variety of environments, including indoors, outdoors, and in confined spaces, such as tents, cabins, and camp buses.  

• The ability to work in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, cold, rain, and sun exposure.  

• Maintain attention and high levels of energy or excitement for extended periods to keep campers engaged and entertained.  

• Spend most of the time outdoors and tolerate a variety of weather conditions, including heat, humidity, and insects.  

• Be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out to assist campers with various activities, such as tying shoelaces, helping with bathroom needs, and participating in physical games.  

Camp Mountain Chai is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We value diversity in our workforce and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.  

Please note that this job description is not all-encompassing. Other duties may be assigned, and the requirements of this position may change at any time.