Director of Lifelong Learning

Director of Lifelong Learning

Position Available July 1, 2025

Congregation Mishkan Or is excited to announce an extraordinary opportunity for a dedicated and visionary individual to join our community as the Director of Lifelong Learning. Congregation Mishkan Or was established in 2024, following the momentous merger of our two historic Reform Jewish congregations, which combined have over 300 years of rich heritage. With 2000 family units, we are uniquely poised to build vibrant, unified Reform Jewish educational programming that honors our past and embraces the future.

As the Director of Lifelong Learning (DLL), you will play a pivotal role in shaping the educational journey of our diverse community members. You will work collaboratively with our leadership, lay committees, and congregants to develop and implement innovative programs that nurture Jewish identity, knowledge, and values across all ages. This position offers a unique opportunity to create a dynamic and inclusive environment for spiritual growth and lifelong learning. 

This role includes serving as the curricular and administrative leader for a vibrant and multifaceted religious school program and supervising the Limmud Team, a group of seasoned educators who guide the congregation’s youth learning programs. While the primary focus of this role initially emphasizes youth and family education, the position is designed to evolve, incorporating leadership of Early Childhood and adult education initiatives. This individual will also be a vital member of the synagogue senior staff leadership team and in turn, will report to the Senior Rabbi.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking a visionary leader who can reimagine Jewish education through innovative and engaging models that emphasize identity, relationships, and relevance. The ideal candidate will incorporate technology and experiential learning to meet the needs of learners across all stages of life. This role requires a creative thinker who is passionate about transforming educational approaches to inspire curiosity, joy, and lifelong Jewish learning within our community.

We see the DLL as a dynamic and dedicated individual who will serve as an integral member of our senior staff leadership team, contributing to the synagogue-wide vision and strategy. The ideal candidate will inspire and mentor the Limmud team, fostering professional growth and collaboration. Additionally, they will partner with our lay leaders and lay community to develop and implement educational programming that aligns with the synagogue’s mission and goals. This role demands a leader who can seamlessly integrate into our community, drive innovative initiatives, and nurture a cohesive and engaging learning environment.

We seek a highly skilled individual who excels in communication and organization. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to lead a team, hire effectively, resolve conflicts, and make difficult decisions when required. It is crucial that the DLL is a team player with strong interpersonal skills, capable of building meaningful connections with students, parents, and teachers. The DLL should value communication, respect, and innovation.

The ideal candidate is also technologically adept with experience to create a modern, dynamic, and effective educational environment that meets the needs of today’s learners. The individual should remain up to date with the latest technological advancements and trends in educational technology, and be able to adapt and implement these innovations effectively.The DLL should be proficient in using communication tools like email, video conferencing, and social media to enhance collaboration and engagement within the community. Strong candidates will also be able to use technology for data management and analysis to track student progress, assess program effectiveness, and make data-driven decisions.

We are looking for a passionate and experienced Jewish educator who thrives in congregational life, approaches challenges creatively, and is eager to partner with our dynamic clergy team to transform our education and engagement initiatives. The ideal candidate will share our aspirations for cross-generational learning that excites, challenges, and enriches our diverse membership.

A Letter from our Clergy

Dear Director of Lifelong Learning,

It is with great joy and anticipation that we extend this invitation to you to join our vibrant and robust community here in Beachwood, Ohio. You wouldn’t know it, but when we founded Congregation Mishkan Or, we had you in mind. From the outset of our merger process, we knew we needed to commit to investing in transformational leadership for our learning programming, and we’re so thrilled to have finally reached the season when we could meet you!

We see you as the steward for one of Judaism’s greatest joys: the pursuit of a lifetime of meaningful, enriching learning. At Congregation Mishkan Or, you’ll get to work with our energetic students, our dedicated faculty, and our engaged clergy. You’ll have the pleasure of working alongside involved and active lay partners, as well as with an excellent professional team.

When we considered ways to do something special with our new congregation, we knew a Director of Lifelong Learning would unlock so much potential for our community. We see the DLL as a partner in making Judaism come alive for our members and their families, and we can’t wait to see what you’ll do here at Mishkan Or.

With warm wishes and great excitement, and on behalf of our clergy team listed below,

Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum

Rabbi Rob Nosanchuk, Rabbi Josh Caruso, Rabbi Yael Dadoun, Rabbi Roger Klein, Cantor Vladimir Lapin, and Cantor Kathy Sebo

Who is Congregation Mishkan Or?

Congregation Mishkan Or was established by the members of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and The Temple-Tifereth Israel on July 1, 2024.

History was made on March 6, 2024, when the members of both Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and The Temple-Tifereth Israel voted overwhelmingly to merge. With shared resources and new opportunities for worship, programming, education, community impact and more, Congregation Mishkan Or has now become a “Dwelling Place of Light” for approximately 2,000 families.

As a large congregation in the Cleveland area, we serve members across multiple school districts and zip codes. Our community is diverse geographically, socioeconomically, politically, and spiritually. We are proud to be a welcoming and intentional member of the Union for Reform Judaism. Stronger together, we care for each other and the world through spiritual enrichment, lifelong learning, and loving kindness. We strive to focus on relationships, bring Judaism to life in each generation, and answer the call to make the world a better, more just place.

Our website, www.mishkanor.org, and our social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram will help you learn more about who we are.

Our Ongoing Learning Programs

We offer multiple pathways to Jewish learning at Mishkan Or. Our primary learning options are:

• Ganon Gil, our award-winning preschool for ages 6 weeks through Pre-K (84 current students)
• Limmud, our umbrella term for our Pre-K through 12th grade programming (417 students Pre-k through 12th grade)
• Shabbaton Limmud: a program on Shabbat afternoons where parents and their children enjoy parallel learning and communal t’filah. (25 kids + their parents, representing 15 families)
• Sunday Limmud: our “traditional” learning option, where most of our Pre-K through 5th graders engage with us. The morning includes Judaics, Hebrew, t’filah, art, music, time with our shinshinim, and more. (244 students)
• Monday Limmud: our primary teen program, where 6th-12th graders learn in community, enjoying clergy- and educator-led sessions on Judaics, Hebrew, and electives. (97 students)
• Wednesday Limmud: our special supplemental Hebrew program for 4th-6th graders. (38 students)
• Alternative and Supplemental Programs:
• Kulam: this program is for teens who have other commitments on Monday evenings but still want to engage in a clergy-taught conversational learning environment. (51 students)
• Madrichim: we engage teen leaders as madrichim and madrichim-in-training in our various Limmud offerings. (77 students)
• Leadership Institute: a monthly program for high schoolers that combines leadership training with community service. (24 students)
• Adult Learning: At Mishkan Or, our adult learners have many opportunities to join together in learning. Some of our regular options include:
• Two shabbat morning classes (one in-person and live-streamed, one on zoom only) taught by clergy
• Wednesday morning learning taught on zoom by clergy
• Thursday poetry class taught on zoom by clergy
• Monthly women’s learning taught by clergy
• Monthly women’s learning taught by layleaders

Who is the Director of Lifelong Learning?

Key Responsibilities

Youth and Family Education:

• Lead and oversee Jewish learning for children PreK-12th grade.
• Design innovative and impactful curricula in partnership with clergy, educators, lay leaders, and families.
• Collaborate with the Early Childhood Director to ensure curricular alignment and smooth transitions across life stages.

Family Engagement:

• Develop programs connecting families to meaningful Jewish learning and synagogue life that are inclusive and welcoming to all members of our congregation. 
• Foster relationships that build a strong sense of belonging and community for families and address the diverse needs and perspectives of our congregation.
• Design accessible and resonant pathways for connection within and beyond the Mishkan Or community.

Adult Education:

• Expand adult education offerings, including workshops, community learning, and spiritual growth opportunities.
• Partner with clergy and lay leadership to envision innovative adult learning pathways

Qualifications

We are seeking a candidate with demonstrated:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in Jewish Education, Jewish Studies, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience: 3-5 years of leadership experience in Jewish education.
• Visionary Leadership: Passionate about inspiring curiosity, joy, and lifelong Jewish learning, and comfortable leading that charge.
• Curriculum Development: Strong background in developing educational curricula.
• Team Supervision: Proven experience in supervising and leading a team.
• Creativity: A creative thinker with a passion for exploring new educational approaches.
• Teaching Expertise: Skilled in teaching sacred texts, traditions, and values.
• Technological Proficiency: Technologically adept with experience integrating technology into learning environments.

Remuneration

Salary Range: $95,000-110,000 

Benefits:

• Twenty-seven days PTO
• Flexible schedule
• Parental leave
• Waived tuition to Limmud programs
• Generous healthcare coverage
• Retirement plan with employer contributions
• 50% tuition reduction at our preschool, Ganon Gil
• Moving expenses up to $5000 reimbursable

Contact
We can’t wait to meet you! To apply, please send your resume, vision statement, and any questions you have to Barb Smith ([email protected]).