Jewish Life Coordinator

Role Overview

Make your mark on Jewish student life by joining the University of Connecticut Hillel as the Jewish Life Coordinator. In this role, you will contribute to the Jewish Experience engagement strategy, helping students explore rituals, engage in educational programming, and develop their own connection to Jewish life. Informed by student needs and organizational values, the Jewish Experience plan blends education, relationship building, leadership opportunities, and immersive experiences to help students at UConn develop their own relationship with Jewish identity and culture. 

Drawn to learning and facilitating intellectual conversations, often across a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and opinions, we will expect you to utilize these skills to engage UConn students in conversations related to Jewish life and experiences. You will assist in providing meaningful and diverse opportunities for Jewish learning, identifying and cultivating student leaders who are passionate about Jewish Education, and consistently promoting a welcoming and lively pluralistic Jewish community.

As the Jewish Life Coordinator, you’ll drive Hillel forward by applying your academic, cultural, and intellectual knowledge and your ability to build meaningful, trusting relationships with students and community members. You’ll share responsibility for coordinating Jewish education, ritual, and holiday programming, supervise Jewish Education student interns, and assist the Director of Israel Engagement and Global Jewish Experience in carrying out the overall Israel Education & Global Jewish Experience vision for the organization.

What You’ll Do

• Engage in meaningful one-on-one and group conversations about Jewish identity, learning, and rituals as well as the history and experience of global Jewish peoplehood. 
• Work directly to build the calendar of Jewish learning and Jewish ritual programming offered by staff throughout the year, including but not limited to holiday programs, Shabbat rituals, and life-cycle events. 
• Develop and facilitate your own relevant cohort-based learning programs for college students that focus on Jewish history, ritual, and culture, based on their needs and interests. 
• Assist in supervision of the Program Intern Cohort, with direct supervision over Jewish Education Interns and their programming. 
• Work with staff, student interns, and university partners to expand interfaith programming and help plan faith-based immersive experiences. 
• Track and analyze data and trends through Hillel Engagement and Relationship Tracker (HEaRT).
• Facilitate Jewish education-related programming and learning opportunities, informed by the engagement plan you help to create. 
• Identify a portfolio of students currently not engaged or less engaged with Jewish life on campus 
• Initiate, plan for, and implement new program initiatives serving unmet student needs and interests, building on existing Hillel programs.   
• Promote attendance and help plan weekly Shabbat experiences. 
• Coach, train, and advise student leaders and interns so they in turn can engage engaged and unengaged students and create their own programs that reflect community needs and interests.
• Use social media as a platform for educating and engaging students in Jewish holidays, rituals, and history. 
• Recruit students for immersive experiences.
• Serve as an advisor to student leadership groups and other Hillel student groups 
• Direct the student leadership, programming, and engagement budgets
• Help manage programs to engage larger numbers of students – i.e. FYSH Fest and large holiday celebrations such as High Holy Days, Passover, and Israel Fest.

General Staff Responsibilities

• Participate as a member of the UConn Hillel’s staff team in major programs, Shabbats, and holidays
• Represent UConn Hillel on campus with students, parents, alumni, faculty and administration as appropriate, as well as with the wider community
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Bachelor's degree is required. A degree in Israel Education or Jewish Studies is preferred.
• 1-3 years of experience in a professional setting
• A willingness to try new strategies, and comfort being a “self starter.”
• A deep passion for building pluralistic Jewish communities and creating a warm, vibrant, and deeply enriching Jewish community environment on and around campus.
• Strong knowledge of Jewish traditions, conversations, and practices as well as comfort in exploring Israeli culture, history, conflict.
• Organization and attention to detail and deadlines.
• Clear and concise spoken and written communication skills.
• Eagerness to work  as part of a team as well as a strong ability to manage projects independently.
• Flexibility  and “big picture” thinking.
• Love of Shabbat and Jewish holidays!
• Proven success in:
• Developing and leading engaging programs, courses, and conversations related to Jewish education and experience.
• Embracing pluralism and facilitating meaningful conversation with individuals of diverse Jewish backgrounds. 
• Coaching and motivating student leaders using goal setting and mentorship strategies.
• Event management and coordinating multiple projects from inception to completion.

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is 
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA), pension plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill-building opportunities, attending at least one professional conference a year
• Flexibility in scheduling and during student break
• Opportunities for international travel

About UConn Hillel & Connecticut

UConn Hillel provides a friendly, warm, and pluralistic environment in which students can shape their college experience by connecting socially, culturally, and spiritually to their Judaism. Hillel operates out of a beautiful 8,500 square foot facility in the center of campus and near the Kosher dining hall. With almost 2,000 Jewish college students, Hillel offers students the means to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity in a dynamic and comfortable environment. Each year, Hillel connects students to their community, their peers, and their heritage through an array of social, cultural and community service programs. The momentum is here, and we want to continue our trajectory. Come be part of our team!

UConn Hillel is centered in Storrs, in the heart of the picturesque northeast, halfway between New York City and Boston.  The vibrant campus community features abundant opportunities for enjoying culture, the arts, outdoor pursuits and cheering on UConn’s many successful sports teams. 

UConn HIllel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.