Director of Lifelong Learning

Company Description

Congregation Mishkan Or is a new synagogue community formed by Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and The Temple-Tifereth Israel in July 2024. It is a welcoming and inclusive spiritual home for individuals and families seeking to connect with their Jewish faith.

Director of Lifelong Learning

Position Available July 1, 202

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

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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 fut

u

e.

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 lear

n

ig.

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

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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

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u

r comunity.

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 learn

i

ng envronment.

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, paren

t

s, and eachers.

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

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riven ecsions.

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 o

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r

diversemembership.

A

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etter fromour Clergy:

Dear Dire

c

tor of Lifeong 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 transformational leadership for our learning programming, and we’re thrilled to reach the se

a

son when we ould 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 a

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excellent prfessional 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 wh

a

t you’ll do hee at Mishkan Or.

With warm wishes and great excitement, and on behal

f

of our clergy eam listed below,

Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum, Rabbi Rob Nosanchuk, Rabbi Josh Caruso, Rabbi Yael Dadoun, Rabbi Roger Klein, Cantor V

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adimir Lapin, an antor Kathy

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Who is Conregation Mishkan Or?

Congregation Mishkan Or was established by the members of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and T

he Temple-Tifereth Irael 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 “

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welling Place of Ligt” for 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 cal

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to make the world a etter, more just place.

Our website, www.mishkanor.org, and our social media accounts on Facebook and Inst

a

gram will help you lean more

about who we are.

OurOngoing Learning Programs

We offer multiple pathways to Jewish learn

i

ng at Mishkan Or. Our prmary 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 gra

d

e programming (417 studens 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, m

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sic, time with our shinshiim, 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 g

r

aders. (38 students) Alternaive and Supplemental Programs:
Kulam: this program is for teens who have other commitments on Monday evenings but still want to engage in a cl

e

rgy-taught conversational leaning environment. (51 students)

Madrichim: we engage tee

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leaders as madrichim and madr

c

him-in-training in our various
Limmud offerings. (77 students)

Leadership Institute: a monthly program for high schoolers tha

t

combines leadership training wih community service. (24 students)

Adult Learning: At Mishkan Or, our adult learners have many opportunit

ies to join together in learning. ome of our regular options include:
Two shabbat morning classes (one in-person and live-stream

e

d, one on zoom only), Weekday mornng learnin

g taught on zoom by clergy
Thursdaypoet

r

y class taught on zoom by clergy
Mothly wo

m

en’s learning taught by clergy
Monthy w

o

men’s learning taugh

t

by layleaders

ho is the

Director ofLifelong Learning?

Key Resonsibilities

Youth

and Family Education:
Lead and oversee Jwish learning for children PreK-12th grade.
Design innovative a

n

d impactful curricula in partnership with lergy, educators, lay leaders, and families.
Collaborate with the Early Ch

i

ldhood Director to

ensure curricular alignmnt and smooth transtions across life stages.

Family Engagement:
Develop programs connecting families to meaningful Jewish lea

rn

ing and synagogue life that are inclusive an welcoming to all members of our congregation.
Foster relationships that build a strong sense of belongin

g and community for families and address the dierse needs and perspectives of our congregation.

D

esign accessible

and resonant pathways for connction within and eyond the Mishkan Or community.

Adult Education:
Expand a

du

lt education offerings, including workshops, comunity learning, and spiritual grow

t

h opportunitie

s.
Partner with clergy and lay leadrhip to

e

nvisio innovative adult learning pathways

Qualiications
We are seeking a candidate with demonstrated:
Education: B

a

chelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in Jewish Edcation, Jewi

s

h Studies, or a related field is preferred.

Experienc: 3-5 years of leadership experience in Jewish education.

Visionary Leade

r

ship: Passionate about inspiring curiosity, joy, and liflong Jewish learning,

and comfortable leading that charge.

Curriculum Developent: Strong

b

ackground in developing educational curricula.

Team Supevision: Proven experience in

supervising and leading a team.

Creativity: A creative thnker with a passi

o

n for exploring new educational approaches.

Teaching Experise: Skilled in teaching sacred texts, traditions, and

values.

Technological Proficiency: Techno

l

ogically adept wih experience integrating technology into leanng environments.

Remuneration Salary Range: $95,000-110,000

We can’t wait

to

meet you! To apply, please send yo

ur resume, vision statement and any questions y

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u hv

e to Barb Smith (bsmith@mi

shkanor.org).

Congegation Mishkan Or Address: 26000 Shaker Blvd