Role Overview
Engage with the broad and diverse Orthodox community of University of Michigan Hillel and Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan (AAOM) through this new full-time position of a jointly-appointed Rabbi of the Orthodox community of Ann Arbor. As a warm, engaging, and learned rabbi, you will provide leadership and guidance to our diverse Orthodox community of college students, young families, single professionals, and established members. You will bring your energy and creativity to focus on our community’s potential to grow and be strengthened by a community-builder. As a highly-educated community with a passion for learning, you will bring to Ann Arbor a commitment to teaching and ability to inspire. You will lead our Modern Orthodox congregation and student community in the spirit of Torah U’Madda, with an excitement for and understanding of working with an Orthodox community in a college context.
What You’ll Do
- Identify needs of the Orthodox communities of students, young families, single professionals, and established members, and develop strategies for meeting these needs with proven community organizing methods.
- Build relationships with approximately 70 Orthodox observant students and 50+ Orthodox households of Ann Arbor through meaningful conversations, and by creating connections to opportunities in the Orthodox community and more broadly in Hillel.
- Support the O-Minyan (orthodox student group) student leaders and the AAOM lay leadership in program planning and peer-to-peer engagement efforts, including Shabbat- and Holidays-in-the-Home run by students.
- Develop and support vibrant educational experiences, one-on-one or small group learning, and educational programs, including targeted weekly classes designed separately for community members and students. Pilot creative, new educational approaches and initiatives for students, children of AAOM, and community members.
- Organize the daily Orthodox minyan and prayers, and lead Shabbat and Holiday services.
- Deliver relevant and inspiring weekly sermons
- Provide pastoral counseling and support to students and community members
- Provide halakhic decision-making for the Orthodox community
- Work respectfully and collaboratively to ensure that the Orthodox community’s needs are balanced within the pluralistic and vibrant space of the University of Michigan Hillel
- Collaborate with other Hillel staff to implement the mission and educational vision of the University of Michigan Hillel
- Develop and nurture relationships with University student life, religious life staff, and the local Jewish community.
- Oversee the kashrut of the Hillel kitchen and other potential kitchens in the geographic region
What You’ve Accomplished
- Orthodox or modern orthodox semichah
- Relevant work experience in grassroots community organizing, Hillel, youth movements, camping, or experiential Jewish education with Orthodox communities
- Proven success in leading active minyanim (daily, Shabbat and holiday services) and delivering inspiring sermons
- Proven success in community building and engagement, and previous experience in program visioning and implementation.
- Training and experience in counseling, administration, development/fundraising is desirable.
What You’ll Bring to the Job
- A strong knowledge base of Jewish content, ranging from traditional Jewish texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, culture and unconventional Jewish sources. An ability to transfer knowledge of these texts through inspiring sermons and engaging teaching.
- Expertise in leading complex conversations about Judaism in a way that is approachable and meets students and community members at various points in their personal Jewish journeys.
- A warm, engaging, approachable personality with a commitment to creating an inclusive, warm and welcoming Orthodox community that falls within a vibrant, pluralistic Hillel community.
- A passion for building community around the dining room table, by inviting students and community to celebrate Shabbat and holidays in creative ways in your home.
- A spirit of creativity and innovation, with a willingness to try new things and learn from mistakes.
- Confidence initiating and running programs, and comfort asking questions and seeking guidance.
- Creative problem-solving, proactive communication, and collaboration. An ability to collaborate and communicate across teams between, inside, and outside of Hillel and the AAOM.
What You’ll Receive
- Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. Start date is July 2018.
- 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.
- Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel.
About Ann Arbor and University of Michigan Hillel
With over 6,000 Jewish students on campus (comprising 20% of the student body). the University of Michigan Hillel offers diverse, pluralistic and innovative ways to engage in Jewish life on campus. O-Minyan is one of 50 student groups, with approximately 70 Modern Orthodox and traditionally observant students. Michigan Hillel is a national leader in nurturing empowered leadership among students who have a profound impact not only on campus life but on the broader Jewish community as well. Most important, our student leaders feel a strong sense of ownership, empowerment, and accomplishment.
The Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan is a 50-year old minyan comprised of 50+ member households, many of whom are affiliated with the university as faculty or staff, plus graduate students, medical residents, visiting professors, and post-doctoral fellows.
Ann Arbor is a vibrant and culturally rich small city (110,000 people) that regularly leads rankings due to its quality of life, renowned academics and highly ranked University of Michigan Hospital. The city prides itself on hosting top performers and lecturers, natural and recreational spaces, and a football stadium that holds more fans on a game day than the entire population of Ann Arbor. The Jewish community has one of everything (Eruv, Mikvah, Jewish Federation, Jewish Day School, Jewish Community Center, and Secular Humanistic, Renewal, Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Chabad and local home-based services). Ann Arbor is the kind of town where people greet each other in the street and where you can have an impact on building community, while the university’s size and diversity makes you feel like you are always meeting new people and learning something new.
Ann Arbor is 45 minutes from the greater Metro Detroit Jewish community, which has many Kosher restaurants and Jewish school options. The University of Michigan Hillel offers daily Kosher meals during the academic year.
About Hillel International
In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at more than 550 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with students that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.
University of Michigan 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.
To Apply
Apply at www.Hillel.org/Jobs and include your resume and cover letter.
