Modern Orthodox Educator in Residence at UMass Hillel

Who You Are

You may be an Orthodox rabbi, rabbinical student, maharat, or maharat student, rabbanit, or yoetzet halacha. You may be a passionate, Jewishly knowledgeable person who spends your week in another field, who wants to have a positive impact on Jewish college students. We welcome applications from individual educators, as well as co-educator teams interested in a joint role. If you are drawn to this job and aren’t sure, please be in touch.

What You’ll Do

• Nurture the growth of the UMass observant community.
• Visit campus for 2-3 Shabbats per semester and for several fall chaggim (if available), supporting Hillel’s Shabbat community, including facilitating services and learning.
• Create opportunities for meaningful engagement and growth through Jewish text and wisdom.
• Build meaningful relationships with students through pastoral care, chevruta learning, halachic support, and mentorship.
• Support student interests, empowering them to explore their passions, ideas, and grow as leaders.
• Partner with Hillel staff to ensure observant students have the resources to thrive at Hillel and on campus.
• The ideal candidate will have availability for ongoing student support remotely between visits on campus. Potentially visit weekly or biweekly to lead Women’s Learning, depending on qualifications and availability.
• Time commitment: Approximately 2-3 Shabbatot each semester, mutually selected chaggim, availability to connect remotely with students between visits, periodic weekday learning, events, or student group support, dependent on the candidate and availability.

What You’ll Bring

• A warm, engaging, approachable personality.
• An ability to serve as a role model and mentor to Orthodox students as well as a commitment to contributing to an inclusive, friendly, welcoming, and pluralist Jewish community.
• A strong knowledge of Jewish content, ranging from traditional texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, and an ability to make Jewish text and tradition accessible to students with a range of backgrounds and knowledge levels.
• Excitement to support college students and their journeys.
• Relevant previous experience in Jewish leadership or educational positions, experience in Hillel, youth movements, camping, experiential Jewish education, or grassroots community organizing within Modern Orthodox communities.

About UMass Hillel

UMass Hillel serves as the vibrant center of Jewish communal life on the UMass Amherst campus. Our mission is to empower students through the vitality of Jewish life to cultivate healthy, purposeful lives and relationships that better our community and world. UMass Hillel engages over 1300 students annually through a diverse array of social, educational, cultural, religious, and leadership opportunities, including via Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform student groups and minyanim. UMass Hillel is located in the fun college town of Amherst in the Pioneer Valley, also known as the “Happy Valley.” The area has a rich cultural life, beautiful nature, thriving local Jewish communities, and is a great place to live.

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 nearly 1,000 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 every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders. Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.