The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) currently has the following job openings:

Immediate Opening

RABBI

Background

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) was founded out of a growing concern for underserved, isolated and struggling Jewish communities throughout the South.  We are addressing the challenges faced by these communities with cutting edge solutions. For example, in 2003, the ISJL revived the “bold old” idea of circuit-riding rabbis, thus creating a new model for delivery of Jewish services and cultural programming to underserved Jewish communities throughout the country. Our Director of Rabbinic Services has enriched many aspects of Jewish life in areas that cannot get rabbinic services or attention within our multi-state territory, and because of this success, we are now preparing to expand.

We are currently seeking a rabbi. This position is a component of an overall program that already encompasses several complementary departments, including Jewish education, cultural programming, historic preservation, and the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience. Besides enriching everyday Jewish life, the ISJL supports small pockets of Jewish population in their ongoing work of tikkun olam by aiding their efforts to sustain interfaith, intergenerational, and interracial bridge-building and dialogue in their communities.

ISJL is making a difference as it reshapes Jewish professional service with an innovative approach to the challenges of small numbers and geographic isolation. Our efforts have created a lively, thought-provoking dialogue with the leaders of Jewish life in America.

Responsibilities of the Rabbi:

• Work as part of a department that establishes an alternative approach to serving underserved congregations in America.
• Provide Rabbinic services for a multi-state congregation; teach, counsel, lecture, lead services, officiate life-cycle events.
• Participate in creation and delivery of weekly adult learning web based offering and aid in the development of other systems.
• Participate with the staff of the Institute to create and deliver a broad range of innovative programming.
• Represent the Institute at various public events. 
• Serve as a role model for young people who do not have ongoing exposure to Jewish professionals.  This will nurture their future career choices.
• Develop significant relationships through service that ensures Jewish survival.
• Report to ISJL Director of Rabbinic Services.

Details

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Conference and study opportunity
• Student loan reduction stipend for time served
• Significant professional growth experience
• Dynamic working environment within cutting edge organization
• High visibility in this unique position

Please send resume to ISJL, P. O. Box 16528, Jackson, MS  39236 or information@isjl.org. 

Immediate Opening

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR  

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides educational and rabbinic services to small Jewish communities, documents and preserves the rich history of the Southern Jewish Experience, and promotes a strong Jewish cultural presence throughout a thirteen-state region including: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.  Join us in this cutting edge approach to bringing Jewish life to one of the fastest growing regions in the country for Jews.  The Institute’s current annual budget is approximately $2.2 million and growing.  The Development Director will continue to raise the annual operational budget through all sources and build the endowment that will generate operational dollars.

Responsibilities of the Development Director:

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) seeks a motivated and dynamic individual to develop and oversee all aspects of a growing department, which currently includes one full-time professional and two part time field office staff.  The Development Director reports to the Institute President and is responsible for the following:

• Devise cultivation and solicitation strategies for leadership gift prospects and develop productive working relationships with key volunteers as well as ISJL staff. 
• Identify prospects and conduct financial research on individuals, foundations and corporations for operations and program dollars. Solicitation and stewardship of these prospects
• Implement aggressive cultivation strategies of targeted major gift prospects and programs.
• Develop a grants cycle time line and proposal narratives.
• Oversee annual solicitation programs: membership gifts, year-end gifts, etc.
• Assist the President and COO with board development and engage the board in fundraising activities
• Work in communities large and small and see the South like you’ve never imagined. 

Please refer to our website at www.isjl.org for more information.  Salary and benefits commensurate with experience.  Prefer at least five years of frontline fund-raising experience.  Bachelor’s degree required, a Master’s degree is highly desirable.  Position located in Jackson, MS. 

Send resume and three references to ISJL, P. O. Box 16528, Jackson, MS 39236 or email information@isjl.org.

Immediate Opening

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING 

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) provides educational and rabbinic services to small Jewish communities, documents and preserves the rich history of the Southern Jewish Experience, and promotes a strong Jewish cultural presence throughout a thirteen-state region. Innovative multi-venue projects include annual Jewish film festivals, concerts highlighting cross-cultural music, literary programs, dance and theatre performances, and other activities that promote artistic interpretation of the Southern Jewish Experience. Through these dynamic offerings, the Institute strengthens its commitment to enhancing Jewish life, celebrating diversity, educating the public, and promoting multicultural dialogue and understanding. The Director of Programming works to bring these cultural opportunities to the region.

Responsibilities of the Director of Programming:

The ISJL seeks a motivated and dynamic individual to develop and oversee all aspects of a growing department. The Director of Programming reports to the Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for the following:

• Developing/sustaining and overseeing implementation of cultural programs on a regional basis, including the Jewish Cinema South film festivals, the Southern States Jewish Literary Series, and Southern States Jewish Cultural performances series, including theatrical, music, dance and comedy offerings.
• Working with communities to secure dates, venues, co-sponsorships, and local support of cultural programs.
• Writing grants to help secure funding for cultural programs
• Marketing and handling all promotions (writing press releases, handling public relations/interviews, etc) surrounding programs
• Editing the ISJL’s three-times-yearly “CIRCA” publication (subscription: 12,000)
• Assisting with summer internship programming
• Developing, implementing and analyzing program evaluation and assessments
• Working with board and staff to identify new program possibilities, organizational partnerships, and prospective community partners
• Working with communities large and small, connecting with artists, authors and scholars, and seeing the South as you’ve never imagined. 

Please refer to our website at www.isjl.org for more information.  Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. Master’s degree required or 5 years of related programming experience.  Position located in Jackson, MS. 

Send resume and three references to ISJL, P. O. Box 16528, Jackson, MS 39236 or email information@isjl.org.

Immediate Opening

Adult Educator 

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life is seeking a dynamic adult educator to serve in one of the most unique and important positions available in today's Jewish education field.

Throughout the United States, hundreds of underserved and isolated Jewish communities and congregations languish with no resources available for proper Jewish education or rabbinic services.  While some manage to maintain their Jewish identity, the level of Jewish literacy remains extremely low.   

The ISJL has already had great success with our Educational Program for young students.  Our Educator and Education Fellows currently deliver the early childhood through high school curriculum to 49 communities in 9 states.  We have now determined that our next step is to provide quality adult learning opportunities in those communities which benefit from the ISJL curriculum, as well as those communities whose members are solely adults.

The ISJL infuses Jewish life back into these communities by providing educational services and expertise.  The qualified Adult Educator will:

• Establish and implement substantive adult educational programs for our 13 state region;
• Create and deliver a vibrant Jewish learning environment for adults;
• Research existing adult learning opportunities and create a budget for this new focus;
• Use the latest technology to implement online learning, broadcasts of lectures, etc. to make all learning accessible;
• Travel periodically to conduct classes and adult programs to a variety of communities throughout the region;
• Participate in many other agency projects already in place or contemplated.

Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. Masters in Jewish Education or Doctorate in Education. Background in Judaism and Jewish Education. Send resume to: ISJL, P. O. Box 16528, Jackson, MS 39236 or information@isjl.org.  Website: www.isjl.org.