Employment
The Yiddish Book Center offers meaningful and challenging positions, a warm, friendly atmosphere, competitive salaries, and excellent benefits. We are seeking applicants for the following positions (see details below):
- Communications Coordinator - Communications Assistant (position based on experience)
- Wexler Oral History Project Internships
- Volunteer Field Trip Docent
- Volunteer Docent
Communications Assistant/Communications Coordinator
The Yiddish Book Center is seeking a Communications Coordinator or Communications Assistant to provide skilled support to communications efforts in the areas of social media, marketing, promotion, and publication. This position will report to the Director of Communications. "Coordinator" or "Assistant" title is dependent on experience and qualifications.
Responsibilities:
Build and execute social media strategy
Generate, curate, edit, publish, and share daily social media content across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
Provide administrative support
Research, draft, and publish content for the Center’s various communications vehicles – print, web based, e-communications, podcasts, and other
Create and oversee editorial calendars for web content and print publication
Assist with other external and internal communications duties as needed
Monitor and report social and website analytics/metrics
Some evening and weekend work required.
The ideal candidate for the Coordinator position will have the following qualifications:
3-5 years related experience
BA required
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Experience with social media across various platforms
Attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and ability to prioritize among multiple responsibilities
Copy-editing and proofreading skills
Professional, good sense of humor, friendly telephone manner
Flexibility and ability to work as a team member
Solid computer skills, knowledge of social media, experience publishing web content, and database management
Knowledge of Yiddish and Jewish culture a plus
Recent grads are encouraged to apply and will be considered for the Assistant position.
Interested candidates should email resume and cover letter to Lisa Newman, director of communications, at [email protected] No phone calls.
Wexler Oral History Project Internships
The Yiddish Book Center’s Wexler Oral History Project offers internships for college students and recent graduates during the academic year and summers. Interns work at the Yiddish Book Center, adjacent to the Hampshire College campus, eight to twelve hours per week during the academic year, or more during the summer.
The internship has several tracks: a cultural content track; specific language tracks including a Polish-language specialist and a Yiddish-language specialist; and a special position as part of a NEH grant-funded project.
Technical interns edit and upload video footage of interviews (not available Spring 2018). Cultural-content interns time-code full-length interviews, identify interesting clips, and curate video material for our online archive. Applicants with strong backgrounds in both film editing and Jewish history and culture can work on both the cultural and technical aspects of the project. Language specialist interns work on processing, translating, and subtitling interviews that are conducted in Yiddish, Polish, or other languages in the collection. All interns work closely with the Project's technical assistant and director.
NEH Oral History Project Transcription Assistant
Position Description:
The NEH Oral History Project Transcription Assistant will assist in a new aspect of the Yiddish Book Center’s Wexler Oral History Project that is funded through a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Transcription Assistant will do the initial processing of transcripts of English-language oral history interviews, proofreading and copyediting.
Responsibilities:
- Audio edit (quality check, proofread, and copyedit) interview transcripts
- Help to populate lists of locations, proper names, organizations, and Yiddish keywords for the collection’s larger metadata project
- Track transcription progress in Google spreadsheets
Requirements:
- Interest in oral history, archives, and/or public history
- Excellent English grammar and spelling skills
- Ability to update and maintain an integrated tracking system for a complex workflow
- Familiarity with GoogleSheets and GoogleDocs
- Experience with transcription preferred
- Jewish studies background (or familiarity with modern American/Eastern European Jewish and Yiddish culture and history) a plus
Details:
- Start Date: January 2018
- Approximate Number of Hours per Week: 8–10
- Hourly Wage: $11
Job Description:
- Create interview logs for oral history interviews
- Identify great stories and excerpts of interviews for use in web, print, and other outlets using Final Cut Pro (professional video editing program)
- Track interviews and post-interview processing in the project’s customized FileMaker Pro database
Requirements:
- Jewish studies background (or familiarity with modern Jewish and Yiddish culture and history)
- Interest in oral history/ethnography
- Comfort with technology and interest in learning new software/applications*
- Attention to detail
- Excellent listening skills
- Ability to update and maintain integrated tracking system for a complex workflow and expansive project
- Ability to work independently, with low-level supervision
Polish-Language Specialist Intern
Job Description:
- Create interview logs for oral history interviews conducted in Polish or in both Polish and English
- Identify great stories and excerpts from Polish-language interviews for use in web, print, and other outlets using Final Cut Pro (professional video editing program)
- Translate into English and subtitle excerpts for online publication
- Contribute translations and subtitles to short films
- Track interviews and post-interview processing in the project’s customized FileMaker Pro database
Requirements:
- Advanced or native Polish Jewish studies background (or familiarity with modern American and Eastern European Jewish and Yiddish culture and history)
- Interest in oral history/ethnography
- Comfort with technology, interest in learning new software/applications*
- Attention to detail
- Excellent listening skills
- Ability to update and maintain integrated tracking system for a complex workflow and expansive project
- Ability to work independently, with low-level supervision
- Transcription and/or translation experience a plus
Yiddish-Language Specialist Intern
Job Description:
- Create interview logs for oral history interviews conducted in Yiddish or in both Yiddish and English
- Identify great stories and excerpts from Yiddish-language interviews for use in web, print, and other outlets using Final Cut Pro (professional video editing program)
- Translate into English and subtitle excerpts for online publication
- Contribute translations and subtitles to short films
- Track interviews and post-interview processing in the project’s customized FileMaker Pro database
Requirements:
- Advanced Yiddish
- Jewish studies background (or familiarity with modern American and Eastern European Jewish and Yiddish culture and history)
- Interest in oral history/ethnography
- Comfort with technology, interest in learning new software/applications*
- Attention to detail
- Excellent listening skills
- Ability to update and maintain integrated tracking system for a complex workflow and expansive project
- Ability to work independently, with low-level supervision
- Transcription and/or translation experience a plus
*Note: Cultural and language specialist interns will receive basic training in Final Cut Pro video editing software.
Hours: Cultural and technical interns must work a minimum of eight hours per week. Cap on hours per week depends on work-study status and internship track. Schedule negotiable during weekday daytime hours.
Compensation: $11 per hour.
To apply: Send a cover letter and resume to Natalie King, Wexler Oral History Project administrative assistant, at [email protected]. Applications will be processed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled, so apply early.
The Yiddish Book Center is seeking volunteer docents to provide support to our Field Trip Program staff. Volunteers will assist in leading student groups on visits of the Center and will facilitate interactive activities and tours.
Requirements:
- Excellent oral communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Able to work independently
- Sense of humor and flexibility
- Ability to engage with students and subject matter
- Comfortable working with middle and high school students
- Energetic and enthusiastic
- Jewish studies background (familiarity with modern Jewish history and Yiddish language and culture)
- Ability to work weekdays
Availability: Field trip visits are typically scheduled Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Occasional availability on Sundays is also desired but not required. Field trips typically run for two to four hours and are scheduled upon request during the school year.
Training will be provided.
Interested candidates should email resume and cover letter to Gretchen Fiordalice at [email protected]
About the Yiddish Book Center’s Field Trip Program:
On a field trip to the Yiddish Book Center—the world’s first Yiddish museum—students explore universal themes such as immigration and cultural preservation through one group’s unique story.
Dynamic, interactive activities engage students in the rich history of Yiddish culture and the ways that culture has been preserved and remains relevant to people’s lives.
The Yiddish Book Center is seeking volunteer docents to greet and orient visitors, answer questions about events and membership, provide support to our staff, and process donations. Volunteers should be comfortable working with groups, speaking with visitors, using a cash register, and should have an interest in Yiddish culture. Training provided. Docents typically work one three-hour day per week. No prior knowledge of Yiddish is necessary. If interested, please email Sarah Bleichfeld at [email protected] or call 413-256-4900, ext. 124.
The Yiddish Book Center is an equal opportunity employer.