Employment

About

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):

Summer Program Assistant​

The Yiddish Book Center seeks an experienced program assistant to help with logistical and administrative aspects and the daily operations of an intensive summer program for 10 - 15 teachers. The job will be 20 hrs/week for four weeks in June and July, and 35 hours/week for four weeks in July and August.

Program Summary:

The Great Jewish Books Teacher Summer Seminar is a program for teachers at Jewish middle and high schools interested in enriching their curricula with materials that reflect the breadth and depth of modern Jewish literature. The four-week seminar takes place at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, home to exhibits on Jewish history and culture as well as to a vast collection of Yiddish books.

While in Amherst, participants survey modern Jewish literature from the Enlightenment to the present day, studying with leading scholars in the field. In addition to reading and discussing texts, participants attend films, concerts, and field trips, as well as a conference on Jewish literature pedagogy. This year's seminar runs from July 7 – August 2, 2019.

Program Assistant Position:

The program assistant reports to the education program manager. Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

  • Preparing name tags, folders, and other welcome materials for participants
  • Coordinating with Hampshire College about participant dining and housing
  • Responding to faculty and participant questions about housing, transportation, and food
  • Preparing and printing course packs and other reading materials
  • Coordinating and participating in field trips and special events
  • Coordinating aspects of the pedagogy conference that will take place during the seminar
  • Driving faculty and participants to events as needed
  • Conducting and collating the results of program evaluation
  • Overseeing extracurricular or social activities, including on evenings and weekends
  • Other tasks as assigned

Schedule:

For the first four weeks (June 10 – July 5): 20 hours/ week, spread out over 3-4 days/week, between 9am – 5pm.

For the next four weeks (July 7 – Aug. 5): 35 hours/ week, with varying schedule, including some nights and weekends.

Qualifications:

Required: Strong organizational and communication skills, experience with program logistics and support, detail-oriented, responsible, friendly, valid driver's license and safe driving record.

Preferred: Familiarity with the Five College area of Western Massachusetts, interest in Jewish education and culture.

Compensation:

The stipend is $4,800. (A reduced stipend plus dormitory housing is also an option.)

Application Instructions:

Send cover letter, resume, and contact information for two references who can speak to your relevant work to: Lesley Yalen, education program manager, at [email protected]

Communications Content Editor and Projects Coordinator

The Yiddish Book Center is seeking a Communications Content Editor and Projects Coordinator to provide skilled support to communications efforts in the areas of content curation and creation, social media, marketing, and publication and project coordination. This position will report to the Director of Communications. The Yiddish Book Center offers meaningful and challenging positions, a warm, friendly atmosphere, competitive salaries, and excellent benefits.

Job Description

  • Serve as project coordinator for the Center’s many publications and other communications projects
  • Research, draft, and publish content for the Center’s various editorial and marketing communications vehicles – print, web, and e-communications
  • Generate, curate, edit, publish, and share content across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
  • Create and oversee editorial calendars for digital/print content
  • Work with Director of Communications and other staff to create and execute social media and digital strategy        
  • Monitor and report social and website analytics/metric
  • Research and secure permissions for archival media, photography, and artwork

The ideal candidate for the position will have the following qualifications:

  • 3+ years related experience
  • BA required
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Experience with social media and SEO 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

Interested candidates should email resume and cover letter to Lisa Newman, director of communications, at [email protected] No phone calls. 

Membership and Online Fundraising Systems Manager

The Yiddish Book Center is a non-profit cultural organization with a national and international membership base. We are seeking a Membership and Online Fundraising Manager to take a leadership role in our online fundraising and outreach efforts; and in coordinating constituent management, donations processing, and member correspondence. The Membership and Online Fundraising Manager will also support website and technical operations for new and ongoing projects across the organization. 

Responsibilities:

  • Coordinates online fundraising efforts to coincide with direct mail appeals, and additional online-only outreach projects throughout the year. Creates and maintains membership-related web content, including donation forms;
  • Ensures that membership records and communications are handled appropriately following Yiddish Book Center policies and procedures. Specifically: Gift processing, constituent data entry and updates, data-sync of Raiser’s Edge and Luminate records, written and phone communication with members in response to inquiries; 
  • Participates in strategic planning process for the website and other online tools, and helps to implement solutions based on these goals. Acts as a resource to resolve technical problems day-to-day for staff and outside users;
  • Provides training and support for staff users of the bulk email tools, user databases, web forms and other web content;
  • Organizes training and supervision of work study, part time and seasonal employees to assist as needed with membership tasks;
  • Communicates with vendors to maintain tech tools as needed based on organizational strategies and priorities;
  • Trains staff and volunteers in proper use of audio-visual equipment and works with vendors to keep all equipment in working order and up to date to meet program requirements;
  • Answers multi-line phone system, forwarding calls and taking messages as required;
  • Other projects and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge or similar fundraising software
  • Understanding of non-profit fundraising processes, including industry best practices for online fundraising
  • Experience with audience segmentation for online communication and reporting
  • Excellent organizational skills, and ability to prioritize among multiple responsibilities and projects
  • Flexibility and ability to work in a mid-level leadership role 
  • Technological problem-solving, both immediate and long-range 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

To apply: Send a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Teaching Assistant: Steiner Summer Yiddish Program

The Steiner Summer Yiddish Program seeks a 2/3 time Teaching Assistant to facilitate a comfortable, fun, and intellectually stimulating Yiddish-speaking environment for 18 college students and assist with teaching duties in an intensive summer program in Yiddish language and culture. The Steiner Summer Yiddish Program runs June 2-July 19, 2019

Duties include:

  • Mark all homework, tutor students one-on-one or in small groups as needed, and substitute teach as needed. If desired, regular guest teaching can be arranged in advance with the instructor. 
  • Live in the Yiddish-only dorm and help facilitate Yiddish conversation in the residential setting.
  • Attend study hall to help students with assignments as needed and to answer any questions. 
  • Attend kave-sho weekly to facilitate conversation among students and initiate short activities to spur on conversation as needed.
  • Prepare and lead games and activities to help stimulate Yiddish-speaking during the program’s weekly Yiddish lunches. 
  • Plan and lead one workshop for the students on a topic of their choice (such as song, dance, theater, etc). This will be an interactive Yiddish-oriented workshop in any combination of vocabulary, theme, and/or culture; 1-hour in length; at an appropriate level for both beginner and intermediate students.
  • Attend Yiddish pot-luck dinners. 
  • Coordinate and participate in the New York City field trip on July 4 weekend, and shorter field trips to be determined.

Qualifications: 

  • Advanced Yiddish language skills
  • Good organizational and interpersonal skills
  • Maturity, flexibility, sense of humor
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record
  • Minimum 21 years of age

Preferred:

  • Familiarity with Yiddish Book Center and Five-College area
  • Knowledge of modern Jewish culture and Jewish community 
  • Experience in college residential support

Compensation: $2300 stipend plus housing in Hampshire College apartment-style dorm
 
Application Instructions: Send to: Gretchen Fiordalice, director of education administration, at [email protected].
 
To apply:
1. Send resume or CV, including Yiddish language background, that describes your relevant interests and experiences and a cover letter that addresses why you want to work in the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program
2. Have two professional references (current or former supervisors) send their letters of recommendation directly to Gretchen at [email protected]
 
If you have questions, email Gretchen at [email protected] or call 413-256-4900 ext.#103.
 

Volunteer Field Trip Docent

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.

 

Volunteer Docent

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.