Employment

http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/great-jewish-booksThe 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):

Resident Assistant, Steiner Summer Yiddish Program

The Yiddish Book Center is seeking a Residential Assistant proficient in Yiddish to facilitate a fun and intellectually stimulating Yiddish-speaking environment for eighteen college students and assist with the daily operations of an intensive summer program in Yiddish language and culture.

This is a full-time seven-and-a-half-week position (May 28–July 20), with evenings and weekends required.

Program Summary:

Now in its fourth decade, the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program offers motivated students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Yiddish language and culture. Participants study with renowned scholars and build a community of yidishkayt in a supportive residential setting.

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Living in dorm with students; helping students with daily living, such as weekly supermarket trips
  • Assisting with student orientation
  • Being the first line of response for students’ questions and concerns
  • Staffing evening activities and events for the program
  • Enforcing program policies in consultation with Program Assistant and Administrative Director
  • Communicating with Program Assistant and Administrative Director if any concerns about students arise
  • Helping to promote a Yiddish learning community among students
  • Organizing Yiddish-infused extracurricular and social activities
  • Assisting with driving and picking up faculty, students, or supplies as needed
  • Helping coordinate and participating in New York City field trip, July 2–5, and shorter field trips to be determined
  • Helping Yiddish Book Center staff with logistics in the days prior to the program launch and following program conclusion
  • Assisting with student check-out of dorms 
  • Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Required:

  • Proficiency in Yiddish language, and comfortability leading activities in Yiddish and encouraging Yiddish use
  • Good organizational and interpersonal skills 
  • Maturity, flexibility, sense of humor
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record
  • Minimum 21 years of age

Highly Preferred:

  • Experience in college residential support

Preferred:

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

Schedule:

  • Two days set-up
  • Seven weeks on site, primarily afternoons, evenings, and weekends
  • Two days wrap-up

Compensation:

$3,500 plus housing in 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, and a cover letter that addresses why you want to work in the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program
  2. Submit a 2–3 paragraph (1-page max) writing sample in Yiddish
  3. 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.

Teaching Assistant, Steiner Summer Yiddish Program

The Steiner Summer Yiddish Program seeks a 2/3 time Teaching Assistant to facilitates a comfortable, fun, and intellectually stimulating Yiddish-speaking environment for eighteen college students and assist with teaching duties in an intensive summer program in Yiddish language and culture. The Steiner Summer Yiddish Program runs May 31–July 17, 2020.

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)—the workshop 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 potluck dinners
  • Coordinate and participate in the New York City field trip, 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:

$2,300 plus housing in 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, and a cover letter that addresses why you want to work in the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program
  2. Submit a 2–3 paragraph (1-page max) writing sample in Yiddish 
  3. 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.

Resident Assistant, Great Jewish Books Summer Program 2020

The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA, is currently hiring Residential Assistants (RAs) for the 2020 Great Jewish Books Summer Program, a five-day exploration of literature and culture for rising high school juniors and seniors. 

Now in its ninth year, Great Jewish Books uses compelling works of modern Jewish literature to help students develop a rich understanding of Jewish culture and history, and to spark discussions about contemporary issues of identity, family, cultural practice, and community. The program is lively, full of social opportunities, and intellectually exhilarating. Participants and RAs stay in a Hampshire College dorm and eat in the campus dining hall. Dates for Great Jewish Books are July 26–31, 2020. Visit yiddishbookcenter.org/great-jewish-books for more information.

RAs will be in residence and working from Thursday morning, July 23 (with the option to move in on July 22) through Friday evening, July 31. The days leading up to the program will be for staff orientation, planning, and preparation. All RAs will read the required texts for the program before arriving in Amherst. RAs will also do some preliminary planning with Yiddish Book Center staff (remotely) before arriving.

The RA’s role is to facilitate a comfortable, fun, and intellectually stimulating environment for participants; to respond to their questions and concerns; to make sure they are present and on time for scheduled activities; and to enforce all program rules and policies. RAs build their own skills as discussion leaders, group facilitators, and teen mentors. 

RAs will:

  • Live in dorm with students; be the first line of response for students’ questions and concerns
  • Lead small-group discussions on assigned readings
  • Facilitate informal reflection and discussion among students
  • Participate in and lead extracurricular activities for students
  • Chaperone students on local field trips
  • Eat meals with students
  • Attend students’ classes
  • Communicate with Yiddish Book Center staff if any concerns about students arise
  • Enforce program rules, quiet hours, and nighttime curfew
  • Abide by the same rules as students, including quiet hours, curfew, and no drinking/smoking policies
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Manager

RA Qualifications:

  • Minimum 21 years of age
  • College graduate or currently enrolled college student
  • Extensive experience and comfort working with teens
  • Knowledge of and passion for modern Jewish culture and literature
  • Outgoing and energetic personality
  • Comfort supporting students from various backgrounds, and with various learning styles and abilities
  • Team player, able to communicate well with supervisor and willing to pitch in however needed
  • Must have a cell phone and be reachable throughout the week of the program
  • Ability to lead participants in extracurricular activities (sports, arts, games, music, etc.)
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record (preferred)
  • Comfort driving a 12-to-15-passenger van (training is provided) (preferred)
  • Certification in first aid and CPR (preferred)

RA compensation: $1,500 plus room and board

Application Instructions:

All application materials should be sent to: Sylvia Peterson, education program manager, at: [email protected]. To apply, send:

1. Resume or CV;
2. Cover letter addressing why you want to work in the Great Jewish Books Summer Program and describing your relevant interests and experiences;
3. Two references that we may call (one academic instructor and one professional supervisor, preferably someone who has supervised your work with teenagers).

If you have questions, please email Sylvia at [email protected]. Note: CORI and SORI checks (criminal and sexual offender background checks) will be required as a condition. 

 

Yiddish-language Specialist Intern for the Yiddish Book Center's Wexler Oral History Project

Role and Responsibilities:

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 editor or NEH oral history project coordinator and director. Specifically the Yiddish-language Specialist Intern will be asked to:

  • 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 and Adobe Premiere Pro (professional video editing programs)
  • 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

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

  • 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*

*Note: Cultural and language specialist interns will receive basic training in Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software.

Preferred Skills:

  • Intermediate to Advanced Yiddish language skills
  • 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

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]

For more information, explore the Yiddish Book Center's Wexler Oral History Project.

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.