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Development Manager

The Yiddish Book Center seeks a Development Manager to join this dynamic cultural organization and help grow its fundraising program. Now in its 45th year, the Center, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, recovers, preserves, teaches, and celebrates Yiddish literature and culture to advance a fuller understanding of Jewish history and identity. The Center has launched a $35 million endowment campaign to secure its vision for the future and celebrate its 50th anniversary. The Development Manager will support the director of institutional advancement, and manage the administrative functions of the development office, including planned giving and bequests databases, and track grant applications.

Responsibilities include:

  • Supporting all aspects of the Center’s fundraising mission
  • Managing administrative functions of Development office
  • Tracking and documenting current program initiatives and naming opportunities
  • Identifying and conducting donor relations and stewardship activities, including coordination of annual endowment reports to donors who have established funds
  • Preparing Charitable Gift Annuity agreements, managing Yerushe Society- Legacy Giving Society, endowment fund listings, tracking bequests and bequest intentions; and serving as liaison with Free Will
  • Managing Donor Search database, conducting individual and group screenings using Donor Search and Windfall, and tracking Free Will transactions
  • Coordinating activities of Board of Trustees Development Committee and serving as minute scribe for committee meetings
  • Overseeing maintenance and organization of development records. Producing and editing development materials and correspondence. Running queries, compiling reports and managing development-related aspects of Raiser’s Edge NXT donor database, and batching gifts of $1,000+ and all gifts to Tsukunft – The Future Campaign
  • Tracking grant and foundation applications and assisting in proposal document preparation

Qualifications:

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Sense of humor, entrepreneurial spirit, flexibility and ability to work in a team
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • Minimum of 3 year experience with development or related field
  • Experience with Raiser’s Edge NXT, Donor Search, and Windfall or comparable CRM software a plus
  • This is a full-time on-site position, occasional evening and weekend work and travel required

Salary: $50,000 to $55,000

The Center offers a full benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, paid vacation and sick time, and retirement matching.

Application Instructions: Email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] and put “Development Manager” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

Residential Assistant and Senior Residential Assistant (Steiner Summer Yiddish Program)

The Yiddish Book Center is seeking a Residential Assistant and a Senior 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.

These are seven-week/30 hour per week positions (June 8–July 25, 2025), working primarily during the late afternoon, evenings, and weekends.

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.

Position Description: Facilitate a comfortable, fun, and intellectually stimulating Yiddish-speaking environment for eighteen college students; assist with the daily resident-life operations of an intensive summer program in Yiddish language and culture; live in dorms with the students. Speaking Yiddish, leading activities in Yiddish, and encouraging Yiddish use in the dorms, etc. are all extremely important.

This is a seven-week position, with late afternoons, evenings, and weekends required.

Duties will include but are not limited to:

  • Living in dorm with students; helping students with daily living and residence life concerns
  • Assisting with student orientation
  • Being the first line of response for students’ residential questions and concerns
  • Staffing evening and weekend activities and events for the program
  • Enforcing program policies in consultation with the program assistant and administrative director and communicating with the program assistant and administrative director if any concerns about students arise
  • Helping to promote a Yiddish learning community among students
  • Participating in Yiddish-infused extracurricular and social activities
  • Other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Required:

  • Willingness and ability to work as a member of a team
  • Proficiency in Yiddish language; comfortable leading activities in Yiddish and encouraging Yiddish use
  • Good organizational, professional, and interpersonal skills
  • Maturity, flexibility, sense of humor
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record
  • Minimum 21 years of age

Preferred:

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

RA Compensation: $4,500 plus room and board

Additional Senior RA Responsibilities:
The Senior RA will perform all the RA duties listed above and provide additional support and leadership, including:

  • Creating and leading Yiddish-infused extracurricular and social activities
  • Serving as primary liaison between the students and the program assistant and directors
  • Managing on-call rotation among RAs

Senior RA Compensation: $5,000 plus room and board

Work location: Amherst, MA

Physical demands and work environment:
The position requires standing, walking, bending, climbing, and reaching. The position also requires working at a desk and using a computer. Work will be performed in a multilevel office environment, classroom, college dormitories, outdoors, and museum spaces.

Application Instructions: Email a cover letter, resume, contact information for three professional work references, and a 2–3 paragraph sample of your Yiddish writing in confidence to Gretchen Fiordalice, Director of Education Administration, [email protected]

Residential Assistant and Senior Residential Assistant (Great Jewish Books Summer Program)

The Yiddish Book Center is seeking Residential Assistants (RAs) and a Senior Residential Assistant for the Great Jewish Books Summer Program, a five-day exploration of literature and culture for rising high school juniors and seniors.

Program Summary: The Great Jewish Books Summer Program 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 27–August 1, 2025.

Position Description: 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 be in residence and working from Thursday morning, July 24 (with the option to move in on July 23) through Friday evening, August 1. 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.

RAs will:

  • Live in dorms 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 and 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
  • Comfort supporting students from various backgrounds, and with various learning styles and abilities
  • Maturity, flexibility, and enthusiasm
  • Team player, able to communicate well with supervisor and fellow RAs
  • Ability to lead participants in extracurricular activities (sports, arts, games, music, etc.)
  • Must have a cell phone and be reachable throughout the week of the program
  • Valid driver’s license and safe driving record (preferred)
  • Certification in first aid and CPR (preferred)

RA Compensation: $1,900 plus room and board

Additional Senior RA Responsibilities:
The Senior RA will perform all of the RA duties listed above and also provide additional support and leadership, including:

  • Serve as primary liaison between RAs and Program Manager
  • Lead daily RA-staff meetings
  • Manage time-off rotation among RAs
  • Ensure that all students are accounted for at all times

Senior RA Compensation: $2,400 plus room and board

Work location: Amherst, MA

Physical demands and work environment:
The position requires the applicant to lift and carry 10 lbs. The position requires standing, walking, bending, climbing, and reaching. Work will be performed in a multilevel office environment, classroom, college dormitories, outdoors, and museum spaces.

Application Instructions: All application materials should be sent to: Sylvia Peterson, Associate Director of Education Administration, at: [email protected]. To apply, send:

  • Resume or CV
  • Cover letter addressing why you want to work in the Great Jewish Books Summer Program and describing your relevant interests and experiences
  • Contact information for two professional references

Note: The RA position is not a contract position; it is a W-2 position and Massachusetts state taxes will be applicable. CORI and SORI checks (criminal and sexual offender background checks) will be required as a condition of employment.

The Yiddish Book Center is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.