Makom Teacher | Makom Madrichim (for teens)

ABOUT NEFESH

Nefesh is a transdenominational Jewish spiritual community in the multicultural east side of Los Angeles. We welcome all the identities that make up who you are and who you love. We are an open doorway to the wisdom, ritual, and melodies of the Jewish tradition. A place to find and be found, whether it is for a meaningful Jewish experience or an ongoing commitment to a spiritual home. Nefesh is a new model of kiruv (outreach) and community building for urban Jewish renewal located in the ancestral homeland of the Tongva people. 

We have a special focus on bringing the margins of Jewish life to the center by engaging in active outreach, radical inclusion, and building a diverse intergenerational community. We create a welcoming, inclusive, open-hearted Jewish community that specifically seeks out and draws in those who are seeking, and have not found, a spiritual and communal connection to Judaism. We are filled with music and enthusiasm, ecstatic and contemplative. We bring the breadth of expansive inclusion and the depth of the prayers, rituals, texts, stories, creativity, and customs of the Jewish people. 

Nefesh is a middot driven community. We center the intersection between personal growth and systemic change. In Nefesh we hold four realms at once: personal growth and change, relational connection and growth, community support and growth, and the work of change and transformation in the world around us. Self, other, community, and world. We hold all four and do so grounded in Mussar and social justice. 

A NOTE ON APPLYING

Frequently cited statistics show that women, trans, and nonbinary people, and other structurally marginalized groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Nefesh encourages you to break that statistic and to apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate for the positions.

Makom Teacher – TK-B’nai Mitzvah

OPPORTUNITY

Makom is a dynamic Jewish education program for elementary age kids. The Hebrew word makom means “place” – inside and all around us, every place is alive with Jewish learning and growing as human beings. We open the door wide open for creative exploration of Torah, spirituality and prayer, and middot, our deepest values. We learn together in class, in the city on field trips, and with family learning to bring into the week. As much as possible, we learn Judaism through doing Judaism, and we also do our best to have fun along the way. 

Makom is designed to instill a love of Judaism through hands-on learning of Torah stories, prayers, and Jewish values. The teacher will be able to instill a sense of fun, curiosity and wonder while imparting to the children their first experience of Jewish concepts and culture.

Makom meets most Sundays from 10am-12:30pm and on the second Saturdays from 9:30-12:00pm (depending on grade level), with certain dates excluded due to holidays – see the list of class dates at the end of this document. The start date for this position is August 25th, 2024.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience teaching or working with children between the ages of 4 and 12 in a group setting.
  • Familiarity with Hebrew sufficient to teach beginning Hebrew readers to learn the aleph bet, with the ultimate goal of decoding the language of t’filah (prayer), and common Hebrew words.
  • Ability to work well with other teachers, and to communicate with parents.
  • A background of study in Jewish traditions and hands-on learning.
  • Interpersonal skills: adaptability, resourcefulness, cultural sensitivity, patience and compassion. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Education

    • Support students in what may be their first steps toward forming their own Jewish identities. Work with students to explore aspects of Judaism.
    • Lead a small group learning environment with content on Jewish prayer, Torah stories, and Jewish values.
    • Follow a curriculum outline provided by Nefesh for each class, creating lesson plans that incorporate new creative projects and ideas.
    • Creatively engage the students in dialogue about Jewish themes.
    • Participate in a t’filah service during class time, outdoors, with each class concentrating on a new prayer.
    • Engage in learning through movement and song, using dance, exercise and singing to further develop understanding of class concepts.
    • Introduce basic Hebrew learning with both a text provided by Nefesh, as well as other creative strategies.

Health & Safety

    • All teachers will be required to participate in an online abuse prevention training and will be paid for their time.
    • Follow all Covid protocols and ensure students abide by all guidelines.
    • Review all Student medical records including diet restrictions and special needs.
    • Maintain records for all activities, including approved parents/guardians sign in/out sheets and reports of any behavioral issues.

Family Engagement & Administration

    • Weekly communication with parents regarding each week’s lessons, and at-home projects for in-between classes
    • Track and report attendance for each class meeting.
    • Periodic meetings with the Rabbi and Program Director as needed.
    • Support parent representatives with planning and executing family meet ups and field trips.
    • Prepare and serve snacks to each class, being mindful to avoid allergens.
    • Track hours worked and create monthly invoices to be submitted to the Program Director.

COMPENSATION

Each teacher will be paid for 4 hours of work for each class meeting – 2.5 hours of teaching time, plus 1.5 hours of lesson prep, class communications, set up, and wrap up time – plus additional meetings, required training, and any additional time requested. Salary starts $35/hour.

TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter and resume to Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman, Interim Makom Director, makom@nefeshla.org. Frequently cited statistics show that women, trans, and nonbinary people, and other structurally marginalized groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Nefesh encourages you to break that statistic and to apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate for the position. View the Makom dates for the 5785 school year here.

 

 

Makom Madrichim (Teacher’s Assistants)

OPPORTUNITY

What are madrichim?

In Hebrew, madrichim are defined as youth leaders, counselors, or as in our case, teacher’s assistants. At Makom, you will support the teacher in each class to create a safe, attentive, and fulfilling learning experience for the students. That could take the form of: one-on-one work with individual students, overseeing class projects, or classroom management, among other tasks. At Shabbat classes, you will help wrangle the children as they go in and out of the service, and support with crafts, snack, etc. And essentially be a cool, role model teen for the kids to look up to and learn from!

Makom meets two Sundays per month from 10am – 12:30pm, and one Saturday morning per month at our Shabbat service, from 9:30 – 12pm. The madrichim are expected to be available for all of these classes with 1/2 hour of setup, prep, and clean up before and after each class. Each of our madrichim will be paid $18/hour.

APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE. Please reach out to Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman (makom@nefeshla.org) with your interest