Education Director

Beth Chaim Reform Congregation is a vibrant, warm, and inclusive Reform Jewish community serving Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Established 30 years ago, we’ve grown into a thriving congregation of over 220 member families, representing 731 individuals who call BCRC their spiritual home.  Our beautiful, open sanctuary—designed to welcome both people and nature—pays homage to our humble beginnings in a barn, reflecting our down-to-earth approach to Jewish life and learning. Rooted in tradition while embracing innovation, we pride ourselves on being a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can worship, learn, and celebrate Judaism together.  Our commitment to loving kindness (chesed) and audacious hospitality ensures that everyone—regardless of religious background, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity—finds a welcoming spiritual home within our community. BCRC is more than just a synagogue—we’re an interconnected neighborhood bonded by shared values, creative approaches to Judaism, and genuine care for one another.  Our members represent diverse backgrounds and degrees of observance, creating a rich tapestry of Jewish experience and practice. Beth Chaim is known for warm and creative prayer services that permeate throughout our entire congregational culture.  We are a down-to-earth singing community where people are encouraged to come as they are to our beautiful sanctuary.  For many years before we built our permanent sanctuary in Malvern PA, our synagogue was hosted by the Church of the Loving Shepherd in their sanctuary barn on Shabbat evenings and mornings.  We have built a sanctuary that echoes that feeling of welcome, with timber peg construction, natural stone, movable seating, and large picture windows that invite nature (and even some foxes, deer, and birds) to inspire our worship.  A significant portion of our membership comes from diverse faith traditions and backgrounds.  In every service there are people who are steeped in a diversity of Jewish tradition, but also those who are new to our customs and rituals, so we strive to make our worship engaging and accessible.  Sermons, along with other program offerings, are often interactive and we pay particularly close attention to the planning and creation of our services and invite prayerful participation through soulful music and Jewish meditation, learning and teaching.  We take every opportunity to invite congregants to celebrate their Torah and life cycle events.  Visual Tefillah is a part of our worship repertoire, and all services are hybrid.  The education director would collaborate with Rabbi Pearlman on creating unique, musical, and resonant family and community educational experiences, as well as holiday events. We are seeking a dynamic, passionate, and experienced Jewish education professional to join our Jewish Neighborhood at Beth Chaim Reform Congregation (BCRC).  This role presents an exciting opportunity to shape the educational future of our congregation’s “Sababa” Religious School, while growing professionally under the mentorship of our respected and dynamic Rabbi, Michele Pearlman.  BCRC is a Reform Jewish congregation in Chester County, PA and is a vibrant, warm, and inclusive spiritual home to our member families.  We’ve cultivated a unique “Jewish Neighborhood” at BCRC—a welcoming community where connections flourish across generations, and Jewish values are lived daily.  We take an innovative approach that creates an environment where families learn, celebrate, and grow together, strengthening both individual Jewish identities and our collective community bonds. BCRC has a special opportunity with our stably growing community – in terms of membership numbers, community participation, and program offerings.  As a professional leader within the synagogue and the head of our Sababa religious school, the Education Director would act as an innovator and engagement leader for educational elements of our future plans.  The Director will foster connections between students, their families, and teachers, as well as between different age groups through collaborative programming.  They will work in close collaboration with BCRC’s dedicated and passionate board of directors, clergy, lay staff, and volunteer committees. The ideal candidate will be adept at building meaningful connections across generations while having a particular passion for engaging families with young children.  We are seeking a candidate with the following characteristics: You are an enthusiastic educator who embodies the best practices of Jewish education and professionalism, You are highly motivated and meticulously organized such that you can craft a vision for our educational program and deliver its implementation, You display Jewish leadership through your love and respect for children, teachers, parents, and congregants of all ages, as well as your fellow employees and teammates, You are patient and compassionate in personal settings, nimble and accessible in teaching settings, You meld Jewish tradition with modern pedagogy, weaving music, the arts, and acts of hesed (loving kindness) and tzedek (justice) into congregational engagement and community outreach, You treasure foundational Jewish wisdom alongside Reform Jewish ideals, As a partner with our clergy, staff, and board of trustees, you welcome challenges, value trust, and approach others with humility, honesty, humor, and emotional intelligence, You show skill in building community across different age groups and backgrounds, and are particularly adept at engaging young families, children, and teens, You come with a strong background in Jewish education, acquired through your formal education as well as professional and life experience, You are able to innovate and challenge the status quo through unique and engaging educational approaches and program offerings & You are able to leverage technology as a tool to deepen our congregation’s connection and expand access to all those who wish to engage in learning in our Reform Jewish Neighborhood. BCRC is more than just a synagogue—we’re an interconnected neighborhood bonded by shared values, creative approaches to Judaism, and genuine care for one another.  As the only Reform congregation in Chester County, we play a vital role in sustaining and growing Jewish life in our region and educating each generation in ways that inspire spiritual and personal growth. Our members represent diverse backgrounds and degrees of observance, creating a rich tapestry of Jewish experience and practice.  Our future Education Director must be motivated and competent to take on this exciting, challenging, and essential role in our community. Areas of Responsibility: Sababa Religious School Curriculum and Programming, B’Mitzvah Coordination, Teen Programming and Coordination, Management & Supervision & Administration & Communication. *BCRC recognizes that the Hebrew language has played a significant role in the preservation of our Jewish religious and cultural heritage l’dor vador.  As such, a specific programmatic enhancement that we wish to implement is a stronger integration of Hebrew language education into our core teachings. The new director will play a direct role in organizing and (in partnership with our Hebrew language teachers and tutors) leading Hebrew lessons not only for B’Mitzvah preparation, but also throughout our student’s Jewish educational experience at Sababa School. Qualifications:  Required: Background in Jewish Education and demonstrated knowledge and ability to lead Jewish education and curriculum development, Teaching experience with various age groups ranging from early childhood/elementary school age through high school, Track record of successful program development for diverse age groups, Excellent organizational and communication skills, including experience communicating with parents, students, instructors, clergy, lay leadership, and congregation, Demonstrated leadership and administrative capabilities & Strong technological skills that will enhance curriculum development, lesson planning, and innovative program offerings. Preferred: Master’s degree in education, Jewish Education, or an advanced degree in a similar field, Experience in leadership of a Jewish religious school (or other management experience), 5+ years’ experience of relevant work experience in a religious school setting, Experience fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion of all types of learners, Knowledge of hands-on learning, Experience with ShulCloud or similar customer management software (CMS) & Microsoft and/or Google Suite experience. This position is full-time (approximately 40 hours per week).  Religious School meets on Sunday mornings, with B’Mitzvah preparation classes currently meeting one night per week during each student’s B’Mitzvah year.  Regular attendance at religious services, all special family/student services, and B’Mitzvah services is expected. Whether you’re looking to grow professionally and spiritually or enjoy a fulfilling personal life, Malvern, PA, presents an inviting and supportive environment for all. BCRC is a Brit Olam congregation affiliated with the URJ, URJ’s Religious Action Committee, and Keshet. Compensation is in the range of $50,000 – $100,000 depending on factors such as years’ experience, degrees and other professional qualifications, and individual skillsets. Benefits included. Apply on: https://www.jewishjobs.com/job/nh4pys/education-director/malvern/pa/united-states. https://www.bethchaim.net.

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