Community Engagement Rabbi

Columbia/Barnard Hillel

Role Overview

You are the rabbi about whom students say “I never thought I’d want to have coffee with a rabbi, but I love having coffee with them.” You are the rabbi who knows that being out on campus on Rosh Hashanah engaging with Jewish students in creative ways can sometimes be more important than being in traditional services. You are the rabbi that sees value in connecting with Jewish students from diverse backgrounds and helping them build the Jewish life they want to live.

If you’re that kind of rabbi, you might be Columbia/Barnard Hillel’s Community Engagement Rabbi; an enthusiastic, creative, and dynamic professional with a strong passion for building a pluralistic Jewish community and engaging students from across the spectrum of Jewish life.

This new role is perfect for someone just starting out their rabbinate and wants to be in a supportive, creative work environment that stretches their understanding of what it means to be a rabbi. The Community Engagement Rabbi works alongside our Engagement Team, a subset of our professional team that exclusively works with un- or under-engaged Jewish students, and will report to the Associate Director. This is an in-person role with flexibility needed for evening and weekend work. The ideal candidate will begin in mid-summer 2025.

What You’ll Do

• One-on-one Engagement: You are first and foremost an engager. Meet students on campus for coffee, tea, or a snack in order to build authentic relationships and to help connect students to friends, community, and experiences. You will build relationships with students who are mostly un- or under-engaged in Jewish life or are seeking connections to Jewish life in ways that aren’t already offered.
• Shabbat & Holidays: Elevate the Jewish experiences of students on campus through attendance at weekly Kraft Shabbat Dinners and shaping the prayer and holiday experiences for students who may not seek out traditional prayer services and other holiday observances. 
• Depth Engagement: Staff immersive travel experiences such as Birthright Israel and alternative breaks, infusing deep content and Jewish wisdom into the experiences in accessible ways. Deepen students’ Jewish experiences on campus by creating educational, cohort-based opportunities for students to engage in learning experiences.

What You’ve Accomplished

• Rabbinic ordination and 0-2 years of experience
• Experience in grassroots community organizing, Hillel, youth movements, camping, or experiential Jewish education is a plus

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• A strong knowledge base of Jewish content, ranging from traditional Jewish texts to contemporary Jewish wisdom, culture and unconventional Jewish sources.
• Experience in leading complex conversations about Judaism and Israel in a way that is approachable and meets students at various points in their personal Jewish journeys.

• A commitment to creating an inclusive, vibrant and pluralistic Jewish community.
• Passion for connecting with people from different backgrounds, with the goal of building authentic and meaningful relationships
• Excellent communication and active listening skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $85,000-100,000, commensurate with experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA), pension plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities
• Travel regionally and abroad
• Dedicated and fun colleagues who will support you along the way

About Columbia/Barnard Hillel

Columbia/Barnard Hillel is an exciting, fast-paced, intellectually rigorous work environment. We are a high energy, dedicated team of professionals committed to enriching the Jewish experience of our students. Columbia/Barnard Hillel serves the undergraduate and graduate Jewish communities of Columbia University, Barnard College, and The Jewish Theological Seminary. There is a large and very active Jewish community based in the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life and around campus. While more than 1,700 Jewish students are involved with Hillel, there are many students who have not found their Jewish niche on campus.

Columbia/Barnard Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.