Director of Youth Programming and Engagement

DESCRIPTION OF PARK AVENUE SYNAGOGUE:

Park Avenue Synagogue (PAS) is one of the largest Conservative congregations in North
America. Located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the synagogue includes staff of more than
180 talented individuals, who together with our world-class clergy team, serve a membership of
over 1,800 households. Our thriving Adult Programming, Penn Family Early Childhood Center,
Congregational School, Youth, and Young Family Education departments provide high quality
and inclusive Jewish educational, social, and worship opportunities to our members and the
community at large.

DESCRIPTION OF JOB:

Park Avenue Synagogue (PAS) is one of the largest Conservative congregations in North
America. Located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the synagogue includes staff of more than
160 talented individuals, who together with our world-class clergy team, serve a membership of
over 1,700 households. Our thriving Adult Programming, Early Childhood Center,
Congregational School, Youth, and Young Family Education departments provide high quality
and inclusive Jewish educational, social, and worship opportunities to our members and the
community at large.

Both Park Avenue Synagogue’s Rabbi Judah Nadich High School and teen engagement
programs have been providing teens with an extraordinary post Bnei Mitzvah experience since
1959. We now have over 250 teens in our congregation between eighth and twelfth grades and
are fully committed to engaging them and their families beyond Bnei Mitzvah through our
multifaceted Teen Program that provides the framework for this successful experience. The
Director of Youth Programming and Engagement will report to the Director of Congregational
Education (DCE), work closely with the Rabbis and Director of the Congregational School, and
will leverage the educational and teaching experience of our clergy and broader education team.

In addition to working with our teen/high school population, this professional will help develop
the strategy to engage our 3rd-7th grades in order to ensure continuity from youth to teen
programming. Additionally, this person will be involved in building connections to our college
students as well.

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RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with the Director of Congregational Education, clergy team and teen and lay

• Organize and implement PAS High School Learning and Programs, which include but are

• Creating and implementing programming for 3rd-7th graders
• Oversee the inclusion efforts in youth and teen programming and arrange for training for

encourage participation, foster dialogue and feedback and further connect them to the
Park Avenue Synagogue community and its offerings

• Cultivate and empower teen leadership through our Teen Leadership Council
• Develop curriculum, teach and present in Teen Program, Congregational School, and Vav

High School and Youth programs through use of regular departmental e-blasts,
synagogue-wide e-blasts when appropriate, parent grade rep e-mails, phone calls, the
PAS website, monthly bulletins and, program guides, social media and other methods of
communication

• Organize the College Connection program that includes packages and Zoom sessions

• Serve as the staff liaison to the Teen Engagement Committee, Youth Committee, Jewish

• Represent the youth department at meetings to seek out collaborative opportunities

• Build collaborative relationships with other organizations and area youth programs
• Understand the latest trends in youth engagement and high school programming, and the

ability to learn and implement the best practices amongst comparable synagogue and
neighborhood high school and youth programs

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Past leadership in informal or formal Jewish education experiences focused on high

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o Exceptional ability to communicate and build relationships with youth and teens
o Exceptional ability to communicate effectively with parents, colleagues and other

o Demonstrated ability to organize and lead engaging programs, classes and trips
for youth and high school students

o Ability to lead and manage part-time programming staff
o Understanding of and ability to work within a departmental budget

• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Team player: ability to work collaboratively with clergy and other educational staff team

leverage those to create exciting, multi-faceted curricular units and experiential
programs

• Experience leading innovative Jewish holiday, Israel, Shabbat and other Jewish

• Ability to lead dynamic and meaningful services for youth and high school students in

SALARY: Starting salary $70,000. Commensurate with experience. Comprehensive
benefit package.

Qualified candidates should submit a brief cover letter and a resume to Zawnia Dehaney,
Director of Human Resources at jobs@pasyn.org.

Frequently cited statistics shows that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only
if they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be
a good fit for the role, Park Avenue Synagogue encourages you to apply

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