The mission of Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary is to bring the Jewish community around the world together.
Our vision is to provide the very best in practical, distance learning-based rabbinical education. PRS is the only rabbinical school with a distinct focus on helping students launch innovative Jewish projects around the world. By simultaneously incubating future rabbis and future Jewish organizations, we are creating maximum benefit to Jewish life.
Our educators span the religious spectrum and we appreciate the diversity of voices we provide to our students. We are especially seeking those educators who can translate complex subjects and materials into practical, useful skills our students will need.
While we actively recruit rabbis, cantors, and Jewish studies professors, we are open to those with nontraditional backgrounds who can show that their educational and work experience translates into higher education.
Available positions
Asynchronous Course Instructor (Contract)
Student Support Specialist (Part-time, Contract)
Student Support Specialist (Part-time, Contract)
PunkTorah Inc, the umbrella organization of Darshan Yeshiva (DY) and Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary (PRS), is seeking a friendly, communicative person to serve as our Student Support Specialist. The primary goal of the Student Support Specialist is to ensure our students have an amazing experience at DarshanYeshiva.org and JewishPluralism.org.
The Student Support Specialist will work with students from around the world who are in both the beginning and advanced stages of online, Jewish learning. The ideal candidate has a “people person” personality and is also diligent at recording details and managing processes without feeling overwhelmed.
Role and Responsibilities
While many of the tools we use in this role are automated, the Student Support Specialist will be the person behind these automated processes. These functions include but are not limited to the following:
Specific to Darshan Yeshiva
- Processing applications for our Conversion to Judaism program:
- Scheduling appointments with potential students;
- Vetting potential students to determine whether they are a suitable candidate for the conversion program (and vice-versa);
- On-boarding potential into either our conversion program or another guided program; and
- Managing the help desk and responding to inquiries and/or requests for support from other potential, current, and former student inquiries.
Specific to Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary
- On-boarding previously vetted students into our rabbinical program; and
- Approving submitted course certificates for independent study students.
For both Darshan Yeshiva and Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary
- Performing quarterly check-ins with current students to track their success, understand their experience, seek feedback, and offer support;
- Responding to inquiries and/or requests for support from other potential, current, and former student and maintaining our help desk, powered by Freshdesk;
- Relaying pertinent information related to student experience to our Directors of Education, Operations, and/or Digital Experience;
- Managing records of your engagement with students and their progress using Google Docs, Google Sheets, and other digital tools, such as project management software; and
- Identifying opportunities to streamline processes to enhance efficiency and improve outcomes.
Both DY and PRS are passionate about promoting from within, and individuals seeking to develop their Jewish educational and non-profit careers should consider applying. While rabbis, cantors, and Jewish educators are welcome to apply, this is not a rabbinic or educator role and will not directly lead to one in the future.
The Student Support Specialist reports to our Director of Education.
Requirements
The ideal candidate must demonstrate:
- A love of pluralistic approaches to Judaism and Jewish education;
- Excellent interpersonal skills, especially over various media, including but not limited to email, phone, video conference, and social media;
- The ability to work well with persons of different religious expressions — both traditional and progressive — as well as persons of diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to persons from or based in other countries, persons of varying ages, races, and ethnicities, and gender and sexual minorities.
- A make-it-work mentality and the ability to problem solve and resolve issues in near-real time.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records
- Exceptional time management skills and the ability to effectively self-motivate, organize and prioritize tasks, and work independently in a fast paced, low-structure environment.
- A proven track record of results and the ability to demonstrate success with regard to organizational and/or personal goals.
Required knowledge and experience include:
- Working knowledge of Google-based productivity tools, such as Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Docs and Google Forms, is required.
- Experience using Mailchimp, Facebook, Slack, and help desk platforms, such as Freshdesk, is beneficial. Preferred, but not required
- Professional experience in customer, client, or student-facing work (e.g., sales, student affairs, retail, hospitality, etc.) is required.
- Personal experience as a student of Jewish studies, rabbinics, and/or conversion is a huge bonus. Preferred, but not required
Our organization prioritizes diversity and inclusion through its hiring and operations. We hope you do, too!
Schedule and Compensation
This role is 100 percent remote at all times. Our office work hours are Eastern Time; however, this role allows you to work during the days and times you wish.
Compensation is hourly with an expected ten to fifteen hours per week and based upon experience. The Student Support Specialist will be available forty-eight weeks out of the year, excluding Shabbat, Jewish holidays, and United States public holidays.
Next Steps
Interested parties should submit their resume and cover letter to people@punktorah.org with the subject line, “Student Support Specialist.” All other inquiries will be dismissed unless this subject line is used.
Asynchronous Course Instructor (Contract)
Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary is seeking Jewish educators for adjunct course development for our rabbinical smicha program. Course materials are presented using self-guided podcast-based units, video, handouts, and outside resources. Courses we’re seeking instructors to develop include:
- American Jewish Literature
- Modern Hebrew Literature and Poetry
- Halachic Literature (Surveys of Shulchan Aruch, Mishneh Torah, etc.)
- Feminist Jewish Thought
- Modern Torah Commentaries
- Prayer in Rabbinic Literature
- Septuagint
- Apocrypha
- Machzor
- Genesis Rabbah
- Overview of Jewish Languages and Their Histories
- Jewish Bioethics
Each course will be six units and include the following:
- Either video or audio lectures
- Required reading lists and/or supplementary readings (.pdf handouts)
- Quizzes for each unit. This is a mix of true/false, multiple choice (a question with more than one answer) and single answer questions, not essay or other things that need to be graded by a person. Please provide an answer key/rubric for your quizzes
Course instructors will not be teaching courses live or required to participate in any other activities at PRS.
Compensation is $750.00 USD per course. Those living outside the USA will receive a pay increase relative to their country’s currency. We welcome the opportunity to have one instructor create all courses. However, we encourage instructors to focus on those courses they are most interested and passionate about.
We believe in academic freedom and will not place any mandates on what is taught or not in your course.
Contact Information
Persons interested in developing courses for PRS as Course Instructors should send a resume and email to prs@jewishpluralism.org
Please put “Asynchronous Course Instructor” in the subject line.