Summary of Duties and Responsibilities
● Provide Jewish religious, holiday, and cultural programming on campus and make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the religious and spiritual needs of Jewish students, as well as faculty and staff
● Support students in preparation and attend weekly Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations
● Support and attend student-initiated programs, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
● Advocate for and advise on the ongoing development of Jewish resources on campus
● Seek and share opportunities from local and national organizations for immersive Jewish experiences, including conferences, service opportunities, travel to Israel, and other relevant locations
● Collaborate with the various other Chaplains within the RSL to bring an intersectional framework to programming in service of Jewish Life.
● Ensure meaningful and diverse opportunities for Jewish expression, and consistently promote a welcoming and lively pluralistic Jewish community
● Create programs that educate about and celebrate the diversity of Jewish life on campus and in this world
● Participate in Religious & Spiritual Life programming (e.g. interfaith panels and service events, Baccalaureate, vigils, retreats)
● Participate and serve on College committees as eligible and able
● Advise Hillel, Amherst for Israel, Jews for Peace, and other student groups related to Jewish life, including leadership development and mentoring with their student leaders
● Develop strategies for contacting and serving uninvolved/under-involved students
● Provide one-on-one and group spiritual counseling and rabbinical care to students, and, when time allows, to faculty and staff by request
● Serve the campus community in times of crisis
● Hold regular office hours
● Attend regularly scheduled Religious & Spiritual Life staff meetings, OICR team meetings, and Student Affairs division meetings.
● Communicate in a timely manner with students and staff, balancing weekly hours between on-campus commitments and responsive attention to communications
● Stay current with trends in chaplaincy by maintaining membership in the Association for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education (ACSLHE) or comparable organizations, and by taking advantage of professional development opportunities offered by Jewish organizations