Pardes North America Welcomes Three New Inspiring Educators to Its Faculty

Pardes North America is proud to announce the addition of three dynamic and visionary educators to our faculty: Laynie Solomon, Rabbi Dr. Will Friedman, and Rabbi Megan GoldMarche. Each brings a unique voice, a deep love of Torah, and a passionate commitment to vibrant, inclusive Jewish learning.

Laynie Solomon

A proud Pardes alum, Laynie currently serves as Associate Rosh Yeshiva at SVARA, where they are known for offering heart-opening, justice-rooted, and transformative Torah. Laynie holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), is a Schusterman Fellow, and was honored with the Covenant Foundation’s 2020 Pomegranate Prize for Emerging Jewish Educators. We are thrilled to welcome Laynie home to Pardes as a faculty member.

Rabbi Dr. Will Friedman

Will serves as the Senior Educator and Rebbetzin at Silverstein Base Lincoln Park and is completing a doctorate at Harvard University. His academic work explores legal justification and rationality in ancient Near Eastern and rabbinic texts. Will has taught at YCT, JTS, AJR, Hebrew College, and previously at Pardes. He received semikha from Rav Daniel Landes through Yashrut. Outside the classroom, Will enjoys cooking elaborate meals inspired by YouTube chefs, teaching Hebrew grammar to his children, and reading online advice columns. We’re excited to learn from his rich cross-section of scholarship, warmth, and creativity.

Rabbi Megan GoldMarche

Megan is the Executive Director at Tribe 12 and a powerful force in creating empowering Jewish spaces for young adults. She received ordination from JTS, where she also earned an M.A. in Jewish Gender and Women’s Studies and a certificate in Pastoral Care and Counseling. A Wexner Graduate Fellowship alum, Megan previously led the Base movement in Chicago through Metro Chicago Hillel. She lives in Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania, with her wife, Paige, and their daughters, Bri and Rori—and she’s visited 48 of the 50 U.S. states! We’re inspired by her vision and thrilled to welcome her to the Pardes North America team.

We couldn’t be more excited to learn with and from these remarkable educators. Their presence will enrich our community and deepen the transformative learning experiences we strive to create.

 

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation

Start date: ASAP

We are seeking a charismatic, creative, and action-oriented Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation to lead this initiative. This individual will play a key role in bridging the gap between the immersive Jerusalem-based Pardes experience and the ongoing life-long learning opportunities we offer in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Implement and Iterate Alumni Engagement Strategies:
    • Enhance the current “menu” of opportunities for Pardes alumni to both “give” to
      and “receive” from, Pardes.
      • Give: Empower alumni to take action, create initiatives, and leverage
        Pardes as a platform for leadership and innovation.
      • Receive: Encourage alumni to engage in continued learning through
        classes, retreats, Shabbatonim, cohorts, and other programs.
    •  Ongoing internal evaluation of efficacy of strategies and implementing iterative
      updates to enhance outcomes.
  • Program Development and Management:
    • In collaboration with the wider team, develop and implement ideas for online and in person classes, including holiday programs, one-off shiurim, and limited series.
    • Oversee the execution of programs including but not limited to: email
      correspondence and registration, coordinating with marketing, Zoom production,
      and post-program evaluation.
    • Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration specifically with the engagement and
      development teams
    •  Serve as the project manager for select alumni cohort learning programs,
      ensuring smooth operations and successful outcomes.
  • Community Building and Leadership:
    • Foster strong, relational connections with alumni, encouraging their active
      involvement in the Pardes community.
    • Identify and cultivate connections with key alumni leaders. Lead efforts to inspire alumni to take on leadership roles within their communities, promoting Pardes’ values and educational mission.
    • Cultivate and steward and existing external partnerships with organizations and
      initiatives as it relates to our Pardesnik engagement and activation work
  • Alumni Coaching and Mentorship:
    • Provide coaching and mentorship to alumni interested in developing initiatives, such as micro-grants or local events, and support them in realizing their ideas. This may include group coaching within cohorts.
  • Targeted Recruitment and Outreach:
    • Engage in focused recruitment and outreach efforts to involve specific alumni in relevant Pardes offerings.
    • Collaborate with the wider team to manage recruitment for various programs,
      including necessary follow-up and evaluation.

Qualifications:

  •  Proven experience in alumni relations, community engagement, or a related field.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships.
  • Creativity and initiative in developing new programs and strategies to engage alumni.
  • Passion for Jewish learning and a deep connection to the mission of Pardes.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
  • Willingness to travel as needed to engage with alumni across North America.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Pardes alumna
  • Experience working in Jewish education or community leadership.
  • Familiarity with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and its programs.
  • Based in New York City

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience: $70,000-$85,000
    100% health insurance coverage for the employee (dependent coverage available)
  • 403b retirement plan with Nationwide with up to 5% contribution by employer
  • Paid time off & Paid holidays (Jewish and secular)
  • FSA
  • Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance
  • Parental leave
  • Remote and hybrid working option and flexible hours
  • Opportunities to travel domestically and to Israel to collaborate across the team
  • Opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for this role. All applications should be sent to Assistant Director of Programs at Monica at monica@pardes.org.

Cover letters should answer the following questions

  • What makes you passionate about this role and work?
  • What concrete professional or personal experiences have prepared you best for this role?
  • What is one project, strategy or initiative that this job description stimulates in you?
  • How do you ensure great teamwork and successful collaboration?
    PLEASE NOTE:

Applications are due by October 8th and interviews will be the week of October 28th. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Pardes North America provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in all organizational facilities without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

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