Job Summary: Responsible for developing, coordinating, directing, and delivering all programming throughout the year. This position is a combination of a camp-like activities director and a program coordinator.
Minimum two year commitment is a plus.
While we adhere to a 5 day work week, this position requires work on approximately 25 Sundays when we have programs. (September-June). In general Mondays are off when there are Sunday programs. While work hours are generally between 10 am – 6 pm, we employ a flexible schedule when programs meet outside these hours.
The Friendship Circle of the Philadelphia Region South serves Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware Counties and is founded by Chabad Lubavitch.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Activity facilitators, volunteers, interns as is needed and appropriate.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Inclusive Program & Experiential Education Planning, Implementation & Evaluation
Create, develop, implement and evaluate a themed, fun curriculum and programming strategy infused with Jewish content to run through the school year for our Children & Youth Division (under 18)
Create, develop, implement and evaluate themed, fun and/or service-based curriculum and programming strategy with Jewish content to run throughout the year for our Young Adult Division (over 18)
Lead interactive, educational programming for youth in our community with a particular focus on a diverse group of teens, including but not limited to, tweens learning how to be an inclusive friend through our MVP program, and teens in our leadership program.
Programs include
Sunday Circle
MVP
Friends@Home
Teen Leadership Board
Young Adult & Alumni Programs including Birthright Israel
Parent Programs
Any other Friendship Circle Program
Program Logistics
Coordinate, plan & implement all details of each program, including but not limited to, scheduling of outside vendors, scheduling of all support staff, budgeting for each program, and adapting programming to cater to the individual needs of the youth in attendance.
Responsible for supply inventory
Responsible for tracking spending and working within a budget for each program
Use CRM as appropriate and assigned
Human Resources
Create and maintain relationships with facilitators, vendors, and volunteers from within and beyond the community to help grow and strengthen our Circle
Marketing
Support and assist with marketing and social media strategy in conjunction with other staff as it relates to all programs and community events
Other duties as assigned
Required Skills/Abilities:
Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
Ability to plan, implement and evaluate programs
Ability to connect with teenagers
Ability to create and implement identity building, belonging and leadership exercises for teens.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and with a team, easily moving back and forth
Ability to deal in a professional, warm manner with vendors, activity facilitators, potential donors, families, clients, and staff
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
Open mind to experience the world from a new perspective
Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
Proficient with G-suite products, Microsoft Office Suite and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
Driver’s license and access to a car is strongly recommended
Salary Range: $43-48000
Education and Experience:
BA or appropriate experience in inclusive recreational activity and program planning, informal Jewish education
Experience working with people of all abilities
Experience working in the nonprofit sector
Experience working directly with children and teens and their families
Experience creating engaging inclusive and identity building activities for teens
Experience with teen leadership development
Experience with communicating by text, email, newsletter, and social media.
Experience with Salesforce.
Physical Requirements:
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
Ability to engage in physical activity with members.
Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
Appreciates these Values:
Inclusive and equitable community
Recognize the unique gifts of every individual
Pro Tip: Make the newsletter full screen for a better reading experience! (By clicking the button on the bottom right of the Issuu article.)
Responsible for Jewish education/engagement and inclusion education aspects of our programs. Philly Friendship Circle’s Experiential Jewish and Inclusion Educator will plan, facilitate and evaluate the following programs: Mitzvah Volunteer Program, Friendship 101 (teen orientation time) at Sunday Circle, and Community workshops. This educator will lead and/or support experiential Jewish learning/living activities at Sunday Circle, Young Adult programs and Friends@Home. While curriculum and activities exist for some of the programs listed above.
Some curriculum development (lesson planning) is required.
Sunday and evening work is required during the program year (September-June).
Supervisory Responsibilities:
– None.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Plan, Facilitate, Evaluate
Mitzvah Volunteer Program (MVP) our entry level service learning program for 6th and 7th graders. Each session consists of 5 gatherings (2 in-person and 3 on Zoom)
Friendship 101, internal Jewish values based inclusion workshop for teens attending Sunday Circle, approximately 18-20 Sundays/program year
Jewish values-based inclusion workshops at schools and other community organizations as needed
Yearly Jewish engagement activities with our Friends@Home pairs
Lead and/or Support Experiential & Inclusive Jewish Learning/Living Activities
Lead experiential Jewish learning/living activities at Sunday Circle
Be a roving Jewish educator at Sunday Circle and Young Adult programs
Facilitate annual Jewish engagement activities with our Friends@Home pairs
Required Skills/Abilities:.
Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
Ability to connect with teenagers
Ability to create and implement identity building, belonging and leadership exercises for teens.
Ability to engage others in Jewish learning and Jewish living
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and with a team, easily moving back and forth
Open mind to experience the world from a new perspective
Driver’s license and access to a car is strongly recommended
Salary Range: Contract Position, $40-65/hour depending on experience
Education and Experience:
BA or appropriate experience in informal Jewish education
Experience working directly with children and teens and their families
Experience creating engaging inclusive and identity building activities for teens
Experience with teen leadership development
Experience living the values of diversity, equity and inclusion
Physical Requirements:
Ability to engage in physical activity with members.
Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
Submit cover letter and resume to operations@phillyfriendship.com.
What to Expect: MVP Time Commitment
Five Weekday Gatherings (2 in-person, 3 virtual)
In-Person Initial Gathering – 1.5 hours, at our office, 1 Belmont Ave, Bala Cynwyd, PA. (At least one parent must attend.)
3 Virtual Gatherings – 1 hour each, on Zoom. (Parents do not attend.)
In-Person Graduation Gathering – 1.5 hours, at our office, 1 Belmont Ave, Bala Cynwyd, PA. (At least one parent must attend.)
Three Sunday Circle Programs (all in-person)
MVPers are required to attend 3 Sunday Circles.
MVP parents are required to attend two of those Sunday Circles: The 1st Sunday Circle that their teen attends, as well as 1 of the other 2 that their teen attends, in order to learn more about the program and serve as an adult volunteer.
A member of our team will schedule an introductory Zoom call with your child AND at least one parent. (Intro Zoom calls are noncommittal and the perfect opportunity for children and parents to ask questions, bring up scheduling concerns, etc.)
The final step is to submit the MVP Commitment and Deposit Form for your child via our website. As per that form, to guarantee your child’s commitment, a refundable deposit of $180 is required prior to the 1st MVP gathering of their session. You will be directed to make your deposit through the form but it is not due until the 1st MVP gathering session. A member of our Outreach team will share it with you or access it below:
5:00-6:00 pm on most Thursdays from September-June (and 4 Thursdays during the summer)
Are you a young adult connected to Philly Friendship Circle?
A current member or alumnus?
Come join our virtual Young Adult Happy Hour where we hang out, do fun activities together, and play some games!
This is a great way to stay connected to Philly Friendship Circle even if you have graduated, live away from home, or find it easier to connect with friends virtually! To join virtual Young Adult Happy Hour, please check our weekly emails for the Zoom link OR contact outreach@phillyfriendship.com.
Become a member to participate in ongoing programs like Young Adult Happy Hour and more!
Join the friendliest group of young adults for socializing, laughter, and yummy food!
Some of these events feature our Art Studio which empowers young adults to work with “Mentor Artists”, and culminates in our annual Art Show! (Art made in the Studio will be displayed and available for purchase at the Art Show.)
Our full-time staff and team of Friendship Experts (professionals in the special needs field) are always on-site at events.
Come hang out and get to know fellow young adults in the community.
Become a member to participate in ongoing programs like Group Meals and more!
This program is made possible with the support of the Jewish Federation’s Community Fund.
Join us for group adventures like exciting sporting events, fun-filled bowling outings, captivating zoo visits, sunny summer beach days, and refreshing nature walks. Enjoy great times with friends, laughter, and camaraderie every step of the way!
Become a member to participate in ongoing programs like outings, trips and more!
Birthright Israel provides a free trip to Israel for all eligible young Jews. Over 10 years ago, through Birthright Israel trip providers, we began leading accessible trips for young adults with disabilities. (Please note that this trip is initiated and run by Birthright Israel, and Philly Friendship Circle works with Birthright Israel to make it as accessible as possible.) Our goal is to provide an authentic Birthright Israel experience with a mindfulness to accommodate everyone and ensure memorable connections with the land and with each other.
Trip
This 10-day trip offers an immersive experience for participants. On our must-see list, we visit the Kotel, Masada, Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Safed, and more. We infuse these stops with Israeli food, music, shopping, and activities. We discuss how we each practice Judaism, what it means to be an American Jew and our shared heritage. The trip is an incredible experience for participants–returning rejuvenated, confident, independent, and ready to take on challenges while forming new friendships. Check out our whole highlight of the 2023 trip on our Instagram, right here!
Dates
June 23, 2025-July 3, 2025
Eligibility
Each applicant is treated as an individual when determining their eligibility for the trip. While Philly Friendship Circle staff is open to a vast array of circumstances and encourages anyone interested in an inclusive, accessible trip to inquire further, ultimately Birthright Israel is responsible for the application and decision process. If you know anyone who may be interested in the trip, forward them this information. Please keep in mind the following Birthright guidelines. Participants must:
Be between the ages of 18 to 32 (for this trip specifically)
Have at least one Jewish parent and/or converted to Judaism
Have never been to Israel for more than 1 semester
Have never served or volunteered in the Israeli Army
Not be Israeli citizens (few exceptions)
* Please contact us if you have any questions about eligibility criteria. * If the applicant is between 27-32 years old, please contact us if the system does not accept your application.
Connect with your Philly Friendship Circle community by helping to distribute holiday packages and other service opportunities throughout the year! You’ll enjoy doing hands-on activities that are also very memorable mitzvahs.
MVP is our inclusive access point for tweens and teens (6th & 7th grade) who are interested in getting involved in Philly Friendship Circle & being inclusive friends. MVP is also an engaging and meaningful Bar/Bat Mitzvah program. This service learning opportunity builds a foundation to understand and accept each other’s differences and how to apply those lessons at school, synagogue, home, and future Philly Friendship Circle programs!
“Although I was apprehensive at first to join Philly Friendship Circle, the more I participated, the more comfortable I felt. Philly Friendship Circle taught me kindness and respect because I learned… how to embrace other people’s differences.” – Mia, graduate of our MVP program, from the pulpit at her Bat Mitzvah
Program
Through activities, games, and multimedia presentations, MVP participants learn about communication, human development, diagnosis and more. We teach these subjects through special needs advocacy, Jewish values, and current events. This dynamic and interactive approach opens doors to meaningful discussion and personal growth for participants. In addition to weekday gatherings, participants and their parents attend Sunday Circle to get hands-on experience participating in our programs.
