Director of Jewish Life and Israel Programming

Johns Hopkins Hillel

Role Overview

Join Johns Hopkins Hillel as our Director of Jewish Life and Israel Programming and help shape one of the most dynamic Jewish student communities in the country. At the intersection of a world-class research university and a vibrant Baltimore Jewish community, this role offers a unique opportunity to connect intellectually curious, driven students to meaningful Jewish experiences and to each other.

As a skilled community builder and relationship-driven professional, you will serve as as a primary point of contact for Jewish undergraduate and graduate students at Johns Hopkins University. You will cultivate authentic relationships that inspire students to explore their Jewish identities, take on leadership roles, and invest in a vibrant and inclusive campus Jewish community. Working closely with student leaders, interns, and micro-communities, as well as the broader Hopkins Hillel professional team, you will design and implement meaningful programs and learning experiences that meet students where they are and encourage continued growth along their Jewish journeys. In this role, you will also serve as the primary professional connecting students to Israel and the global Jewish community, thoughtfully and creatively facilitating educational initiatives, fellowships, and immersive experiences that deepen students’ knowledge, foster a sense of peoplehood, and inspire a personal and enduring connection to Israel.

The Director of Jewish Life and Israel Engagement reports to the Executive Director of Johns Hopkins Hillel.

What You’ll Do

• Build authentic, one-on-one relationships with Jewish undergrad and graduate students across Hopkins campuses, meeting them at the point of their interests whether that's academics, athletics, the arts, social justice, or anything in between.
• Lead and advise student-facing programming, including weekly Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, social events, Israel engagement opportunities, and Jewish learning initiatives.
• Enhance connections to the worldwide Jewish community through weekly Israel and global Jewry programs and Israel education, including larger campus-wide programs, in coordination with Hillel International, the Associated, and other partner organizations.
• Partner with student leaders to develop and implement a dynamic, student-driven calendar of Jewish life programming that reflects the breadth and diversity of the Hopkins Jewish community.
• Supervise and mentor student engagement interns, supporting their growth as emerging Jewish leaders.
• Manage Hopkins Hillel’s Birthright Israel and MTF programs including recruitment, interviews, pre-trip orientations, and improving the trip experience.
• Support students in navigating their Jewish identities with compassion, curiosity, and an open, pluralistic perspective.
• Support and assist the Executive Director in addressing antisemitism through education, advocacy, and collaboration with university partners, providing support during and after incidents as needed.
• Work in close collaboration with the Hopkins Hillel professional team, including the Senior Jewish Educator and OU-JLIC Educator, to advance organizational priorities and execute cohesive, high-impact initiatives, programs, and events.
• Represent Hopkins Hillel at university events and within the broader Baltimore Jewish community.

A Typical Day Might Include

• Back-to-back coffee chats, reconnecting with first-year students you met at the activities fair and intentionally building those initial touchpoints into meaningful, ongoing relationships.
• Collaborative planning sessions with the Hillel student board and other student groups, refining upcoming initiatives such as High Holiday programming or Israel-focused events.
• Coordinating efforts to reach key micro-communities, including Jewish student-athletes, Greek life participants, and graduate students, ensuring each group feels seen, welcomed, and meaningfully connected.
• Managing data in the HEaRT engagement system, holding yourself and the team accountable to consistently track student interactions, maintain data integrity, and analyze trends.
• Helping to lead Shabbat along with the rest of professional team not simply as a program, but as the centerpiece of Jewish communal life at Hopkins Hillel, creating space for connection, reflection, and belonging, ensuring every student feels part of a warm, inclusive, and vibrant Jewish community.

What You’ll Bring to the Job

• Bachelor’s degree and bring 2–4 years of relevant experience in Jewish communal work, campus engagement, education, or a related field
• Genuine enthusiasm for building relationships with college students and helping them grow
• A pluralistic, inclusive approach to Jewish identity and community you are as comfortable with someone discovering Judaism for the first time as you are with someone who grew up immersed in it
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• A self-starter mentality you take initiative, follow through, and know when to ask for help
• Creativity, adaptability, and a sense of humor
• Comfort and fluency in your own Jewish identity, whatever form that takes
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to be present where students are

What You’ll Receive

• Competitive salary in the non-profit marketplace. The salary range for this role is $58,000-$62,000 commensurate with experience.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA), pension plan, life insurance, Long Term Disability (LTD), Flexible Spending Plan, generous vacation/sick time, and parental leave.
• Great professional development, mentoring, and skill building opportunities.
• Travel regionally and abroad, particularly to Israel.

About Hopkins Hillel

The Hillel at Johns Hopkins University is a vibrant and pluralistic Jewish community on campus, anchored by a modern and well-equipped four story building that students call home. The building, which is one block from the main entrance to the campus, includes multiple meeting rooms, a library, offices for staff and students, a kosher kitchen and dining room, and comfortable lounge space for study, informal meetings and schmoozing. Students enjoy our beautiful facility to study, meet friends, participate in diverse programming, explore Israel and celebrate Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. There are approximately 400 Jewish students at JHU, about 7% of the undergraduate population. Jewish students are an active, dynamic part of both Hillel and the campus community. The Jewish students, like the entire student body at JHU, are motivated, thoughtful and energetic. There are many opportunities for students to become active in Jewish life through community building, culture and the arts, Israel dialogue, social justice, and religious life.

Hopkins Hillel is affiliated with Hillel International. Hillel International enriches the lives of Jewish students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the world, and envisions a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.

About the Associated

Johns Hopkins Hillel is proud to be an agency of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore along with 26 other agencies.  We harness the strength of our agencies to form ONE network. The Associated and its network of agencies work collaboratively to make a critical difference in the lives of Jews in Baltimore, in Israel and around the world while positively improving the larger community in which we live and work. The Jewish community in Baltimore is well-connected and devoted to the sustained success of Jewish life in town as well as growth of professionals.  Baltimore, or "Charm City," is a city with a burgeoning downtown social scene, with plenty of entertainment, a great sports scene, affordable living options, and things to do every day of the year. Visit us at https://associated.org/ to learn more. 

About Hillel International

In 1923, Rabbi Benjamin Frankel started Hillel with humble means, a noble mission and a breathtaking vision: to convey Jewish civilization to a new generation. Today, Hillel International continues to enrich the lives of Jewish students and is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world at nearly 1,000 colleges and universities across North America and around the world. As Hillel evolves as an organization, the mission remains steadfast: to create lasting connections with every Jewish student that foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel and train them to become the next Jewish leaders.

Hillel is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an accepting and inclusive environment for all.