GROWTORAH GARDEN EDUCATOR 

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The GrowTorah Garden Educator conducts weekly Torah garden classes for students and maintains the operation of the assigned GrowTorah gardens. In addition to teaching, they will serve on the staff of Camp GrowTorah, support GrowTorah community programs, and serve as support staff in other departments, as will be discussed during the interview process. The position reports to Sara Just-Michael, Co-Executive Director. 

IDEAL CANDIDATE:

  • is a passionate Jewish educator with summer camp or classroom experience. Gardening experience is preferred. 

  • practices love and commitment to Torah and Mitzvot, specifically, environmental Torah values. 

  • is comfortable teaching Torah in a Modern Orthodox school. 

  • possesses strong writing skills. 

  • is fluent in Hebrew text, and comfortable teaching these texts. 

  • is local to the NYC metro region (Bergen County, NJ, NYC, Westchester, LI), or able to commute to each school location 1x/week. 

  • is capable of performing medium level manual labor. 

  • is a fast-learner, with a desire and ability to laugh often and share joy with others. 

  • embraces GrowTorah’s growth mindset for professional development. 

  • is fluent in or willing to learn Slack, Google Suite, and other tech tools. 

  • has the confidence to apply even if they do not fit all these criteria!

WORKING HOURS & LOCATION

  • This is a full time, year round position

  • Hybrid - remote work and in-person at various partner sites across NYC metro region

  • Working hours are generally 9am-5pm with a few weekend and evening exceptions - notice will usually be given in advance of these situations. 

Employee Salary:

$51,000 - 60,000 Annual salary, based on experience

Employee Benefits: 

  • Health Insurance coverage with 75% employer contribution

  • 401k with up to 4% employer matching

  • GrowTorah is closed for all legal & Jewish holidays (including chol hamoed) 

  • Paid Time Off: 14 vacation + 5 personal days

  • 1pm winter Fridays, 3pm summer Fridays

  • Stipends and reimbursement for transportation when applicable

  • Stipends for home office, tech hardware, professional development, & wellness


Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

TEACHING & PLANNING

  • Teach weekly garden classes to students in accordance with the GrowTorah teaching philosophy and curricular materials

  • Work with other staff to further develop curricular materials

  • Promote the GrowTorah Core Values: 

    • 1. Incubating Emunah 

    • 2. Stewarding the Environment 

    • 3. Compassion for Creatures 

    • 4. Living Tzedakah

  • Guide students through the planting, cultivation and maintenance of the garden.

  • Support GrowTorah in the continual development of values-based programming for all ages and demographics, including camps, families, and adults.

  • Work with school faculty to integrate garden lessons with classroom curriculum.

GARDENING 

  • Ensure that the garden is properly prepped before, and properly cleaned up after classes.

  • Safely handle and store all garden tools and equipment.

  • Support year-round garden health including: soil fertility, composting, crop rotation, garden planning, pruning, irrigation, and pest and disease management.

  • Maintain facilities and equipment in good working order, including: tools, tool shed, and irrigation system.


MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, AND OUTREACH 

  • Maintain effective communication with GrowTorah staff, school staff, and the extended community of parents, neighbors and school garden educators. 

  • Participate in GrowTorah staff meetings and professional development work. 

  • Communicate regularly with assigned schools to stay informed of events and activities. 

  • Participate in GrowTorah events and community outreach efforts. 

  • Maintain effective communication within the garden team, and share feedback in a clear and consistent manner. 

  • Work with the evaluation team to execute program evaluation.

  • Develop meaningful relationships with classroom teachers that will enhance the opportunities for teachers to feel engaged in garden classes. 


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS 

  • Self-starter with ability to work collaboratively to accomplish goals. 

  • Organized, upbeat and flexible individuals strongly preferred. 

  • Willingness to smell, taste and feel plants to enhance lessons. 

  • May be required to work around loud noise. 

  • Ability to:

    • work with frequent interruption and to simultaneously supervise a variety of tasks.

    • stand, stoop, reach and bend. 

    • read small print. 

    • stand for long periods. 

    • walk long distances. 

    • lift, push, and/or pull objects which may weigh approximately 50 pounds. 

    • work with and in the proximity of equipment with moving mechanical parts. 

    • work outdoors and tolerate varying weather conditions. 

APPLICATION TIMELINE (Subject to change):

Applications: Through April 5, 2024

Interviews: on a rolling basis through May 3, 2024

Job Offers: by June 7, 2024

Position Starts: As soon as possible

If you’re ready to join a fun team of passionate people dedicated to cultivating a sustainable future driven by Torah values, please fill out this application by April 5th, 2024.

GrowTorah is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, family/marital status, religion, or other protected classes.