Jewish Commnity Relations Counselor

Jewish Community Center of Louisville • Louisville, KY

47d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Louisville works within the Jewish and broader community to foster cooperation with other religious, racial, and ethnic groups and foster a just, democratic and pluralistic society. Our JCRC vision is a shared awareness, understanding, respect and harmony among the Jewish community and the community at large. Our JCRC Mission is to improve community relationships and promote the Jewish values of compassion, justice, accountability and healing through advocacy, education and coalition building. Our JCRC is part of The Jewish Federation of Louisville, the central fundraising and community planning organization for the Louisville Jewish Community. Together, the Federation and the JCRC support and enrich the lives of Jews locally, nationally, in Israel, and around the world. We provide funding to several local and regional agencies, many national and overseas partners, and numerous independent programs that provide deeper connection and facilitate a vibrant local Jewish community.

Requirements

• Ability to represent a Jewish voice in coalitions and public forums through a working knowledge of Jewish values, history, heritage, culture, and ideals.
• Knowledge of the history of antisemitism and effective strategies to combat modern forms of antisemitism.
• Knowledge of Israel - U.S. relations as well as Israeli history and current events.
• Knowledge of the foundations of social justice and racial equity.
• Ability to form durable and productive relationships with the breadth of voices in the Jewish community.
• Ability to collaborate and work across different points of view.
• Skills in constructing compelling written communication in a variety of formats.
• Skills in engaging and persuasive public speaking that are equally effective one-on-one with community leaders, with larger groups of stakeholders, and with the public.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred in fields such as Jewish communal studies, social sciences and/or public administration.
• Knowledge and understanding of government affairs, legislative processes, and advocacy.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in promoting mission critical programs and initiatives.
• Commitment to Israel and background on Israel-related issues, politics, people, and history.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including public speaking, writing of letters, op-ed pieces, and responses to community issues.
• Experience with social media and other forms of digital communication.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of Jewish practices, customs, history, and community infrastructure.
• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple tasks, strong organizational skills.
• Personable, enthusiastic, self-motivated professional; comfortable in a fast-paced working environment, including occasional nights and weekends.
• Ability to work closely with others in a team environment, and effectively interact with all.
• Ability to create and manage project/program budgets and timelines.
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage sensitive or controversial subjects with tact, kindness, and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Spearheads the development of the public policy agenda, vets and educates on issues and current events to foster understanding and cooperation within the Jewish and broader community as part of an overall strategy to achieve the mission and vision of the JCRC.
• Builds relationships and mutual understanding with ethnic, racial, faith-based and civic groups.
• Harnesses the power and resources of the Jewish community in supporting its social justice agenda including establishing and maintaining strong ties with government officials, elected and appointed, at the local, state and federal level and monitoring local, national, and international events for Jewish priorities and Israel advocacy, and working with leadership and community members to set policy, provide education, and mobilize community actions.
• Promotes through education and action, strong protection and support for the people of Israel and the Jewish people at home and throughout the world.
• Works with JCRC leadership to cultivate relationships and represent the interests of the Jewish community with religious, non-profit, civic, corporate, political, ethnic, and academic arenas, as well as the media.
• Educates and advocates for Jewish causes and issues including Israel, antisemitism, and the Holocaust including developing annual community-wide programming on Holocaust Commemoration, maintaining and enhancing relationships with local schools to ensure the Holocaust is taught appropriately and responding to antisemitic incidents; Monitoring local, national, and international events, working with volunteer leadership to set policy and mobilizing leadership and volunteers for action as needed.
• Serves as a resource to Jewish and general communities.
• Positions the Federation's JCRC as the central address for the Louisville Jewish community's community relations agenda.

Benefits

• We are committed to creating and supporting a safe, welcoming, and diverse workplace for all people regardless of race, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior