JEWISH STUDIES / JUDAIC STUDIES TEACHER (PART-TIME)

Davis Chicago•Chicago, IL

3d•$13,000 - $18,000•Onsite

About The Position

Davis School Chicago is seeking a part-time Jewish Studies Teacher for its founding year, opening in fall 2027. This role involves teaching the ninth-grade foundation of a four-year Jewish Studies sequence, Principles of Jewish Learning and its Honors variant, in English. The teacher will be responsible for developing students' textual skills, interpretive habits, and fostering a love for Jewish text study at a rigorous, college-preparatory level. As a founding faculty member, the teacher will also contribute to curriculum development, establish traditions, support the school's Jewish life, and collaborate with colleagues across disciplines. The ideal candidate is warm, intellectually formidable, passionate, entrepreneurial, rooted in tradition yet forward-looking, unapologetically Jewish, and a collaborative culture-builder.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred in Jewish Education, Judaic Studies, Jewish Studies, Rabbinics, or a related field.
Deep grounding in Tanakh and rabbinic literature.
Courses are taught in English.
Hebrew proficiency preferred.
3+ years of teaching preferred.
Jewish day, Jewish communal, or faith-based settings preferred.
Evidence of teenagers who came to love serious Jewish learning in your classroom.
Rigorous, text-rich Jewish learning in English.
Ability to meet every Jewish background without watering anything down.
Ability to provide growth students can see and feedback students can use.
Ability to contribute to Jewish learning visible in the life of the school.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Jewish Education, Judaic Studies, Jewish Studies, Rabbinics, or a related field.
Hebrew proficiency.
Jewish day, Jewish communal, or faith-based education experience.
Fewer years but exceptional craft.
Warm and intellectually formidable.
Genuinely kind and seriously bright.
Hired for intellectual horsepower.
Brings the room to life.
Passion people feel, loud or quiet, with the range to teach, support, and lead.
A builder who owns it.
Startup grit, a real growth mindset, open about mistakes, gives the gift of feedback, and the drive to create what doesn’t exist yet.
Teaches how to think, not what to think.
Rigor, evidence, and a love of hard questions, including the controversial ones.
Rooted in tradition, built for what’s next.
Ancient wisdom and modern tools, AI included, aimed at today's problems.
Unapologetically Jewish.
Excited to help build a proudly Jewish, pro-Israel school.
Warm, Relational, and High-Performing – Kind, emotionally intelligent, intellectually rigorous, and committed to excellence.
A Text-Rich Educator – Brings Tanakh and rabbinic literature alive for teenagers.
A Big-Tent Teacher – Honors the diversity of Jewish thought in one rigorous classroom.
An Entrepreneurial Builder – Thrives in ambiguity, solves problems, and creates programs, systems, and traditions from the ground up.
A Curious and Courageous Thinker – Embraces learning, evidence, critical thinking, and meaningful debate.
Rooted and Forward-Looking – Honors tradition while embracing innovation, technology, and AI.
Committed to Jewish Life and Community – Values Jewish identity, the diversity of Jewish thought, and meaningful engagement in Jewish life.
A Collaborative Culture-Builder – Balances accountability, care, and results while elevating everyone around them.

Responsibilities

Teach sections of Principles of Jewish Learning, including the Honors variant, as assigned.
Design and implement engaging, text-based lessons that teach students how to read, question, and interpret Tanakh and rabbinic sources with rigor.
Teach Jewish text skills in English, building the interpretive habits that carry students through the Davis Chicago Jewish Studies sequence.
Differentiate instruction across the wide range of Jewish educational backgrounds a founding class brings.
Promote inquiry-based learning, chavruta study, analytical writing, discussion, research, and project-based experiences, including immersive and experiential approaches — simulation, role-play, performance — where they deepen mastery.
Connect Jewish learning to students’ lives, questions, and identities, and to the diversity of Jewish thought.
Integrate Jewish history, ethics, Israel, and contemporary Jewish issues into instruction where the text leads there.
Utilize educational technology and innovative teaching methodologies to enhance student engagement and achievement.
Assess student progress through a variety of formative and summative measures and provide timely, meaningful feedback.
Develop authentic assessments that measure student growth and mastery.
Collaborate with the Dean of Jewish Life & Studies on the vertically aligned Jewish Studies curriculum and its placement mechanism.
Foster a classroom environment characterized by curiosity, respect, inclusion, and intellectual challenge.
Build strong relationships with students and serve as a trusted mentor and advisor.
Support students’ academic, social, and emotional growth.
Encourage student leadership, confidence, and active participation in Jewish life at school.
Contribute actively to the vibrant Jewish culture and mission of Davis School Chicago.
Partner with colleagues to support school-wide Jewish programming, celebrations, and community initiatives.
Help create opportunities for students to engage with Jewish learning beyond the classroom.
Serve as an ambassador for Jewish learning within the school and broader community.
Showcase student achievement through presentations, learning events, and public celebrations of Torah.
Participate in faculty meetings, professional development, and community events as scoped for a part-time role.
Help moderate student clubs and activities where scope allows.
Communicate regularly and effectively with families regarding student progress and learning goals.
Collaborate with colleagues across departments, including Hebrew and the humanities, on interdisciplinary learning.
Partner with faculty and school leadership to advance school goals, curriculum development, and student success initiatives.