POSTED ON May 21, 2025

Assistant Teacher Twos and Threes (Early Childhood)

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Central Synagogue's Vision:

Central Synagogue is one of the leading and largest Reform congregations in the country. Located in Midtown Manhattan, Central’s reach includes more than 3,300 member families, a livestream community numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and more than 800 students in our nursery and religious schools. Central has long played a significant role in the Reform movement and is known for its innovation and leadership in worship, leading to a greatly expanded audience over the last two decades.

Central Synagogue works toward a world in which Judaism is core to the lives of Central members and Jews everywhere and is a profound and positive force for humanity. Central continually redefines what it means to be Jewish today, both within the Synagogue community and far beyond our Synagogue’s walls. Our diverse clergy and professional team partner with lay leadership to build deep and enduring relationships among Central members, creating a caring, dynamic, and joyful community.

Central Synagogue is inclusive and welcoming. We encourage participation from all who seek a connection to Jewish life and want to be part of our sacred community, regardless of religious background, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Central is committed to being an open tent, a place that welcomes all people, including those who have been historically and institutionally marginalized or excluded from the Jewish community.

The Synagogue is well-resourced, has more than 100 staff, and is governed by a 30-member Board of Trustees. To learn more, please visit: https://www.centralsynagogue.org/.

Our Vision at the May Nursery School

Early childhood is a magical time of discovery for children and their parents. At Central Synagogue, we provide children with rich learning and growth experiences that establish them as lifelong learners and celebratory experiences that connect them to the joys of Judaism through an exploration of values, traditions, and rituals. Inspired by emergent curriculum and the Reggio Emilia philosophy of early childhood education and grounded by developmental milestones for each child, we help children achieve learning goals through a constructivist approach.

Job Summary/Objective

The Assistant Teacher is a member of the Central Synagogue May Family Nursery School teaching team who shares in the education, care, and well-being of his or her assigned group of students. Under the guidance of the Nursery School administration, the Assistant Teacher is required to implement planned curriculum, participate in team meetings and to uphold the objectives and overall philosophy of the Central Synagogue May Family Nursery School. The Assistant Teacher works closely with the head teacher/s and reports to the Early Childhood Director.

We are looking for an assistant teacher who is creative, flexible, and has a growth mindset. He or she should be eager to learn and contribute as a willing team player to establishing a warm and dynamic classroom environment.

Reports to Early Childhood Director

Hours:

Full-time, 10-month position, Exempt and not eligible for OT
Your hours of employment will be as follows: Monday through Thursday 8:15 am – 3:30 pm and until 2:30 pm on Friday

Date:

August 2025

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Manage, with your teaching team, all aspects of daily classroom life, including health and safety of all students, establishment of comfortable classroom routines and transitions, and implementation of child-centered, developmentally appropriate, emergent curriculum that excites children about learning and prepares them for the next step in their education.
• Plan and implement activities to support and foster positive self-esteem, social skills, developmental growth, and independence for all students.
• Observe and record children’s progress, behavior, growth, and development on a regular and ongoing basis.
• Work collaboratively with teaching team, administrators, specialists, and consultants.
• Incorporate Shabbat, Jewish holiday celebrations, and Jewish values, customs, traditions, and rituals into the classroom.
• Actively participate in all team meetings, staff meetings, professional development days, teacher trainings, and workshops.
• Participate in teaching after school and other classes for the Nursery School and Central Synagogue education/family engagement program.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, major in education or related field desirable.
• Teaching experience in early childhood classrooms or other settings with young children.
• Meet standards for licensing requirements (finger printing, child abuse and other relevant training, etc.)

Other Duties:

Please note that the above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

The expected salary range for this position is $46,000 to $51,000. Central Synagogue offers an extensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of our dedicated and diverse community. The salary is commensurate with experience based on several factors, including, but not limited to, skills, knowledge, training, education, areas of specialization, and depth and scope of experience. The above salary range represents the Synagogue’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible compensation range at the time of posting.

Application Process:

Please click the link to complete the Assistant Teacher job application: Apply