4th Grade J-Quest Teacher: Sunday Judaics & Hebrew

Position Overview
Temple Jeremiah is seeking a warm, engaging, and enthusiastic educator to lead one of our two Fourth Grade J-Quest classes and continue with our students as a Fourth Grade Hebrew teacher.

J-Quest, Temple Jeremiah’s Jewish learning program, is built around interactive, relationship-centered learning that helps students develop meaningful connections to Judaism, their classmates, and the Temple Jeremiah community. Our classrooms prioritize hands-on, discussion-based, and experiential learning over traditional lecture-style teaching.

Fourth Grade focuses on helping students strengthen their personal connections to Jewish life through the themes of God, tefillah (prayer), and middot (Jewish values). Students are encouraged to ask big questions, explore Reform Jewish perspectives, discover inspiring Jewish role models, and develop their own understanding of spirituality in an age-appropriate and welcoming environment.

Much of our exploration of God and spirituality is facilitated by Temple Jeremiah clergy, with the classroom teacher serving as an important partner in those conversations.

Following the J-Quest morning, the teacher will remain with our Fourth Grade students for tefillah and Hebrew learning from 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m., working closely with our Hebrew Coordinator, Rabbi Debbie Helbraun, on Hebrew content and instructional approach.

What You'll Teach
Throughout the year, Fourth Grade students explore:

God and personal spirituality
Creative approaches to tefillah (prayer)
Middot (Jewish values)
Jewish role models (dugmaot)
Kindness, gratitude, respect, and living Jewish values in everyday life
Hebrew language and prayer skills
Fourth Grade students also participate in a special multi-week Creative Tefillah experience that culminates in a family program/service. These sessions are often led by clergy, with the classroom teacher serving as an important partner in supporting students throughout the experience.

Sunday Schedule
8:45 a.m. – Teacher arrival and preparation
9:00–9:20 a.m. – K–6 Kehillah (community gathering)
9:20–10:45 a.m. – Fourth Grade classroom learning
11:00–11:30 a.m. – Tefillah
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. – Fourth Grade Hebrew
Approximately every other Sunday, Fourth Grade also participates in a 15-minute music session with our Music Madrichim. Teachers receive the schedule in advance, along with advance notice of any alternative scheduling days.

Teacher Responsibilities
Teachers are expected to:

Create an engaging, welcoming, and inclusive classroom environment
Prepare and submit weekly lesson plans in advance
Arrive by 8:45 a.m. to prepare, greet students and families, and take attendance
Communicate with families following each class with a brief recap of the day’s learning and ideas for continuing conversations at home
Partner collaboratively with the Director of Congregational Learning, Hebrew Coordinator, clergy, and other members of the J-Quest team
Be flexible and responsive to the individual needs of students
The Support You'll Receive
Our goal is to help teachers succeed in whatever way works best for them.

We provide grade-level scope and sequence, learning goals, and topics for each class while offering as much—or as little—curriculum support as desired. Some teachers appreciate complete lesson ideas and materials, others enjoy talking through plans between Sundays, and others prefer designing their own lessons while receiving feedback on their weekly plans.

Whatever your teaching style, our team is here as a collaborative resource.

We also recognize that every learner is different. Our registration process helps us understand the social-emotional and learning needs of each student, and families are encouraged to provide additional information that can help us create a positive learning environment. The Director of Congregational Learning partners closely with teachers and families throughout the year to proactively address student needs so that teachers have support when questions or challenges arise.

Additional Expectations
In addition to Sunday mornings, teachers are expected to participate in:

J-Quest Teacher Zoom Orientation: Wednesday, September 16, 7:30–9:00 p.m.
Hebrew Teacher Orientation: Date TBD
J-Quest Kick-Off Event: Saturday, September 26, 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview
Approximately one teacher meeting per month before Sunday classes, generally from 8:30–8:50 a.m.