Employment Opportunities
The Center is currently seeking to fill the following positions:
Project Archivist, Yiddish language skills
The Center for Jewish History, a research center open to the public, seeks a full-time project archivist. The project archivist will work on processing Yiddish-language archival collections, and encoding them into EAD finding aids.
The archivist will arrange and describe collections in accordance with current professional standards, and the archivist will convert the descriptive content of existing paper finding aids to EAD-encoded finding aids. This conversion consists of description enhancement, transliteration and translation of Yiddish descriptions into English, and the creation of EAD finding aids using an XML editor.
The archivist will work under the supervision of a CJH Senior Project Archivist, and report to the CJH Director of Archive and Library Services.
Reading knowledge of Yiddish is required. Strong preference will be given to candidates with a master's degree in library science or history with archival coursework. Familiarity with archival arrangement and description standards (DACS, EAD), knowledge of 20th century Jewish history and excellent writing skills are highly desirable. Must be able to work efficiently, independently and collaboratively.
Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send cover letter, résumé, references, and salary requirement to Rachel C. Miller, Senior Project Archivist, at rcmiller@cjh.org.
No phone calls, please.
Operations Manager for Development Department
The Center for Jewish History is looking for a highly organized, detail-oriented Operations Manager for its Development Department. This person will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Center's fundraising database, creating and running reports, analyzing donor trends, and researching prospective donors. This person will also manage the direct mail campaign. He or she will work closely with the rest of the development team, particularly the Development Associate, who also works with the database. Experience with Raiser's Edge a plus. The position is full time.
Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send cover letter, résumé, references and salary requirement to Lisa Roth, Director of Institutional Advancement, at lroth@cjh.org.
No phone calls, please.
- Volunteering
- Requirements
- Benefits
- Contact
Volunteer Opportunities
Tour Guides (docents)
A tour consists of a visit to the exhibitions of the American Jewish Historical Society, the American Sephardi Federation, the Leo Baeck Institute, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (Yeshiva University Museum has a separate docent program) and the public areas of the Center (usually the auditorium, Great Hall, Reading Room, Genealogy Institute). Guides who lead these tours are knowledgeable about the facilities and the mission and scope of activities of the Center for Jewish History, and they are able to describe the exhibitions in the Partner's exhibition cases. Tour guides give approximately one 2-hour tour each week, and attend frequent training sessions.
Reading Room Assistants
Reading Room assistants sit at a desk inside the Reading Room/Genealogy area. They greet and orient patrons and issue locker keys in exchange for photo I.D. Each volunteer is responsible for one 4-hour shift per week.
Ushers
Ushers work at special events held at the Center. They take tickets and give out programs and may perform other tasks, as needed. The usher is welcome to stay and view the performance. Most events requiring ushers are held weekday evenings or on Sundays. Each usher is responsible for being available 45 minutes before the event to several minutes after the event begins.
Office/Library Assistants
Office assistants work in various offices throughout the Center. Tasks may include coordinating mailings, addressing and stuffing envelopes, writing, filing, answering phones and making phone calls, handling RSVPs to events, data entry and related office tasks. Some offices are seeking researchers and assistants for special projects. Librarians may need volunteers to catalog books and related tasks. Required hours are worked out with the individual departments.
Requirements For Volunteers
- Time commitment level: either on a project/event basis, or consistently, with at least one shift per week, ideally same day each week.
- Attire: professional/casual, unless otherwise specified.
- Communication skills: must have excellent speaking skills; knowledge of foreign languages a plus, though not required.
- An interest in Judaism, education, culture, the arts and history.
Orientation And Training
- The Center will provide training and orientation sessions for all volunteers.
Benefits For Volunteers
- Complimentary tickets to concerts, films and other events when available.
- Discount at Gottesfeld Heller Book Store
- Use of volunteer lounge
- Contact with a broad spectrum of individuals and groups
Contact
If you are interested in volunteering at the Center, please contact:
Julie Kaplan
Volunteer Coordinator
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (917) 606-8226
Email: cjhvolunteer@cjh.org