Join the Nefesh Team!

We are currently receiving applications for Makom Teachers (PT) and a Development and Kinship Associate (FT) – click the links to jump to the job descriptions below.

Development & Kinship Associate

Location: Los Angeles
Status: Full-time

About Nefesh

Born in the multicultural beauty of Los Angeles’ East Side neighborhoods, Nefesh cultivates empathy, love, and justice. Nefesh is an open doorway to the wisdom, ritual, and melodies of Jewish tradition—a place to find and be found.

We are a transdenominational, participatory Jewish community that places the margin at the center. We welcome and celebrate the many identities that make up who we are and who we love, including women, multicultural Jews, Jews of Color, queer and trans people, Deaf Jews, Jews by choice, multifaith families, spiritual seekers, young adults, elders, families with young children and all who have struggled to find belonging in Jewish spaces.

Grounded in middot (Jewish values), community care, healing justice, and spiritual growth, Nefesh connects people through ritual, learning, service, and collective responsibility. Our radically sliding-scale Kinship membership model reflects our commitment to accessibility, responsiveness, and shared ownership of community life.

Opportunity

Nefesh seeks a dynamic, relationship-oriented Development Associate to support the Executive Director in growing our fundraising, donor engagement, community partnerships, and development operations. Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with clergy, staff, lay leaders, and volunteers, this position plays a key role in cultivating a culture of kiruv (outreach) and philanthropy that sustains and expands Nefesh’s mission.

At Nefesh, almost all offerings, including Kinship, are sliding-scale, with no one turned away for lack of funds. Every person has an opportunity to support the community, no matter the size of their contribution, which means everyone is a potential donor. The Development Associate will help to advance a grassroots, relationship-centered fundraising strategy that invites everyone who encounters Nefesh to consider how they can contribute to and sustain its mission.

Through meaningful outreach, community engagement, and the ongoing refinement of systems that support these activities, the Development Associate will help grow a vibrant and invested community of supporters. This role will connect people to Nefesh’s work and inspire philanthropic participation from those who recognize the profound impact Nefesh has not only on individual lives, but also on the broader Jewish communal landscape—expanding accessibility, inclusivity, justice, spiritual depth, and joy.

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful communicator, strong organizer, and enthusiastic community-builder who enjoys connecting people to meaningful opportunities for engagement, generosity, and belonging. This position is well-suited for someone with 3-5 years of nonprofit development and/or fundraising experience and who is eager to grow as a fundraising professional.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising, Donor Engagement & Stewardship

  • Support donor engagement and stewardship activities of the professional and volunteer fundraising team through coordination of outreach, correspondence, meetings, events, and follow-up communications.
  • Help communicate Nefesh’s mission, programs, and impact to donors, prospective supporters, and community members.
  • Maintain accurate donor records, track interactions, and support donor communication and stewardship workflows within the CRM.
  • Assist with Nefesh’s seasonal annual fundraising campaigns, donor appeals, recurring giving initiatives, and stewardship efforts that strengthen donor relationships and retention by supporting outreach by staff and volunteer fundraisers, tracking and following up on pledges, and coordinating acknowledgements.
  • Coordinate fundraising event logistics, registrations, communications, sponsorship tracking, vendor coordination, and attendee follow-up.

Kinship & Kiruv

  • Support the day-to-day administration of Nefesh’s Kinship model, including member communications, recordkeeping, and engagement tracking.
  • Serve as a welcoming point of contact for prospective and current Kin, helping individuals and families find pathways to making a meaningful and manageable contribution to the community.
  • Assist clergy, staff, and lay leaders with communications and engagement efforts that connect community members to programs, volunteer opportunities, leadership pathways, and philanthropic initiatives.
  • In partnership with the programming and education teams, monitor participation and engagement data and help gather community feedback to support continuous improvement of Kin experiences.

Development Operations & Prospect Research

  • Maintain donor and membership databases, reports, mailing lists, and tracking systems to support fundraising activities.
  • Support data management, reporting, and process improvements that enhance operational efficiency and donor stewardship.
  • Assist with gift processing and reconciliation, including online donations, donor-advised fund gifts, stock gifts, recurring donations, and other contributions.
  • Conduct prospect research on individual donors, foundations, corporations, and sponsorship opportunities.
  • Support grant reporting, fundraising analysis, departmental projects, and administrative tasks as assigned.
  • Assist with coordinating volunteers and other development-related projects as needed.

    Qualifications

    • 3–5 years of experience in fundraising and/or nonprofit development.
    • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
    • Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
    • Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects while meeting deadlines.
    • Experience working with volunteers, community leaders, or diverse stakeholder groups.
    • Excellent working knowledge of CRM systems for donor and revenue management; Bloomerang experience preferred
    • Proficiency with Google Workspace, Zoom, Slack, and other workplace technology tools.
    • Ability to work evenings and weekends, particularly on Shabbat and holidays, for events and community gatherings.

    Preferred Characteristics

    • Passion for Nefesh’s mission and commitment to kiruv and inclusive Jewish community-building.
    • Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships across lines of identity, background, and experience.
    • Self-starter who takes initiative while collaborating effectively within a team.
    • Strong sense of empathy, curiosity, humility, and accountability.
    • Comfort engaging donors, volunteers, clergy, community leaders, and partners.
    • Commitment to equity, accessibility, and belonging.
    • Creative thinker with entrepreneurial energy and a willingness to learn.
    • Sense of humor, flexibility, and enthusiasm for helping people find meaningful connection and purpose through Jewish communal life.

    Physical Requirements

    • Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, twist, and move throughout the workday.
    • Ability to use a computer, keyboard, phone, and related office equipment for extended periods.
    • Ability to lift and carry materials up to 20 pounds for events and programs.
    • Ability to travel locally throughout the Los Angeles area for meetings and community events.

    Compensation & Hours

    Nefesh is a dynamic working environment in which duties and responsibilities may change. Employees are expected to be flexible and responsive to changes in the scope of their duties, as assigned. This full time position offers an annual salary of $75,000-$80,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications listed above.

    Nefesh also offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement benefits, paid vacation and sick leave, paid Jewish and secular holidays, professional development opportunities, flexible or hybrid work arrangements, and Kinship.

      To Apply

      Please send a cover letter and resume to search@nefeshla.org.

      Frequently cited statistics show that women, trans, and nonbinary people, and other structurally marginalized groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Nefesh encourages you to break that statistic and to apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate for the position.

       

      Makom Teacher

      Location: Los Angeles
      Status: Part-time

      Overview

      Makom is a dynamic Jewish education program for elementary age students in TK up through B’nai Mitzvah. The Hebrew word makom means “place” – inside and all around us, every place is alive with Jewish learning and growing as human beings. We open the door wide open for creative exploration of Torah, spirituality and prayer, and middot, our deepest values. We learn together in class, outside, on Shabbat and with our families. As much as possible, we learn Judaism through doing Judaism, and we also do our best to have fun along the way. 

      Makom is designed to instill a love of Judaism through hands-on learning of Torah stories, prayers, and Jewish values. The teacher will be able to instill a sense of joy, curiosity and wonder while imparting to the children their first experience of Jewish concepts and culture.

      Makom meets most Sundays from 10am-12:30pm and on select Saturdays from 9:30-12:00pm (depending on grade level), with certain dates excluded due to holidays. The start date for this position is August 30th, 2026. Makom’s first session will be on October 4, 2026, and end on May 23, 2027.

      The Role

      Nefesh is seeking creative, compassionate educators for Makom, our part-time religious school. We provide a space where children (ages 4–14) explore Jewish identity and traditions through play, ritual, and community. You will facilitate a classroom of 10–20 students, guiding them through a curated curriculum that blends ancient and contemporary Jewish wisdom, knowledge and practices with modern, hands-on expression.

      Key Qualifications

      • Youth Experience: Proven success working with children (ages 4–14) in formal (i.g. classroom) or informal (i.g. camp) settings.
      • Jewish Literacy: A strong foundation in Jewish traditions, Torah stories, and holidays.
      • Hebrew Proficiency: Ability to teach the Aleph-Bet and support students in decoding T’filla (prayer).
      • Soft Skills: High levels of adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and collaborative spirit.
      • Communication: Comfortable engaging with parents and responding to professional feedback.

      Primary Responsibilities

      INSTRUCTION & FACILITATION

      • Deliver Curriculum: Implement provided lesson plans focusing on Torah, ritual, and Jewish values through the framework of Middot (Jewish values and character traits).
      • Creative Engagement: Use art, movement, song, and text study to make Jewish themes relevant to students’ lives.
      • Hebrew & T’filla: Lead basic Hebrew instruction and participate actively in communal prayer services.
      • Program Design: Develop activities for school-wide programs, including Shabbat, holidays, and milestone celebrations.

      CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT & SAFETY

      • Environment: Maintain a safe, inclusive, and “play-forward” classroom culture.
      • Inclusion: Review and accommodate specific medical, dietary, or learning needs for all students.
      • Safety Standards: Complete mandatory abuse prevention training and manage secure check-in/check-out procedures.
      • Logistics: Maintain organized classroom spaces, materials, and resources. Supervise snack/recess time (allergy-aware). Support students during entry, transitions and dismissal.

      FAMILY & ADMINISTRATIVE ENGAGEMENT

      • Communication: Send weekly parent updates including lesson summaries and “at-home” conversation prompts.
      • Collaboration: Partner with Makom’s director, coordinator, madrichim and parents for family engagement programs. Attend monthly teacher meetings/PD sessions.
      • Admin: Track attendance and submit bi-weekly hours via provided software.

      Compensation & Hours

      Rate: Starting at $35/hour (negotiable based on experience).

      Benefits: Includes Nefesh Kinship.

      Per-Class Pay: 5.0 total hours per class meeting.

      • 4.0 hours: On-site (Setup, teaching, wrap-up).
      • 1.0 hour: Off-site (Prep and parent communication).
      • Note: Additional hours paid for orientation, monthly meetings, and required training.

      To Apply

      Please send a cover letter and resume to Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman, Nefesh’s Director of Youth Education, makom@nefeshla.org.

      Frequently cited statistics show that women, trans, and nonbinary people, and other structurally marginalized groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Nefesh encourages you to break that statistic and to apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate for the position.