B'Naiture Mentor

B'naiture Program Mentor for Middle School Age Youth

B'naiture is a two-year, experiential program for youth in grades 6-8 that uses nature-based Jewish connection as a vehicle to explore the transition from childhood to adolescence. B'naiture is forging a new Jewish pathway for nature and soul-centric rites of passage.

Start Date: August 2026 Part-time Role This Wilderness Torah program weaves Jewish spirituality, tradition, and teachings with personal challenges, outdoor skills, mentorship from adults outside of family, peer group community building, and nature awareness activities to provide an embodied way for youth to explore coming-of-age. B'naiture meets from OctoberMay on six Sundays from 10:30-4:30pm in Joaquin Miller Park, six Wednesday nights around the Berkeley marina, and three weekend camping trips.

We seek educators with 3+ years experience in youth mentoring, nature connection, wilderness skills, and/or Jewish learning to serve as mentors for our B'naiture program for the 2026-2028 cohort. As a B'naiture mentor, your role is to provide nature-based games, challenges, crafts, stories, Jewish and nature-based learning, and help guide youth into their teen years.

About Wilderness Torah and Adamah SF: Founded in 2007, Wilderness Torah is a leader in the earth-based Judaism movement and has served thousands of people with land-based holiday retreats; outdoor, mentor-based K-12 programs; young adult leadership development, local and national training in our models, and most recently our virtual learning opportunities. Now powered by Adamah, we are working together as a healing balm in an overstressed, disconnected culture to reconnect to the magic created when we get out into nature, experience embodied Jewish ritual and learning, all within a multi-generational setting.

Our workplace culture is one based on flexibility, trust, warmth, and dedication. Our team works hard, brings their whole selves, takes time when they need it, and relishes helping create meaningful experiences. We also have a large community of hundreds, from families in our youth programs to participants who help co-create our events. You will work with an amazing team of smart and caring people, in a workplace culture that values flexibility and collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities Include:

• Attend staff training weekend August 21-23, additional trainings throughout year, and end of season staff debrief
• Participate in 3-6 hours of collaborative planning meetings per month
• Mentor and guide youth, maintain safety and health of all participants
• Communicate with families as needed
• Coordinate and participate in yearly calls with each family, to be divided with your co-mentor (approximately 6-8 hours over the course of February and March)
• Arrive promptly for each meeting- Sundays generally 9:30-5:00 and Wednesdays 4:00-8:30, and for set-up, clean-up and duration of camping trips
• Respond promptly to e-mail correspondence from program manager and team
• Maintain CPR/first aid certification (WT will reimburse you for this training if you don't already have it)

Qualifications and Expectations:

Head:

• A willingness to learn new things
• Timeliness and foresight: able to arrive promptly and prepared with materials and teaching you have agreed to for each program day
• A knowledge of and/or commitment to learning Jewish stories, songs, and teachings
• Knowledge of the Eight Shields model desired
• Knowledge of and experience with Rite-of-Passage desired

Heart:

• Personal spiritual practice, and/or yearning to be more spiritually connected
• A love of and deep connection to the natural world
• An ability to be a team player, as much of what we create is a collaboration of our ideas and experience
• Excitement to cultivate community and cohesion amongst staff and participants
• Experience and love of teaching, mentoring, and working with youth ages 11-13

Hands:

• Specific nature-based and wilderness skills you are excited to teach
• Comfort with building and tending fire, basic whittling skills; music skills a plus
• Ability to lift at least 25 pounds; able to be outside in various weather conditions, from very hot to extremely rainy and wet with a bright attitude that inspires the kids
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds

Desired Qualifications:

• 3+ years experience providing either wilderness, nature-based, Jewish, and/or rites-of-passage programming
• Naturalist and wilderness skills knowledge; experience teaching wilderness skills is a bonus
• Knowledge of the Jewish calendar and holiday cycles, stories, and values; Experience teaching in Jewish education is a bonus
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic team of youth mentors and can think on their feet
• Committed to completing the 2 year program
• We are ideally looking for people who are interested in continuing on with us as mentors in the future.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Pay is commensurate with experience ($25-$30/hr); this is a part-time temporary role.
• Paid earned sick leave
• 25% off Wilderness Torah youth programs for any children
• Free attendance to any virtual Wilderness Torah classes and courses, and discounts on all in person events
• Wilderness Torah will subsidize your WFA (Wilderness First Aid) course
• Receive training in our award winning curriculum

To apply:

To apply, follow these steps. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until positions are filled. 1. Complete the questionnaire linked here. B'Naiture Mentor Questionnaire 2. Email your resume to SarahElise.Rund@adamah.org. Add "B'Naiture Mentor Resume" in the Subject line.

• Start Date: August 2026
• Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
• Local candidates only, or be willing to relocate

The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and its Agencies are equal opportunity employers, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, citizenship, veteran's status, physical or mental disability that does not prohibit the performance of essential job functions (with or without reasonable accommodation) or any other basis protected by federal, or applicable, state or local law.