Careers at Wilderness Torah
Become a part of a transformative organization leading
the earth-based Jewish renaissance.
Our workplace culture is 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.
You will work with an amazing team of smart and caring people, in a workplace culture that values flexibility and collaboration.
More About Working for Wilderness Torah
Wilderness Torah promotes healing, belonging, and resilience. We awaken and celebrate earth-based Jewish traditions through inclusive and intergenerational village-building.
A vibrant, resilient world, where humanity remembers how to care for each other and our precious earth.
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. We’re here as one 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.
Wilderness Torah is proud of its diverse team of experienced personnel. Our team brings expertise allowing us to constantly grow and lead.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Wilderness Torah is creating a pluralistic, multigenerational village based on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. People of all faiths, backgrounds, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religious affiliation are welcome.
Wilderness Torah believes that personnel diversity is an organizational strength. We recognize and value the intersecting identities that staff members bring to our organization. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply. WT is committed to providing equal employment consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.
B’naiture Youth Mentor for Grades 6–8
Part-time
START DATE: August 2026
Would you love to guide middle schoolers through meaningful nature-connected experiences that support their personal development?
JOB DESCRIPTION:
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.
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 October—May 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. See our website at wildernesstorah.org and adamah.org/hubs/sf/
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.
2. Email your resume to SarahElise@wildernesstorah.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
Wilderness Torah believes that personnel diversity is an organizational strength, and recognizes and values the intersecting identities that staff members bring to our organization. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Wilderness Torah is committed to providing equal employment consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.
B’hootz Youth Mentor for Grades K–5
Part-time
START DATE: August 2026
Do you love working with youth in nature? Are you looking for a role that is playful, interactive, and outdoors?
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Wilderness Torah seeks a Youth Mentor in the East Bay from August 2026 to June 2027, or longer if agreed upon, to lead Jewish, nature-based, experiential education for the B’hootz (Hebrew for “outside”) youth program. We are seeking mentors for grades 4-5, but may also have openings for grades K-3 pending enrollment.
Under the supervision of the Youth Programs Manager and Program Director, you will be trained to offer caring mentorship and nature-based exploration with Jewish spirituality, tradition, and wisdom. Mentors build their skills while working with a team of passionate people. Mentors will lead groups of children through the nature-based rhythm of the Hebrew calendar.
ABOUT THE B’HOOTZ PROGRAM:
B’hootz is an outdoor Jewish nature-connection program for grades K–5 that runs on 12 Sundays from October through May, along with 1 or 2 camping trips (one for k-3, two for 4-5). This program integrates Jewish spirituality, tradition, and teachings, with nature-based exploration. Wilderness Torah seeks mentors who are dedicated and experienced in Jewish and/or nature-based education to join our program.
More than 500 kids of all levels of Jewish identity and practice have participated in this beloved program since it began in 2010. We appeal to families seeking alternatives for their kids: unplugged time in nature, learning by doing, and applying a pluralistic approach to Jewish learning.
IMPORTANT LOGISTICS:
Schedule:
- B’hootz meets for 12 Sundays, from October to May
- See program dates here
- Fall Camping Trip, for all cohorts: November 6-7
- Spring Camping Trip, for grades 4-5, May 21-22
Training dates
- Fri-Sun, August 21-23
- To be determined date(s) in January
Structure: B’hootz runs in cohorts of 8-16 kids with one adult mentor and 1-2 teen mentors
- Etzim (“trees”) cohorts are for grades 4–5 and meet 10am-3pm.
- Shorashim (“roots) cohorts are for grades K-2 and meet 10am-2pm
Location: This role is for the East Bay and meets in Joaquin Miller Park
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
As a Mentor, you will:
- Lead twelve sessions of quality earth-based Jewish programming
- Help plan and lead the fall family camping trip (all cohorts), and the end of year camping trip (4-5 grade only)
- Participate in collaborative curriculum planning with other mentors and Youth Programs Manager
- Work with and support teen mentors
- Participate in immersive training (see dates above)
- Provide a summary of activities (via text and photo) to parents
- Maintain first CPR/aid certification (WT will reimburse you for this training if you don’t already have it)
Testimonial from a former B’hootz mentor:
“Serving as a B’hootz mentor has been a fun, rewarding, and humbling experience. Most importantly, it has been an utmost privilege to foster the next generation of young Jews, who can connect with and enliven their Jewish identities through nature awareness. Through storytelling, herbal medicine, outdoor skills, games, nature exploration, and blessings, I observed how children’s relationships to the natural world, and with themselves, were inherently Jewish.” ~ Anonymous
ABOUT YOU:
As a strong applicant, you possess the experiences and skills listed below. Applicants with varying competencies are encouraged to apply, provided that they display the ability to successfully perform the job description. You might be a good fit if you have:
- 3+ years experience working with children in grades K-5 in Jewish and/or outdoor programs like a summer counselor or afterschool program
- Basic knowledge of the Hebrew calendar and Jewish holidays, rituals, blessings, etc.
- Basic naturalist knowledge about local Bay Area ecology
- Comfort leading groups of children, maintaining boundaries, reading group energy, balancing a plan while responding to participant needs, and attending to the differences of a diverse group
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Commitment to racial, gender, and indigenous justice
- Practice giving and receiving feedback with co-workers
- A passion for earth-based Judaism and a demonstrated commitment to our mission
- Ability to walk on uneven terrain in all kinds of weather
- Ability to comfortably sit, stand, walk, squat, etc.
- Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds
- Access to a personal computer
- Access to a car to transport yourself to the B’hootz site
Expertise in teaching children one or more of the following categories is an advantage:
- Jewish tradition: text, ritual, music, Hebrew calendar
- Ecological awareness: identify local flora and fauna
- Ancestral skills: tracking, bird language, herbal medicine, and wildcrafting
- Social-emotional learning: mindfulness practices, emotional awareness, relationship building, decision-making
- Creativity: art, music, movement
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. See our website at wildernesstorah.org and https://adamah.org/hubs/sf/
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.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
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.
- Complete the questionnaire linked here.
- Email your resume to SarahElise@wildernesstorah.org. Add “B’Hootz Mentor Resume” in the Subject line.
Start Date: August 2026
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
Local candidates only, or be willing to relocate
Wilderness Torah believes that personnel diversity is an organizational strength, and recognizes and values the intersecting identities that staff members bring to our organization. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply. WT is committed to providing equal employment consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.
