Summer Farm Specialist
Urban Adamah is an educational farm and community center in Berkeley, California that integrates the practices of Jewish tradition, mindfulness, sustainable agriculture, and social action to build loving, just, and sustainable communities. We provide training programs, educational workshops, and community celebrations for more than 10,000 visitors annually.
Every summer, Urban Adamah offers an outdoor summer camp for kids ages 3 – 14 . Summer Camp features hands-on projects and activities exploring themes that integrate nature-connection, crafts, farming, community-building, and Jewish values. Camp Urban Adamah is designed to create a space for children to thrive and express their natural curiosity and passion, all within a vibrant, loving, and inclusive Jewish community. Our counselors ensure that children of different ages can have joyful experiences within a small group of peers.
Daily activities in Urban Adamah Summer Camp include gardening, feeding chickens and collecting eggs, music and stories, farm-to-fork food preparation, arts and crafts, nature connection activities, and more. We do everything through the lens of Jewish tradition and storytelling, whether it be through our shomrei adamah farm activities, nature-based art projects, or eco-mitzvot songs. We open and close every day as a whole camp community with circle time, songs, storytelling, and acts of love and kindness.
Every summer, Urban Adamah offers an outdoor summer camp for kids ages 3 – 14 . Summer Camp features hands-on projects and activities exploring themes that integrate nature-connection, crafts, farming, community-building, and Jewish values. Camp Urban Adamah is designed to create a space for children to thrive and express their natural curiosity and passion, all within a vibrant, loving, and inclusive Jewish community. Our counselors ensure that children of different ages can have joyful experiences within a small group of peers.
Daily activities in Urban Adamah Summer Camp include gardening, feeding chickens and collecting eggs, music and stories, farm-to-fork food preparation, arts and crafts, nature connection activities, and more. We do everything through the lens of Jewish tradition and storytelling, whether it be through our shomrei adamah farm activities, nature-based art projects, or eco-mitzvot songs. We open and close every day as a whole camp community with circle time, songs, storytelling, and acts of love and kindness.
About The Role
The summer farm specialists are responsible for the educational content of summer camp. Specialists plan and facilitate 2-3 sessions per day for campers ages 3-14 that bring the magic of the farm to life. The Summer Specialists are responsible for knowing what is happening on the farm and for bringing the campers into that magic through art, storytelling, mindfulness, experimentation, and experiential activities.
ACTIVITY LEADER
The Summer Specialists are responsible for planning and facilitating 2-3 farm education sessions per day. The blocks should be fun and engaging experiences for the campers and are the core of what makes Urban Adamah Camp such a rich experience for the campers. Specialists are encouraged to be creative and design farm education sessions from a place of their own interests, skills and what they want to learn and teach within this context.
FARM LEARNING
The Summer Specialists are responsible for working closely with the farm team to work the land, including but not limited to planting, harvesting, weeding, animal chores, watering, and farm maintenance. The farm team will teach and train specialists so that they can meaningfully engage in farm work, as well as lead campers in farm work.
COMMUNAL LIVING
As a core part of this program, specialists live together on site. Urban Adamah staff provide specialists with frameworks to help them develop a robust Jewish communal life in the time that they are living together on the farm.
JEWISH LEARNING
There will be opportunities for Jewish learning over the course of the summer with our Ed team staff. We will learn about shabbat and its rituals, the basics of earth-based Judaism, and Jewish meditation practices.
ACTIVITY LEADER
The Summer Specialists are responsible for planning and facilitating 2-3 farm education sessions per day. The blocks should be fun and engaging experiences for the campers and are the core of what makes Urban Adamah Camp such a rich experience for the campers. Specialists are encouraged to be creative and design farm education sessions from a place of their own interests, skills and what they want to learn and teach within this context.
FARM LEARNING
The Summer Specialists are responsible for working closely with the farm team to work the land, including but not limited to planting, harvesting, weeding, animal chores, watering, and farm maintenance. The farm team will teach and train specialists so that they can meaningfully engage in farm work, as well as lead campers in farm work.
COMMUNAL LIVING
As a core part of this program, specialists live together on site. Urban Adamah staff provide specialists with frameworks to help them develop a robust Jewish communal life in the time that they are living together on the farm.
JEWISH LEARNING
There will be opportunities for Jewish learning over the course of the summer with our Ed team staff. We will learn about shabbat and its rituals, the basics of earth-based Judaism, and Jewish meditation practices.
About You
CHILDREN-ORIENTED & PLAYFUL:
INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE FARMING:
ADAPTABLE PROBLEM-SOLVER:
STRONG COMMUNICATOR:
The physical demands listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee in this position. Some accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to succeed in the role:
- Love spending time with children ages 3-14
- Engage children with respect and model awe, compassion, and curiosity
- Believe that all children have a right to be in relationship to nature and other human beings
INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE FARMING:
- You are interested in the practice of sustainable farming. Prior farming experience is not necessary; however, an openness to learn, do physical work on the farm, and get your hands dirty is essential.
- You want to live on a farm in an urban setting and are excited about deepening your experience with farm life and children. You are receptive to feedback and taking direction, and are eager to improve your own abilities in farming, facilitation, education, and working with children, while also being open to learning new skills.
ADAPTABLE PROBLEM-SOLVER:
- Are a creative problem solver and are adaptable in the presence of strong emotions and/or needs
- Easefully navigate urgent situations, identifying and tending to physical and emotional safety priorities
STRONG COMMUNICATOR:
- Demonstrate patience, compassion and understanding while maintaining strong boundaries and communicating clear expectations
- Enjoy listening to and offering feedback
- Are flexible and are generally willing to try new things
- You have a desire to explore and share Jewish environmental wisdom and spirituality, and farming (Jewish background / knowledge is not necessary)
- You are excited about collaborating with colleagues to maintain a positive work environment
The physical demands listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee in this position. Some accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to succeed in the role:
- Typing, writing, reading, hearing, and speaking
- Standing and walking for several hours, as well as sitting, squatting, crawling, climbing, and lifting up to 40 lbs.
- Farm work including but not limited to planting, harvesting, weeding, animal chores, watering, and farm maintenance
Additional Details
COMPENSATION
This is a temporary, full-time seasonal position. Specialists will work 35 hours per week (including 20 hours in camp of lesson planning and facilitation, and 10 hours of farm work). Specialists will receive free housing, programming and learning sessions, and a $2000 stipend. Specialists live on the farm itself in a modern building with a large, well-equipped kitchen and plenty of living space. Specialists may share a room with one other person. Specialists will be in charge of their own food purchasing and meal preparation.
SCHEDULE
SUPERVISION
This position is supervised by the Young Adult Programs Manager and the Camp Manager.
This is a temporary, full-time seasonal position. Specialists will work 35 hours per week (including 20 hours in camp of lesson planning and facilitation, and 10 hours of farm work). Specialists will receive free housing, programming and learning sessions, and a $2000 stipend. Specialists live on the farm itself in a modern building with a large, well-equipped kitchen and plenty of living space. Specialists may share a room with one other person. Specialists will be in charge of their own food purchasing and meal preparation.
SCHEDULE
- Arrival and Move in: May 29
- Staff Training : June 4 – June 6
- Summer Camp: June 9 – August 15* | Monday – Friday, 8am – 3pm
- Move-out: August 18
SUPERVISION
This position is supervised by the Young Adult Programs Manager and the Camp Manager.
Application Details
Please submit your cover letter, resume, two professional references with how you know them, and responses to the following short questions. Bullet pointed lists are welcome as responses to the short questions, if preferred by the applicant. (maximum 200 words for each).
- What experience or interest do you have in sustainable farming, food justice, and community building?
- Describe your experience with working with children. What age ranges have you worked with? In what capacity? Are there any courses or training that you have taken? Is there any other relevant experience you want to share with us?
- What excites you about working at a Jewish summer camp?
- What excites you about living communally on the farm for the summer?
- We require all Summer Specialists to have their own health insurance in order to participate in the experience. Do you have health coverage?
Applications will be received and reviewed on a rolling basis, however, we encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible. If you have any questions about the application or the position, please contact zev@urbanadamah.org.