Venture Israel Fellowship

Jonathan (Jonny) Ariel, of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the Master Israel Educator guiding the program. He has researched, designed and delivered experiential education on four continents over 40 years. Learn more about Jonny here.

Debbie Leon, of Jewish Learning Venture, is the Fellowship’s Director. She has worked in the fields of formal and informal Jewish education for over three decades.

Israel is dynamic and complex, and initiatives within the community should reflect both of those qualities. Venture Israel Fellowship takes the lead in enhancing local Jewish education and engagement efforts by probing and reflecting the mature, dynamic and complex Israel of today. Through a variety of seminars, trainings and group work, participants will discover how to embed innovative Israel education within their communities throughout the year.

Fellows will

• Implement new and innovative approaches towards strategic Israel programming in partnership with an Israel Engagement Team at their home institution
• Create Israel programming within their institutions, anchored around three Jewish holidays: Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), Shabbat, and Sukkot
• Appreciate the unique value of being an Israel-focused Family Influencer, someone who impacts and inspires families as they navigate their Jewish journeys, with this value-added opportunity for high-quality, high-impact training and development
• Be part of a wider network of Family Influencers who are grappling with similar, complex issues around Israel education and engagement

The participants in the Fellowship are mentored and become part of a cohort of alumni post-fellowship, to ensure the cutting-edge nature of their work continues.

The Fellowship is for individuals who are:

• Eager to develop a systemic change approach towards strategic Israel programming
• Appreciative of the unique value of high-quality, high-impact professional development focused on Israel
• Interested in developing and being an active participant in a network of colleagues grappling with similar issues as they relate to Israel
• Open to engaging in learning and respectful dialogue with others who represent a myriad of views related to Israel
• Willing to be vulnerable, take risks, offer and receive critique and constructive criticism 
•  Willing to be challenged in regards to their understanding of and beliefs about Israel, education, and Israel education
• Curious about experimenting with innovative and new thinking around Israel programming
• Able to communicate and share with their home organizations about new approaches and perspectives
• Currently working or volunteering in Israel education and engagement at their institution
• Able to convene and work in partnership with an Israel Engagement Team of professionals and volunteers from their institution

Meeting & Travel Expectations:

• Seven monthly virtual daytime sessions, 1.5 hours each
• Two two-day, in-person seminars in Greater Philadelphia, including one session to be attended by the Israel Engagement Team members from all current Fellows’ institutions
• Two One-to-one consultation sessions with the Fellowship Director
• Full participation in all aspects of a seven day trip to Israel, scheduled for early February 2025

Program & Participation Expectations

• Contribute to online network discussion groups
• Identify goals and develop an overarching strategy for Israel engagement and education in collaboration with their institution’s Israel Engagement Team
• Modeled after the strategy, pilot three innovative experiences in their home community –or in partnership with another participating organization– around the holidays of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Shabbat, and Sukkot
• Provide collateral materials from programs (eg. flyers, videos, photos, curricular resources) for sharing with other Venture Israel Fellows
• Complete pre-and post-Fellowship surveys to measure the program’s impact on participants’ organizations
• Submit an end-of-program summary impact report, describing the organization’s goals, steps taken to execute the plan, impact on the stakeholders in the learning community and anticipated challenges ahead
• Participants will pay $500 to cover a portion of the heavily subsidized trip to Israel
• Passports must be valid through at least August 2025

Organizational Commitments

• Participation is viewed as professional development and counted as work time, including the duration of the Israel Seminar
• Support an Israel Engagement Team at the participant’s organization, which consists of the Fellow, at least one organizational professional as well as a few lay leaders
• The Fellow’s sponsoring organization will pay $1,500 to offset some of the costs associated with the training and the highly subsidized seminar in Israel
• Only one application per organization will be considered for the Fellowship in a given year

Payment

• Full payment of program fee from both the individual and organization is due by November 30, 2024

Program Dates Tentative Schedule for 2024-2025
(all dates subject to change)

• December 4, 2024 – Virtual Meeting#1 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• January 7, 2025 – Virtual Meeting#2 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• February 4-12, 2025 – Educational Seminar#1 in Israel (includes travel days)
• March 5, 2025 – Virtual Meeting #3 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• April 8, 2025 – Virtual Meeting #4 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• May 20-21, 2025 – In-person Greater Philadelphia Seminar #2
• June-August 2025 – Individual Check-Ins/Coaching (Various Times)
• September 9, 2025 – Virtual Meeting#5 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• October 21, 2025 – Virtual Meeting #6 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• November 11-12, 2025 – In-person Greater Philadelphia Seminar #3
• December 17, 2025 Virtual Meeting #7 (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)

• Participants will pay $500 to cover a portion of the heavily subsidized trip to Israel
• The organization will pay $1,500 to offset some of the costs associated with the training and highly subsidized trip to Israel
• Limited subsidies are available. Please be in touch with Debbie Leon, Fellowship Director, to discuss