Venture Israel Fellowship

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.

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.

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 on 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
• 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 work or hold a lay leadership position in a Jewish communal institution in Greater Philadelphia and 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 in 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 Greater Philadelphia based institution
• Able to convene and to work in partnership with an Israel Engagement Team of professionals and volunteers from their institution

Meeting & Travel Expectations:

• Three virtual sessions, 1.5 hours each
• Three half-day long in-person seminars at Jewish Learning Venture
• Two One-to-one consultation sessions with the Fellowship Director
• Full participation in all aspects of a seven day trip to Israel, scheduled for February 3-11, 2026.

Program & Participation Expectations

• Fully participate in all in-person and virtual fellowship meetings.
• Complete homework assignments between sessions.
• 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 Israel educational experiences in their home community – or in partnership with another participating organization.
• 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, 2026.

Organizational Commitments

The Fellow’s sponsoring organization will:

• View the Fellow’s full participation in all aspects of the Fellowship as professional development and consider this time as work time. This includes the duration of the Israel Seminar.
• Support and allow for missed in-house meetings (i.e. staff meetings) in order for the Fellow to attend all scheduled Fellowship gatherings and calls.
• Support an Israel Engagement Team at the Fellow’s organization. The Team will consist of the Fellow, at least one organizational professional as well as two or more lay leaders.
• With the support of the Fellow, convene members of the Engagement Team to participate in an in person consultation session. The session will be held at the organization and facilitated by VIF.
• Pay $1,500 to Jewish Learning Venture to offset some of the costs associated with the training and the highly subsidized seminar in Israel.

Payment

• Full payment of program fee from both the individual and organization is due by November 30, 2025.

Program Dates Tentative Schedule for 2025-2026
(all dates subject to change)

• Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – In Person Meeting (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 6, 2026 – Virtual Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• February 3-11, 2026 – Seminar in Israel (date range includes travel days)
• Wednesday, March 11, 2026 – Virtual Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• March-May (dates/times to be determined by Fellows in coordination with their Israel Engagement Teams and VIF leadership) – Consultation Meetings will take place at the Fellow’s host institution
• Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – Virtual Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
• Thursday, May 14, 2026 – In Person Meeting (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
• June-August (dates/times to be coordinated between the Fellow and VIF) 1:1 Meetings between the Fellow and VIF leadership. Meetings may be virtual or in person.
• Thursday, October 8, 2026 – In Person Meeting (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.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