Vision
The Matanel Fellowship for Global Jewish Leadership empowers students from Poland, Israel, and the United States to explore the shared and divergent experiences of Jewish communities worldwide. Through dialogue, learning, and creative expression, fellows build deeper empathy, broader awareness of Jewish Peoplehood, and a stronger sense of mutual responsibility.
At the heart of the fellowship is a commitment to strengthening global Jewish Peoplehood—understood as the deep, enduring ties that connect Jews across geography, language, culture, and ideology. By fostering relationships between students from different parts of the world, the fellowship nurtures a living network of young leaders who see themselves as part of a collective Jewish destiny. The program envisions a vibrant and interconnected Jewish future, sustained by a new generation committed to pluralism, mutual respect, and cross-cultural collaboration.
Activity
The fellowship includes three main components:
1. Online Learning
Fellows participate in eight interactive Zoom sessions exploring themes such as Jewish identity, pluralism, Peoplehood, global demographics, and the internal and external challenges facing the Jewish world. The sessions integrate Jewish text study, facilitated dialogue, guest speakers, and cross-cultural exchange.
2. In-Person Immersive Experience
Fellows gather in Budapest for a Shabbat retreat designed to highlight the diversity and continuity of Jewish life. The experience provides a rich environment for participants to examine the similarities and differences in their own Jewish journeys and those of their peers from other regions.
3. Final Projects
Each fellow completes a capstone project that reflects their personal vision for the future of the Jewish People. Projects may take the form of essays, poems, visual art, or community-based initiatives—but all must include a written reflection. These works will be collected and published both in print and online, creating a lasting impact beyond the program itself.