Fellow Eligibility Criteria

Insight Fellowship Program Components

Insight: The Schusterman Fellowship for Jewish Community is a two-year (22 month) program, in which Fellows participate in three consecutive six-month long program placements at Jewish organizations. This first cohort of the Insight Fellowship will have eight Fellows, four in New York City and four in Washington, D.C.

1. Project Placements at Organizations
Each Fellow will complete three consecutive project placements, each six months in duration. Each placement will take place at a different host organization and will provide an opportunity for Fellows to work on a different issue (service learning, campus life, arts and culture, interfaith families and more) and learn skills in three different professional areas (e.g. marketing, resource development, program design and evaluation). Placements will be project- and outcome-based and structured so that the entire project, or a meaningful segment of it, can be completed within six months. All projects will offer opportunities to interact with senior management and lay leaders.

Project placements will be assigned by the CLI staff, with input from Fellows. Fellows will be asked to share their priorities regarding the types of organizations in which they prefer to work, as well as the career paths they wish to explore. CLI will take these factors into consideration along with the needs of the host organizations, which will be chosen prior to the selection of Fellows. The Fellowship program staff will make every effort to ensure that the match is an appropriate fit. Fellows will have a direct role in crafting the third and final placement of the Fellowship.

2. Crafted Gatherings
The Center for Leadership Initiatives specializes in the design and implementation of crafted gatherings, where time away from the day-to-day setting combines opportunities for networking, personal growth and skills training, as well as tailored sessions for the cohort to share their respective insights and visions. Though the Fellows will be based in two different cities over the course of the Fellowship, they will meet as a full cohort for all of the gatherings.

Retreats

Fellows will participate in three five-day professional cohort retreats, one at the outset of the program followed by additional retreats between project placements.

Israel Insight Trip 

Fellows will travel to Israel to meet with Jewish leaders and see community development in action. Seeking to promote an informed, engaged and passionate relationship with Israel, the Insight Fellowship believes that time spent encountering the country is an investment in the future leadership of Diaspora communities.

Service Project

Service (investing time to repair the world) is a central value of CLI and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (CLSFF). During the first year of the program, Fellows will participate in a week-long service learning program that expresses our commitment to tikkun olam by acting on our obligation to help others. The Fellowship service learning component will also forge group cohesion and allow for reflection on self and community.

One-Day Seminars

The Fellows will meet monthly for a day-long seminar. Organizations will provide release time for Fellows to participate in the seminar and will play an active role in planning, implementing, and participating in parts of the seminar curriculum. The seminar will provide an opportunity to get to know the local Jewish communities of the Fellowship placements, discuss themes and challenges that arise in the course of project placements, participate in skills training sessions, develop networking plans and meet with community leaders, including Lynn Schusterman and senior staff at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

National Convening 

The 22-month program will conclude with a National Convening, where all eight Fellows and all participating host organizations, together with other stakeholders in the field of young adult engagement and young adult professional development, will have an opportunity to share their experiences, compare notes, offer best practices and begin to document and disseminate some of the key findings from the Fellowship.

3. Networking and Mentorship
Each Fellow will receive support in the development of an individualized networking plan based on his/her interests, career aspirations and mentorship needs. Fellows will receive release time to engage in networking opportunities for their professional growth. One of the goals of networking is to help Fellows find informal mentors, and CLI will partner with the Fellows in this search through the Fellowship Staff Team. Mentors will assist with career development and provide access to additional learning opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria: 

• 21-26 years of age at the time of application
• U.S. citizen (or permanent resident with a valid green card)
• Self-identify as Jewish
• Completed a Bachelor’s degree and have a strong academic record
• Have not yet pursued a graduate degree
• Previous relevant work and/or volunteer experience
• Willing and able to participate fully in all elements of the program
• Willing and able to commit to a two year program in New York City or Washington, D.C.
• Does not have any other major commitments for that two-year period (September 2008 – July 2010)
• Willing and able to travel internationally
• Curious about and interested in the Jewish community
• Demonstrated leadership potential