Fellowships

Fellowships are cohort based, conversation rich opportunities to build community and learn together in a low-stakes environment.  Scroll down to see the fellowships we’re offering for Fall 2025, and stay tuned for registration information.

Fellowships are guided by three core ideas:

Lishma – Learning just for fun
no homework, no stress

Hevra – Connect with your people
make new friends, strengthen your connections across our community

Torah – Jewish wisdom for our time
get inspired by timeless texts and traditions

Memory. Landscapes. Competition. Heroism. Democracy. Peace. There is so much to experience about Israeli culture that just doesn’t come across in the headlines. Dive into the diverse world of Israeli artwork as we discover the colors and textures of modern society in Israel. Using visual art, songs, film, poetry, and more, we’ll discuss what makes Israel a unique place for Jews and non-Jews alike, in the year 2025.

This fellowship is for you if you want to encounter Israel from a cultural (rather than academic or geopolitical) perspective, regardless of the depth of your prior Israel experiences. While we won’t completely leave our politics at the door, this fellowship is for anyone looking for a way to connect with Israel beyond the realm of politics and current events. We’re all here to learn and to expand our own connections with the art of Israeli society.

Dates and times are coming soon. Reach out to Liana and Maayan with any questions.

Have you been thinking about marking your identity as a Jewish adult? Wishing you could have a Bar/Bat/Bet/B* Mitzvah…now? Join the B Mitzvah cohort at Hillel! 

Through full group meetings, field trips around The City, 1:1 meetings with Rachel and Reb Sarah, we’ll explore identity, history, food, prayer, Israel and, truly, anything else you’re feeling curious about. To celebrate, we’ll have a ceremony in April 2026 for cohort members, friends and families at the Kraft Center. 

This will meet over the fall and spring of the 25-26 academic year. Our hope is that you’ll walk away from this experience feeling empowered as a Jewish adult as you take this important next step in your Jewish journey.

Wondering if the cohort is for you? Curious about what all of this will look like? Reach out to Reb Sarah or Rachel with any questions.

This fellowship uses a unique approach to explore the values of Chesed (volunteering) in Judaism. We will spend the semester hearing from and learning about organizations and individuals who spend their life devoted to Chesed, as well as leaving campus to participate in volunteering opportunities in the area. Some sessions will include hearing from members of the West Side Chevra Kadisha (who ensure that Jews are buried according to tradition), and Hatzolah (volunteer emergency medical organization). And some volunteering opportunities will include visiting assisted living homes and working in the Columbia food pantry. Each session will include dinner! This fellowship is for you if you want to create meaningful change through hands-on volunteering and learn from inspiring individuals! 

This fellowship meets on Mondays 7-8:30 pm (with occasional date changes for off campus volunteering opportunities). The first session will be September 15! 

 Questions? Reach out to Mia Spira, Henna Krauss, and Liana.

The First Year Leadership Fellowship brings together a diverse cohort of first year and transfer students to explore their Jewish leadership and prepare to become leaders within our community. As a First Year Leadership Fellow you will encounter a variety of leadership opportunities within the Jewish community, so that you’ll be prepared to step into those roles over the course of your college careers. As you build relationships with people from across the spectrum of Jewish life, you’ll also have the opportunity to implement your new ideas throughout the semester. 

This fellowship is for you if you are passionate about Jewish leadership, want to create a community at Hillel, want to grow your leadership skills, and want to get to know other first years and transfers.

Dates and times are coming soon. Questions? Reach out to Mimi.

Whether you LOVE working at Jewish camp, are working at a religious school to make some extra money, or think you might want to pursue a career in Jewish education, the Judaism and Educating fellowship is for you! We’ll meet weekly to build community and explore ideas related to Jewish education with innovative and inspiring educators. Fall 2025 is the celebration of the 10th anniversary of J&Ed, so all of our guest educators will be alumni of the program.

This fellowship is for you if you think being a counselor/unit head at camp is the best job in the world, or maybe you’re interested in becoming an educator and want to think about the intersection of Judaism and education. You probably love being a part of a like-minded community to talk about big issues facing the future of the Jewish community!

This fellowship meets on Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 pm, starting on September 16.  Reach out to Shana with any questions!

What does Judaism sound like to you? Ancient melodies and familiar dances, songs in huge concerts or quiet corners, pop songs written by Jews, or even tunes from our family traditions. In this fellowship, we will come together over a shared love of music, with an ear to how songs influence our spiritual and emotional lives. Together, we will learn with Jewish musicians from Columbia/Barnard, as well as broader NYC communities, and even look at our own Spotify (or Apple Music?) playlists for wisdom. No musical experience is expected to join us! 

This fellowship is for you if your friends always give you the aux, you secretly want to be a musician, or you just love to sing around a Shabbat table or bonfire.

This fellowship meets on Mondays 7:30-9 pm, starting on October 20th, and will include two special events at other times of the week – more info to follow at our first session.  Reach out to Audrey with any questions!

Tap into your artistic side at Ritual Lab, where you’ll create a personal collection of Jewish ritual objects! Each week we’ll work in a different medium, and by the end of the semester you will have created your very own mezuzah, seder plate, challah cover, and more.  No prior knowledge about Jewish ritual objects, holidays, or artistic pursuits necessary – we’ll learn together!

This fellowship is for you if you enjoy crafting (but might not consider yourself an artist!), you’ve always wanted to have your own Jewish ritual objects but never got the chance to learn about them, and this would be your first time participating in Ritual Lab!

This fellowship meets on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm, starting on September 17th. Reach out to Navah with any questions!