Yachad has announced the launch of a new program this coming academic year modeled after Yeshiva University’s Presidential Fellowship: the Yachad Jewish Communal Leadership Fellowship (YJCLF). The paid Fellowship is seeking two outstanding recent college graduates who want to learn, grow and contribute to Yachad and its role as an innovative, thriving, and dynamic human rights organization that has been on the cutting edge of disability Inclusion for the last 30 years. Candidates must be thoughtful and concerned about the broader Jewish community. Applicants must be able think flexibly and creatively and also be interested in accomplishment. The program will be supervised by Deborah Berman, LCSW, Director of Social Work at Yachad and Eli Hagler, Associate Director of Yachad.
“Yachad,” the flagship program of the Orthodox Union’s National Jewish Council for Disabilities (NJCD), provides unique social, educational and recreational programs for individuals with learning, developmental and physical disabilities with the goal of their Inclusion in the total life of the Jewish community.
Deadline for application submissions is March 20, 2014. No late applications will be considered.
“The year-long Fellowship, in the intersection of the Jewish community and the disability inclusion movement, will support the Fellows’ development in working as part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team aimed to meet the social and Inclusion needs of Jewish individuals with diverse disabilities,” says Mrs. Berman. “This includes, but is not limited to, Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental challenges, deaf and hard of hearing, physical disabilities, and medical health and mental health needs.”
According to the program’s description, the YJCLF aims to shape emerging leaders who plan to go into careers in social work, psychology, medicine, education, not-for-profit management, development, public relations, policy planning or organizational leadership; or those who hope to serve the broad Jewish community in a lay leadership capacity.
International Director of Yachad Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman declared, “Yachad has been on the cutting edge of disability inclusion for the last 30 years. Fellows will be mentored directly by some of the most established and accomplished professionals in Jewish communal leadership, health and mental health, policy, and administration and development. The Yachad Fellowship program supports the development of promising burgeoning professionals in diverse fields who will take what they learn with us and apply it to their own careers in the local, national, and global arenas.”
Says Mr. Hagler, “Having been a Presidential Fellow myself at Yeshiva University, I know firsthand just how educational and practical having a fellowship can be immediately out of school. What a great way to learn what it means to be a professional while having the opportunity to work for an organization you feel strongly about.”
Mrs. Berman shared, “This fellowship is for the brightest and best of the Jewish community – people who are inspired to use their talents, education, and careers for the advancement of disability inclusion, equality, and the core Jewish value that absolutely everyone belongs.”
The fellowship runs from August 2014 – August 2015 with a stipend of $25,000 plus benefits.
Applicants must be recent college graduates with a minimum 3.2 GPA (transcript or notarized letter from college must be provided). The application process includes a personal statement of 700 words maximum or one page typed, two letters of recommendation, a resume, a photo, additional relevant information and a personal interview by invitation. The ideal applicant should have an interest in working in/making a difference in social services, not-for-profit and disability advocacy. Other applicants may choose to spend a “gap year” before continuing on in a career in medicine, law, business, social work or another field. Candidates must be dedicated to the global Jewish community.
Fellows will function as full members of Yachad’s staff, working out of its national headquarters in lower Manhattan. Fellows will be assigned a primary mentor—a staff member under whose tutelage and guidance they will directly carry out their diverse range of duties within the agency. Additional mentors will provide integrated training and experiential opportunities in other areas as needed. Together, the mentoring team will offer opportunities for the Fellow to acquire proficiency in disability culture and Jewish organizational leadership. In addition, each Fellow will have a monthly meeting with Yachad’s International Director, Dr. Lichtman, and participate in additional staff forums. Additionally, each Fellow, with supervisory support, will be responsible to begin or continue a special project, or to research a topic of one’s choice.
For further information please email {encode=”YachadFellowship@ou.org” title=”YachadFellowship@ou.org”}