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Hillel International Partners with Education Institute M² to Create New Opportunities for Jewish Young Professionals

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September 13, 2017

Hillel International is partnering with M², The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education, to bolster opportunities for early-career professionals in the Jewish communal world. The new partnership will introduce a Certificate in Experiential Jewish Education, an immersive and robust six-month professional development opportunity for 25 Hillel professionals with less than five years of work experience.

In November 2016, Hillel International introduced Hillel U to revamp continuing education programs for Hillel professionals. In its inaugural months, Hillel U has already enhanced the organization’s ability to retain top-tier talent, and has allowed it to better serve students on hundreds of campuses around the world.

The new partnership with M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education is a natural progression for Hillel U. M² is an organization working to advance the field of experiential Jewish education through a broad range of training and consulting services.

“Hillel is very excited to be partnering with M² to offer this unique certificate program for our professionals,” said Abi Dauber Sterne, Hillel International’s Vice President for Jewish Education. “We believe this opportunity and others offered by Hillel U will enhance our professionals and allow them to better engage with and program for Jewish college students everywhere.”

Uniquely developed for Hillel by M², this new program will be comprised of three seminars, featuring a carefully designed curriculum drawn from the disciplines of psychotherapy, scriptwriting, neuroscience, social work and social entrepreneurship. As each seminar blends intensive theory with immediate practical application, the program serves as a laboratory for Hillel professionals to experiment with their learnings in a cohort environment, ultimately enabling the formation of a long-lasting community of practice.

In addition to its multi-layered and textured curriculum, two of the most powerful components of the program are the intensive mentoring that is provided to each participant and the dedicated coaching that focuses on curriculum implementation and workplace integration. The new program will help cultivate the next generation of well-rounded, innovative Jewish leaders.

“Through a host of initiatives and investments, it is clear that Hillel is leading the way in attracting and retaining top talent in the field of experiential Jewish education,” explained Shuki Taylor, Executive Director of M2. “M2 is thrilled to be partnering with Hillel in ensuring that these professionals are equipped with the best and most forward thinking skills and approaches that will boost the quality of intentional Jewish education across North America.”

By drawing from Jewish wisdom and academic research, modeling innovative methodologies and practical applications, and cultivating collaborative learning experiences, M² will provide Hillel professionals with the knowledge, skills, tools and traits to implement experiential Jewish education on their campuses.

“This program will help provide much-needed skills to the professionals that work most directly with students,” Sterne said. “These professionals, who spend most of their time meeting with students and curating Jewish experiences, often feel that they have good instincts, but no real skills training in how to transform an event into a rich Jewish educational experience. That’s what we believe this certificate will help them achieve.”

Hillel U provides immersive experiences and high-quality distance learning opportunities for Hillel professionals, helping staff grow as Jewish professionals, managers and community leaders. Hillel’s commitment to professional development helps it attract top talent, and invests in the future of the Jewish community as one of the largest entry-level employers among major Jewish organizations. Hillel U’s Center for Jewish and Israel Education is supported by the Maimonides Fund.