Leadership, Connection, and Global Peoplehood: Reflections from the First Cohort of the Matanel Fellowship
Hillel International’s commitment to fostering Jewish leadership is exemplified by the first cohort of the annual Matanel Fellowship for Global Jewish Leadership. This program, spearheaded by Hillel Israel in partnership with Hillel International and the Matanel Foundation, brings together Jewish students from Israel, North America, and Europe for a year-long course of study designed to build international friendships and leadership.
“Over the course of this year, I have been engaged with the beauty and complexity of pluralistic Judaism,” said Gilad Schonberger, a second-year industrial engineering and management student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a member of the inaugural cohort. “This fellowship isn’t just a moment. It is a mirror. It reflects back the kind of leader I want to be, the kind of community I want to help build, and the kind of Jewish future I want to be a part of.”
Launched in January 2025, the inaugural cohort included 15 participants, five each from Israel, the United States, and Poland. Hillel professionals nominated students from their home countries to apply for the fellowship, which included a mix of online, in-person, and project-based learning.
Over the course of the year, Fellows participated in eight online learning sessions that covered Jewish identity, pluralism, and peoplehood; social and demographic trends of Jewish communities; and Jewish texts and traditions. Facilitated by inspiring speakers, each session placed an emphasis on building skills and knowledge while creating a safe space for healthy conversations and disagreements.
“Matanel Fellowship is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a transformative experience that blends personal growth with meaningful engagement in the Jewish world,” said Hillel Poland Fellow Katarzyna. “It’s not just about learning – it’s about connecting with passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to making a positive impact.”
In May, the cohort came together for an in-person Shabbaton in Budapest, one of Eastern Europe’s largest Jewish communities, with a rich, vast history of Jewish peoplehood. In addition to Shabbat programming and plenty of time to deepen relationships, students took a tour of the city, and focused on the ways that Jewish memory is told and retold through narratives and traditions. Students also spoke about the importance of remembering the past both as a series of facts and a collection of memories and emotions to be shared.
One of the key components of the Fellowship was a participant’s final project, designed to reflect their learning throughout the year. These projects could be proposals for programs, essays, visual art, poetry, or any other form of media, as long as they answered two key questions:
- What is one challenge that you see within the global Jewish community and what is your vision for resolving this challenge?
- What role do you foresee for yourself within that resolution?
“[The Fellowship] is an opportunity to grapple with what global Jewish peoplehood means and… learn more about your own story from a new perspective,” shared Yakira, one of the fellows from Hillel Israel.
Explore the Fellows’ Final Projects
Anna Birman: Becoming the Link: Living L’Dor va’Dor (from Generation to Generation)
Empowering middle school and early high school students with the confidence and knowledge they need to move through the Jewish world with confidence.
Jan Cichońsk: After October 7: Voices of the Diaspora — Reflections, Challenges, and the Future
Researching reflections from people throughout the Jewish community of Poland to learn how their lives and worldviews have changed since October 7th.
Gabriela Markin: Unorthodox: Everyday Jewish
Exploring the diverse ways in which young Jews in Poland live their Jewishness today through a short documentary.
Tsuf Oron: Jewish Identity in a Secular World: A Personal and Visual Exploration
Making Jewish identity more accessible and personal through a photo exhibit highlighting Jewish holidays, rituals, and symbols.
“[Our participants’] final projects reflect their journey and embody our guiding principle: ‘Learn with one another, about one another, and from one another,’” said Noga Brenner Samia, CEO of Hillel Israel. “I couldn’t be prouder of this first cohort of Matanel Fellows. Their words leave me deeply optimistic — the Jewish people are in good hands, with good hearts, and good minds.”
Esti Palmer, associate director of immersive experiences at Hillel International, wholeheartedly agreed. “This fellowship reignited my motivation to create more opportunities for people to strengthen their connection to their own Jewish story and to the colorful tapestry of our global Jewish community,” she said. “Thank you to our fellows for teaching me what it means to be authentically generous with your passion, your creativity, and your unique Jewish story.”
To the members of the inaugural cohort: Serdeczne gratulacje! Mazal tov! Congratulations! We can’t wait to see your leadership in action.