Earlier this week I spoke with three young American Jews who just finished an intense year of learning and activism in Israel/Palestine on the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship, which I oversee.
For many in our community, the question of how rising generations of American Jews will relate to Israel is incredibly fraught. Successive right-wing Netanyahu governments and the current war of annihilation on Gaza have presented an image of Israel defined by militarism and authoritarianism, not the progressive values with which many of us were raised. It’s no wonder that some of my peers have chosen to check out of the Israel conversation, or attempt to severe their ties with the place altogether.
But the Jewish activists who inspire me most—and who I believe represent our movement’s future—are those deeply committed young people who choose to stay in the struggle by actually going to Israel/Palestine in order to learn and take action on the ground, led by Israeli and Palestinian civil society leaders.
One of the most sought-after paths for this work is the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship, which for 27 years has sent post-college Americans for 10 months to work with New Israel Fund grantees and contribute directly to the struggle for equality and justice.
The latest cohort just finished their year, which was especially challenging due to the war on Gaza and regional escalation. I’m excited to offer you the chance to hear directly from Fellows Dikla Taylor-Sheinman, Nona Golan, and Elisheva Malomet and learn what they did at their placement organizations (+972 Magazine, Adva Center, and Rabbis for Human Rights), what motivated them, and how they’ve grown through the experience.
After you watch the recording, please feel free to share your feedback. I host a lot of public events for my job as Young Leadership & Education Director at NIF, but not many webinars, so I welcome constructive comments.
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