The Leibel Fein and Nomi Fein, Rabbi Richard J. Israel, and Jay E. Orlin Social Justice Fellowships (2025-26)

Fellows spend four days per week working on the front lines of social change in Israel at a premiere Israeli social change organization. In addition to monthly seminars, fellows will learn about coalition and movement building from experts from Shatil, NIF’s capacity building center and action arm in Israel. The program includes periodic site visits designed to develop fellows’ understanding of a diverse set of issues at the center of Israeli social justice activism and of fellows’ own role as activists and allies both in Israel and at home.

Upon acceptance to the program, fellows will identify the issue they would like to spend the year working on. The fellowship program coordinator in Israel will work with each fellow to find an appropriate placement.

About the Social Justice Fellowships

The Social Justice Fellowships were founded by Leibel Fein, considered by many (including NIF’s CEO Daniel Sokatch in his moving tribute upon Leibel’s passing) “father of the Jewish social justice movement.” Leibel was truly an inspiration to many and a one-man incubator of many ideas that have now become commonplace in the progressive Jewish world. Yet the initial impetus for the founding of the fellowships was a personal tragedy: the sudden death of his daughter Nomi Fein at the age of 30. It is characteristic of Leibel that he reacted to his daughter’s passing with the impulse to launch the fellowship and inspire others to social justice.

Additional Social Justice Fellowships were created to honor the life and memory of Rabbi Richard J. Israel and Jay E. Orlin. NIF-Canada has also sponsored fellows although there will not be a Canadian fellow in 2019-2020.

The goals of the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship are to:

• provide a meaningful Fellowship experience for highly qualified Fellows;
• enhance the capacity of Israeli civil society organizations on the frontline of the fight for democracy; and
• grow the New Israel Fund network of support in the US.

Fellows are expected to participate in program activities for the full 10 months duration of the fellowship program to remain in good standing. When fellows return from Israel, NIF may request fellows to make presentations on behalf of NIF/Shatil.

Seminars

Over the course of the fellowship year, NIF/Shatil Social Justice fellows are expected to participate in periodic seminars and site visits. Developed in collaboration with activists and educators from Shatil and Solidarity of Nations – Achvat Amim, seminars will afford fellows the oppurtunity to encounter the NGOs working on the front lines of social change and with Palestinian and Israeli activists.The Social Justice Fellowship will equip fellows with an understanding of the assaults on Israeli democracy and of the grassroots movements fighting for a progressive alternative for Israel.

Seminars offer fellows an oppurtunity to forge relationships with leading Israeli and Palestinian social activists and learn how various human rights and social justice struggles intersect. Past fellows have met with Mizrahi activists fighting racism against their community. Fellows have met with Palestinians in the West Bank to hear directly about their experiences living under occupation and with Israeli human rights organizations working to end it. Over the course of the year, fellows will delve into diverse issues, like the struggle for the rights of African asylum seekers, for public housing and against gentrification. Site visits allow fellows to appreciate up-close complex and dynamic issues, such as inequities in East Jerusalem and unrecognized Bedouin villages.

Relationship with Social Change Organizations

Fellows will be placed within social change organizations in Israel as a means of strengthening the capacity of these social change organizations. Organizations rely on fellows for taking on roles that are important to their individual social justice missions. NIF expects fellows treat their responsibilities with seriousness and fulfill them in full, in accordance with the Fellowship outline and agreement, which they will sign upon commencement of the program in Israel.

Application

A completed online application must include:

• Resume
• Two Essays
• A letter of recommendation (academic or professional) 

The fellowship application requires a resume and a written letter of recommendation, submitted via the online application.

If you have any questions, please contact us at fellowships@nif.org.

Fellows on the NIF/Shatil Social Justice Fellowship will be fully integrated in Israeli NGOs so successful applicants should have strong Hebrew language skills or proficiency in Arabic. If you are unsure if your language skills are adequate, please contact fellowships@nif.org. 

Timeline: 

NIF will contact qualified applicants with offers for interviews in early April. We plan to notify applicants of final decisions regarding the fellowships by May 1.