Fellowship for Rabbinic Innovation

Applications are currently closed. Click here to be the first to find out when the next applications launch.

We invite talented rabbis and clergy who received ordination or graduated from seminary with at least eight years experience in the field to apply for the next cohort. Read on for background, eligibility and application instructions.

 The Fellowship for Rabbinic Innovation (FRI) is a one-year fellowship for mid-career clergy of all denominations who have at least eight years of field experience, who plan to serve in the field for at least seven more years, and who seek to build the communities they wish to serve.

Fellows are launching or expanding new, independent initiatives or communities, or seeking to expand the reach of legacy institutions.  Through a yearlong practicum and didactic seminars with Atra’s faculty, staff, and invited experts, fellows learn the critical skills to design, develop, and scale new Jewish community projects.

The Fellowship for Rabbinic Entrepreneurs is a project of Atra: Center for Rabbinic Innovation.

Over the course of the year, Fellows will seek to build new forms of Jewish community, and to consider new business models and revenue streams for such projects. As a natural course, Fellows’ community-building projects as originally conceived will likely change, transform, or deepen through the applied learning of the program. Fellows receive in-depth training in the principles, practices, and approaches necessary for innovative, entrepreneurial community-building. With mentoring, coaching, and peer support, fellows create, pitch, launch, and grow their ventures. Fellows will receive a $10,000 stipend, will be eligible to apply for modest seed funding, and will be given guidance as they seek revenue streams and pitch to external funders for their projects. 


Through its two flagship Fellowship programs, Atra: Center for Rabbinic Innovation has trained over 59 Jewish clergy in the past 8 years. These clergy have gone on to lead or start new communities and projects across the country. Beginning in 2020, we invited Rabbinic Intrapreneurs - those who are working within existing institutions - to participate in the program as well, provided their projects serve new populations in new ways, and do not have an expectation that these people will become “members” of their current institutions.

 The Commitment 

Fellows commit to attending two in-person seminars (October 2023 and June 2024), a virtual one-day seminar in January 2024, recurring virtual workshops, and individualized coaching. The anticipated schedule in further detail can be found at the end of this page.

Fellows additionally commit to participating fully and open-heartedly as part of a diverse pluralistic cohort of clergy. All will be encouraged to use both their minds and hearts — their intellect and personal experience — in our work together. Fellows are expected to dedicate significant time and energy towards completing guided projects that further their initiative.

Fellows are eligible for a $10,000 stipend. All costs associated with participation are fully subsidized by Atra: Center for Rabbinic Innovation, made possible through the generous support of our donors. 

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be ordained or invested by a seminary or yeshiva, or have an advanced academic degree in rabbinics. 

  • Applicants must have completed at least eight years of service since ordination/graduation, and expect to serve for at least seven more years in the field.

  • All applicants must have conceived of a project in its early stages, and/or have a clearly defined target audience. Clergy who are new to leading an already existing start-up community or project should email Brittany at brittany@ooi.us before applying to confirm whether they are eligible candidates. 

  • Projects must work to form relationship-driven Jewish community 

    • For Intrapreneurial Fellows: with a population not currently served by the parent institution

  • Additionally, Intrepreneurial Fellows must have:

    • A salaried position at an existing institution under whose auspices they will launch their project

    • Support of supervisor and key stakeholder(s) including commitment to the hours spent creating and developing the program, and attending at least 1 meeting with Fellow and Rabbi Shira Koch Epstein

    • A commitment of $2,500 in institutional resources towards the project

How to Apply

We invite talented rabbis and clergy with at least 8 years of experience in the field to apply for the third cohort of the Fellowship for Rabbinic Innovation.

  • Priority Application deadline: April 4, 2023

  • Final Application deadline: May 4, 2023

    • Virtual Interviews: April 27 - May 19, 2023

    • Offers Extended: June 2023

    • Virtual Orientation: August 2023

    • Program Kickoff: October 2023

Steps I and II must be completed by May 4.

Atra: Center for Rabbinic Innovation is committed to making reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities or extenuating needs. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in this application or interview process, please contact Brittany Kahn to discuss.

Select applicants will be invited to advance to a second round interview, which will be conducted via video call.

Step I: Online application: The first step is to complete an online application form with a few short essays. The mid-career FRI application can be accessed at this link.

Step II: Virtual Interview: At the end of the application form, you will be directed to another site for the virtual interview with pre-recorded interview questions. You will be asked to prepare and record yourself answering these questions in the time allotted. You can complete this step immediately, or save it for later, as the link will also be provided in the post-application email you receive. Please email Brittany Kahn if you are not able to find the link to the video interview. You will not be able to complete this step until you have done the written application in Jotform. 

Schedule and Expected Dates, 2023-2024

Applicants should take note of the following expected seminar dates. In-person events are subject to safety precautions as we continue to monitor and adjust to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Virtual Orientation: Monday, August 28

Kickoff Seminar: Monday, October 23 - Wednesday, October 25, location TBA

Mid-year Seminar: Monday, January 22, virtual

Closing Seminar: Monday, June 3 to Wednesday, June 5, in-person, location TBA

Workshops: Will take place on Monday evenings (ET), virtual. Dates and times here.

Coaching: One to two hours per month, scheduled by Coaches and Fellows independently

 Fellowship Alumni