After a year-long hiatus, the Mandel Jerusalem Fellows program is re-opening with a new cohort of exceptional leaders. The Mandel Leadership Institute’s longest-running program has been reconstituted to provide a year-long learning experience for fellows to reflect on their professional practice, to challenge and refine their conceptions of Jewish life and engagement, and to develop a well-grounded vision to implement in the next phase of their careers.

The select group of fellows for the 2008-9 year includes:

Wendy Amsellem, Director of the Dr. Beth Samuels High School Program at the Drisha Institute
Rabbi Serena Eisenberg, Executive Director of the Brown-RISD Hillel Foundation
Amichai Lau-Lavie, Founding Executive and Artistic Director of Storahtelling, Inc.
Rabbi Miriam Margles, Associate Rabbi of Kehillat Lev Shalem, The Woodstock Jewish Congregation
Esti Moskovitz-Kalman, Director of Education at MAKOM – Israel Engagement Network

Last academic year, for the first time in 26 years, the Mandel Leadership Institute (MLI) made a strategic decision not to run the Jerusalem Fellows program.  MLI staff spent 2007-2008 engaged in the same reflective practice it teaches its fellows.  After a survey of tens of educators and communal professionals from around the world and reflection on the curriculum, MLI has reformulated the program to reflect the current needs of emerging leaders of Jewish education and communal life. 

Similar to previous years, fellows will study educational philosophy and psychology, policy studies, and Jewish texts.  In addition, the fellows will each work on developing the conceptual framework of an individual project.  Each project will address a real need in Jewish education around the world, including youth philanthropy, informal education, the connection between American and Israeli Jews, and women in leadership positions.  This year, for the first time, most classes will be run in English.  Upon the completion of the program, fellows will return to work in the field of Jewish education for a minimum of three years. 

Biographies of 2008-9 Mandel Jerusalem Fellows

Wendy Amsellem is Director of the Dr. Beth Samuels High School Program and an alumna of the Drisha Scholars Circle. She is pursuing a PhD in Judaic Studies at New York University and has a BA in History and Literature from Harvard University. She has received a Wexner Graduate Fellowship and has taught at Meah and at the Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning.

Serena Eisenberg recently stepped down as Associate Chaplain of Brown University and as the Executive Director of the Brown-RISD Hillel.  Previously, at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment of San Francisco, she developed a youth philanthropy program and served as the interim director of the Israel and Overseas Department.   Serena graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2002, where she studied as a Wexner Graduate Fellow.  Previously, she worked for over a decade in the field of family welfare, with an MSW/JD from the University of California at Berkeley.  Serena and her husband Yaron are the parents of five sons, ages 5 - 24.

Amichai Lau-Lavie is an Israeli born Jewish educator and performing artist. Since 1999 he has served as the Founding Executive Director of Storahtelling, a New York based educational company providing access to Judaic literacy through arts and media for new generations.  In addition to studying at the State University of New York in New York City, he has studied intensively at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshiva Ein Tzurim, the Shalom Hartman Institute, and the Elul Center for Interdisciplinary Jewish Studies.  Previously, Amichai worked as the scholar-in-residence at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in NYC, was the Educational Director of "MEETS" Summer Programs at Melitz, and taught at Elul. The NY Jewish Week recently dubbed him "one of the most interesting thinkers in the Jewish World today."

Miriam Margles, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, has been serving as the Associate Rabbi at Kehillat Lev Shalem, the Woodstock Jewish Congregation.  Integrating Jewish learning, social justice and creative exploration in music, movement and writing, Miriam has facilitated workshops with various populations, including hospital patients, prison inmates, Israeli agunot, and adults and young people of all ages.  She is co-founder of Encounter, engaging American Jewish leaders in face-to-face encounters with Palestinians.  She has also worked with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, TOVA - Artistic Projects for Social Change, and The Nesiya Institute.  Miriam earned a Master's degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in creative writing from York University in Toronto.  She is also a composer of original liturgical music.

Esti Moskovitz-Kalman holds an MA in Organizational Studies from Hebrew University and a BA in Psychology from Bar Ilan.  Currently, she is the Director of Education at MAKOM – Israel Engagement Network.  She has also worked as a Senior Consultant for the Center for Jewish Education in Baltimore and in a number of capacities at Melitz.