FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                             October 20, 2009
Contact: Robin Metalitz
202-408-1423; robin@jufj.org

JEWS UNITED FOR JUSTICE WELCOMES JEREMIAH FELLOWS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES

A high school History teacher who helped community gardeners gain land to grow on.  A former volunteer coordinator for Amnesty International who is now a writer.  An executive director of a national nonprofit.  A former journalist who now works at a think tank.  A fisheries biologist who loves poker and Torah.  All of them dedicated to spending the next nine months gaining the skills and tools they will need to be part of the next generation of Jewish social justice leaders.  These are just some examples of the broad range ofexperiences and interests the first DC-based class of Jeremiah Fellows brings to the mix.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated, hardworking, and interesting group of young adults," said Rabbi Elizabeth Richman, Program Director and Rabbi in Residence for Jews United for Justice, which will be running the Fellowship program.  "The caliber of the applications we received speaks very highly of the drive and commitment to justice in this generation of emerging leaders."

The Jeremiah Fellowship will educate and train a select cohort of young adults to become the next generation of Jewish social justice change makers. Jews United for Justice is proud to partner with the Progressive Jewish Alliance in bringing this exciting program to Washington.

During the nine-month course, Fellows will come together twice monthly to discuss different models of putting ethics and values into action, for intimate conversations with leaders in the Washington Jewish and social justice worlds, and for intensive study of Jewish history and texts. Two Fellowship retreats during this year will offer in-depth training in practical professional and leadership skills, study of Jewish tradition and history, and intensive community-building activities.

Participants leave the Fellowship with concrete skills in community organizing, activism, and grassroots fundraising, and prepared to step into volunteer and professional leadership roles in Jewish and social justice organizations across the region.

Full biographies of Jeremiah Fellows available upon request.

Local funding for The Jeremiah Fellowship in Washington has been provided by a generous grant from the United Jewish Endowment Fund.  National Funding has been provided by Progressive Jewish Alliance through the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Family Foundation, the Richard S. and Lois Gunther Family Foundation, Jewish Funds for Justice, and the Ruth/Allen Ziegler  Foundation.

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