What is the future of Jewish education? Who is the future leadership?

ATID has been established in order to enable talented men and women, young professionals from all fields, who have a rich background in Torah study, to develop the tools to make informed decisions about the education of the next generations. We have established ATID to help shape and develop the future of educational leadership in our community.

These future leaders and visionaries will be the teachers and builders of educational institutions, members of the boards of directors, and the forces in setting the educational agenda within the Jewish community in Israel and abroad.

ATID deals with problems in the philosophy of education, and education in an ideologically charged Jewish world. We expose our participants to the critical problems in education-all the while endeavoring to create a meaningful dialogue and serious inquiry between the participants and our staff.

In the coming academic year the ATID Fellowship will again be comprised of a select number of people who have shown early promise of taking a role in educational leadership. Fellows are generally in the first 5-10 years of their professional life, and have at least a BA (or equivalent). The fellowship is awarded for two consecutive academic years, and the academic program runs from September-June (inclusive). The major components of the program include:

Group Meetings on Critical Issues Facing Jewish Education

Meetings take place on alternate Monday evenings* (7:00-9:00 PM) focusing on the dynamics of education in the Modern Orthodox community. Occasional meetings with outstanding personalities in Jewish education and leadership take place within this framework as well. Facilitated by a member of the ATID faculty, the sessions are an opportunity for the Fellows to “process” the many stimuli presented by the program as well as those from their professional experiences. Fellows submit written statements or position papers in advance of each session (distributed by e-mail), which serve as the basis for setting the agenda. [* Day of week subject to change.]

Individual/Group Research Project

Each Fellow, together with a team of colleagues, is assigned a senior mentor. This group embarks upon research associated with a specific issue within Jewish education to which ATID is committed. The projects, which will conceivably take many different forms, bridge the gaps between the underlying theories and the world of practice. Each group meets on alternate Fridays (between 9:00 and 11:30 AM). In addition, there are occasional meetings between the Fellow and the mentor to address issues specific to his or her work and the Fellow’s specific area of responsibility within the team. In the second year of the fellowship, Fellows may request to work on an independent project with a mentor. Although research topics must meet the approval of the faculty, Fellows will be given broad latitude to explore areas of inquiry, given that they can demonstrate the importance to themselves and the community.

Mentorships

Each Fellow is paired with a senior educator who serves as mentor to the individual or team research project, but who also serves as a resource and guide as the Fellow processes the content of the program in-toto to his or her own personal and professional life. Through relationships that are established, we provide a meaningful, growth-oriented partnership which (on one level) expands the participant’s level of professional contacts, and (on a deeper level) provides the mentoring which is necessary for bringing a young professional into contact with the deep, significant thinking that is necessary for the personal growth that the participants experience. The senior educators guide the Fellows as they enter state-of-the-art practices and thinking, and will remain partners and colleagues with the Fellows throughout their careers.

Preference will be given to applicants who wish to use the fellowship as an opportunity to launch new initiatives in Jewish education—in Israel or the Diaspora.

Each Fellow will receive a yearly stipend of $3,500 (US), for two consecutive years.

Fluency in Hebrew and English necessary. Fellows must have daily access to the Internet and e-mail.

ATID is an independent, privately funded institution which aims to foster new and significant thought on the crucial issues facing Jewish education among future leaders in the field-students, young educators, and other professionals who will serve as lay leadership. ATID is partially funded by Keren Chaim ve-Chesed, TEI-Torah Education in Israel, Keren Keshet, Legacy Heritage Fund and through the generosity of private donors.

If you are interested in receiving an application, please send an updated CV by email to apply@atid.org or by fax to 02-567-1723. Qualified individuals will be invited to complete the application process. Please be certain to indicate your contact information and date of birth.
It is the responsibilty of the applicant to confirm that the CV and all subsequent application materials have been received by our office.

Deadline: April 23, 2009. Consideration will be given to complete applications received in advance of the deadline.

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