For Emerging Jewish Leaders Hiddush: Beit Midrash Fellowship

Frequently Asked Questions

At Hebrew College, we believe that the flourishing of the North American Jewish community depends on compelling rabbinic leadership. We seek to cultivate future rabbis who root themselves in a love of Torah and Jewish life, a longing to be of service, a striving for intellectual and spiritual honesty and depth, and a humble appreciation for what we can learn with and from one another when we listen with open hearts and minds.

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What is the goal of the Hiddush fellowship?

The Hiddush Fellowship will assemble a cohort of 40-50 Jewish college students and recent graduates for a year of learning, mentorship, and spiritual development. Our hope is this will lay the groundwork for participants to pursue the rabbinate or another Jewish professional path. While our broad ambition is to cultivate interest in the rabbinate, our goal is to facilitate a year of meaningful Jewish experiences for a community of passionate and intellectually curious young Jews. Fellows will be under no obligation other than to make the most of their time in the fellowship.

What sort of applicants are you looking for?

Hebrew College rabbinical students are all ages, all genders, and come to us from all walks of life. No two “ideal” rabbinical students look alike, and the same applies for Hiddush applicants. We want to assemble a cohort that reflects the diversity of American Jewish expression: fellows who have a rich background in Jewish study and practice and fellows who are entirely new to Jewish study but want to dive in with curiosity and an open mind; fellows who have a cultivated Jewish practice and fellows who are coming to do things for the first time.

If you are inspired by Judaism’s rich tradition of text study, if you are motivated to imagine new modes of Jewish expression for our time, if you are stirred to action by Judaism’s prophetic call for justice, if you feel deep in your soul that you are an inheritor of something urgent and profound that you have not yet found time to explore deeply, this fellowship is for you. We hope you will apply.

What will the fellowship entail?

Applications for the Hiddush Fellowship are open for rolling admissions, with a goal of finalizing the cohort shortly after “the busy season”, the second half of October. We strongly encourage applicants to apply sooner rather than later.

The fellowship will run for the 2026 calendar year and include the following:

• Online havruta learning — We believe all learning begins in relationship. Fellows will be paired for ongoing havruta (partnered) study over the course of the year. The full cohort will gather monthly via Zoom for a 90 minute session led by faculty both from Hebrew College and beyond, responding to the overarching question, “What Torah do you hope future Jewish leaders are engaging with today?” No prior text study experience is required.
• Immersive retreat — Fellows will gather at Hebrew College from March 5-9, 2026, for an immersive, holistic taste of Rabbinical School — including beit midrash, tefillah, community building, and Shabbat. The retreat will focus on themes of rupture and belonging in the Jewish community. Each day of the retreat fellows will study traditional sources in havruta; hear inspiring teachers; engage in discussion of contemporary issues in the Jewish world; take part in soulful prayer; and deepen their connections in community. Participation in this retreat is mandatory for all fellows.
• Personal mentorship — Fellowship participants will receive one-on-one mentorship from highly regarded rabbis in the field. Each fellowship participant will receive three coaching sessions with active (or recently retired) rabbis who are skilled mentors/coaches and exemplary leaders.

How do I apply?

The Hiddush Fellowship is by nomination only. Candidates who have been nominated by a rabbi or other Jewish leader are invited to apply for the Hiddush Fellowship by filling out this form.

If you are interested in the program and have not yet been nominated – there is still an opportunity to join the program – please reach out to Rabbi Gita Karasov, Dean of Admissions at [email protected].

Why now?

In recent decades, the number of students entering non-Orthodox rabbinical schools has precipitously declined. “The demand for rabbis nationwide exceeds supply, as baby boomers are retiring and others are leaving because of burnout,” reported the Jewish Journal last summer. The pandemic only exacerbated this trend, with many seminaries seeing sharp drops in enrollment. With fewer young people pursuing the rabbinate, the Jewish community in North America faces an oncoming shortage of qualified Jewish leaders to meet its needs.

While Hebrew College continues to flourish with a growing enrollment, we want to do what we can to increase the overall size and quality of the upcoming generation of rabbis and Jewish leaders. Based on our work with applicants, students, and alumni over the last 20 years, we believe that proactive outreach is essential to attracting talented young people with potential for excellent rabbinic leadership.

Rabbis play a central role in sustaining Jewish communities, providing spiritual guidance, and transmitting Jewish wisdom to new generations. This fellowship will focus on cultivating the creativity, intellectual curiosity, and relational leadership that are necessary for successful rabbis as well as many other professional paths.