The Fellowship for Emerging Leaders

Black and Jewish communities have vibrant histories, including a vibrant history of Black Jews in the United States and around the world. These communities have often been seen as natural allies in social movements; they are both targeted by white supremacist ideologies that view them as a threat to the desired social order. And yet, these communities have often faced tensions as well, which tend to minimize or erase the experience of Black Jews and pit one minority population against another. The Fellowship for Emerging Leaders seeks to build a cohort that is ready to explore these communities with nuance, debunk simple narratives, and ask important and difficult questions about what’s needed from solidarity efforts in our current fraught political environment. 

The Fellowship is open to Philadelphia-area high school students who will be in 10th-12th grade during the Fellowship year (October 2026-May 2027). 

Any student who meets these criteria, is ready to commit to the program experiences, and is interested in exploring Black and Jewish communities is welcome to apply. 

The Fellowship was started by Gratz College. The cohort will be led by expert facilitators from Black and Jewish communities, and fellows will also benefit from relationships with Gratz staff and faculty and numerous outside experts, speakers, and program partners. 

Most cohort gatherings will take place at Gratz College’s Bala Cynwyd campus in Lower Merion. Some gatherings will also take place at museums, houses of worship, and other sites throughout the Philadelphia area. 

The cohort will meet for two weekend-long retreats (one in October and one in February). They will also gather for Sunday afternoon sessions (2pm-7:30pm) 1-2 times per month. 

Sunday Program Dates: 

October 25
November 15
December 6
January 10
Jan 24
Feb 28
March 14
April 4
April 18
May 2

Retreat Dates:

Indigenous People’s Day Weekend: October 9-11
Presidents’ Day Weekend: Feb 12-15

Sunday afternoon programs will include guest speaker presentations, visits to Philadelphia-area museums and cultural institutions, interactive learning and dialogue sessions, and leadership skills training. Sessions will end with dinner and an opportunity for community-building and discussion. 

Programming will include opportunities for the cohort to engage in one another’s faith traditions. Program staff will also work with participants to meet religious observance needs. We encourage you to reach out if you have particular questions! 

No! The Fellowship for Emerging Leaders is offered free of charge. 

Prospective participants should fill out the application no later than May 1, 2025.