A total of 700 Jewish teens from 32 communities in seven countries completed a life-changing seminar in Israel as part of a year-long Diller Teen Fellowship, an immersive leadership program for teenagers from across the world.
The three-week program included a Shabbaton retreat, a “Community Week” and a “Global Congress” with all 700 teens (including 350 international Fellows gathering with 350 Israeli Fellows) for a period of cultural exchange, exploration of Jewish peoplehood and shared community-service projects.
Each Diaspora community has an Israeli partner community, including Upper Galilee, Ashkelon, Rishon Letzion, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheva/B’nei Shimon, Karmiel/Misgav, Eilat/Eilot, Yerucham, Kiryat Gat/Lachish/Shafir, Beit Shemesh/Mateh Yehudah, Golan, Shoham, Hof Hasharon, Herzliya and Mate’ Asher.
Participants are self-identified Jewish 10th- and 11th-graders selected for their leadership potential. They become part of the program’s international network of Jewish leaders. Today, there are more than 6,500 Diller alumni worldwide.
Throughout the yearlong fellowship, all 700 teens participate in local workshops (mifgashim in Hebrew), where they learn about the diversity of their local Jewish community and peers; hands-on opportunities to lead tikkun olam initiatives, where they learn to lead through a Jewish lens; local weekend retreats (Shabbatonim), where they experience Jewish pluralism; and active partnership connections between Israeli and Diaspora communities.
