Scene from Tamar and Arzenu Young Adult Seminar, November 2019

[FRANCE] When Leadership is From the Heart: Tamar and ARZENU Young Leadership Seminar

More than 60 young adults from the global Progressive movement from 14 countries came together for a weekend of learning, networking, sharing and growing together in Marseilles, France. The seminar was sponsored by both the WZO and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, Arzenu and Tamar Olami. We were generously hosted by Union Liberale Israelite de France (ULIF), Communite de Marseille for our opening event on Thursday evening, where we enjoyed a meal, and some TED Talks about innovation, political homelessness and veganism in Israel.

Netzer Tamar Shabbaton for Progressive Young Adults in Israel, April 2019

[ISRAEL] Progressive Shabbaton Connects and Inspires Young Adults in Israel

Over the past weekend, Netzer Olami hosted an educational Shabbaton at the Ruth Daniel Residence in Jaffa for Progressive young adults who are participating in various long-term programs in Israel. The seminar explored Progressive Judaism through workshops on: spirituality, Tikkum olam and activism, and Jewish culture and community. Close to 40 participants joined us, representing […]

Klal Yisrael Fellowship Visits ULIF in Paris March 2019

[FRANCE] Klal Yisrael Cohort 5 Explores Progressive Judaism in Paris

On March 3 – 10, 2019, the  Klal Yisrael Fellowship Cohort 5 came together in Paris, France for the second seminar of their fellowship year. The Klal Yisrael Fellowship program is a program of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in collaboration with the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), and the Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism (IMPJ). Klal Yisrael is enabled by a generous grant from Betty and Arthur Roswell.  Participants, ages 21-30, meet for three seminars over the course of ten months – in Israel, North America and Europe – to collaborate and develop their capacity to impact an area of Jewish life that is important to them.

Scene from Netzer Summer Camp in the FSU, 2018

Taking Their Seat at the Table

As a Roswell Klal Yisrael Fellow in 2016-17, Lily Jendroska spent the year networking with other young adult leaders, training in Jewish communal leadership, and developing a project for young adult engagement in her home country of Germany.

Netzer Leadership at Veida Protest Deportation of Refugees from Israel in Tel Aviv, March 2018

[Israel] Making Their Voice Heard, Dayenu: Reform Young Leadership Takes a Stand

The March 24 March for Our Lives coincided with the annual international Netzer Leaders Assemby (Veida), sponsored by ARZENU, KKL and WZO, where teen delegates from over 14 countries gathered to discuss the future of the Progressive Youth Movement. This year’s conference focused on Tikkun olam: As Reform Jews, does it require action or is […]

The Future of Progressive Jewish Leadership

My connection to the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) began in the summer of 2010. As a camper at URJ Kutz Camp, I shared a cabin with campers from Israel and South Africa, and I learned from them and other international campers about their experiences growing up in Netzer, the international Reform Zionist youth […]

Reflecting on Twenty Years of Directing Netzer Olami and Tamar

In the summer of 1994, I set out for North America with my wife and two children as a shaliach (emissary) to the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), the North American branch of the Reform youth movement. My service in the U.S. was cut short due to my wife Tikva’s cancer diagnosis, but […]