Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture
The Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture aims to promote a rich and diverse, deep and connecting Jewish culture that will impact the future of Israeli society and the Jewish people.
Program FormatOne day a week and five two-day seminars
DurationOne academic year
Israeli society is deeply polarized, divided between different tribes and ideas about the identity of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. The key challenges within Israeli society and politics are rooted in core questions relating to different traditions and cultures within the Jewish world and to the relationship between Jewish culture and other cultures. The growth and development of a rich, diverse, deep and thriving Jewish-Israeli culture constitutes an essential foundation for the future of Israel and its residents—both Jewish and non- Jewish—and for the Jewish world as a whole.
The Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture invests in prominent and experienced cultural entrepreneurs from diverse communities in Israel and from diverse fields of art and culture, including theater, plastic arts, dance, music, literature, journalism and more. They are leaders in their fields who are committed to enriching Jewish culture in Israel, based on a sense of responsibility toward all population groups in the country and who are interested in learning alongside peers with different worldviews and professional backgrounds. The program views the rich diversity of Jewish culture and the disagreements between different communities as assets for improving life in Israel and not just a challenge that threatens the integrity and strength of Israeli society.
Course of Studies
The program includes in-depth study of theories relating to culture, different conceptions of leadership in Jewish culture in different communities and canonical Jewish texts that have been at the core of Hebrew and Jewish culture over the generations. Fellows examine and analyze contemporary Israeli culture from a range of perspectives via intensive study processes—both as a group and individually—that include workshops, seminars and practical projects that they develop collaboratively with one another. The program aims to create a shared professional language and strong interpersonal relationships, so that the fellows will be able to work together and individually to address the challenges facing Israeli society and create opportunities for it to flourish and thrive.
Impact in the Field
The 150 graduates of the program are part of an active network of fellows and graduates working to promote Jewish culture in Israeli society and to enrich Jewish life in Israel. Together, they promote innovation and form partnerships that transcend sectors and communities.
Program graduates hold key positions in Israeli society. Examples include:
A playwright and translator of plays for Israel’s leading theater companies
A New York Times photographer in Israel, who was awarded the UNICEF Prize for Journalism
A radio broadcaster who presents the leading news show in Israel
Spotlight
Key Events and Publications of the Program
About the Institute
The Mandel Leadership Institute believes that vision-driven leadership, grounded in a broad and deeply rooted worldview, has the potential to contribute greatly to the flourishing of Israeli society, inspired by the values of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Our fellows are people with proven leadership experience from the fields of education, culture, and society, from the public sector and civil society, from the IDF and the Haredi community, and from all regions and communities in Israel. Graduates of the Institute hold key positions in Israeli society and work to advance a just, inclusive, compassionate and democratic Israel.