Launching Early 2026

Maimonides Jewish Leadership Institute

Cultivating the next generation of Jewish leaders.

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Our immersive year-long program is designed to empower rising leaders across industries to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish people today.

Program Overview

Join a New Generation of Leaders Shaping Jewish Thought and Public Life

The Maimonides Jewish Leadership Institute (MJLI) is developed in collaboration with and led by Rabbi David Wolpe and Dr. Mijal Bitton, Scholars in Residence at Maimonides Fund. MJLI delivers a masterclass in Jewish thought, history, and tradition—tailored for high-achieving professionals eager to explore Jewish ideas in a meaningful, dynamic, and relevant way.

Participants learn from some of the sharpest contemporary thinkers and educators in a fully pluralistic environment, diving deeply into the Jewish experience past and present. Whether they hold public platforms,serve on boards of philanthropic initiatives, represent Jewish interests in the workplace, or are looked to as voices among peers, MJLI strengthens their understanding and connects them to a community of outstanding leaders.

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What Participants Can Expect

Opening and closing retreats in the U.S. focused on foundational Jewish ideas and the most pressing issues in contemporary Jewish life

A week-long immersive trip to Israel, with access to leading thinkers, innovators, and changemakers

5–6 in-person evening learning sessions with a small cohort of peers

A rich, curated curriculum taught by preeminent scholars and the opportunity to actively engage with Jewish texts alongside other lifelong learners

Long-term connection to the Maimonides Fund network and a cohort of diverse, values-driven peers

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Program Structure

Year-Long Cohort Experience (Early 2026–Early 2027)

  • Winter 2026: Opening retreat (U.S.)
  • Spring 2026: Evening cohort learning sessions begin
  • Summer or Fall 2026: Week-long Israel experience
  • Throughout the Year: Ongoing seminars, cohort engagement, and curated learning
  • EARLY 2027: Closing retreat and long-term network onboarding

Participant Qualifications

MJLI Fellows are:

  • Admired and inspiring leaders in their fields
  • Ambitious, curious, and values-driven
  • In their 30s–50s, representing sectors such as technology, business, arts and culture, law, government, education, medicine, media, and more
  • Proud of their Jewish identity and connected to Israel
  • Eager to deepen their understanding of Jewish thought, heritage, and contemporary issues
  • Ready to explore how their talents and voice can best serve the Jewish People

MJLI is a nomination-based program. Maimonides Fund has tapped a diverse group of nominators to identify exceptional candidates for the inaugural cohort. If you are interested in becoming a fellow or know an outstanding candidate for future cohorts you’d like to nominate, we want to know.

Prior Jewish study or involvement in the Jewish community is not expected. What matters is openness, seriousness of purpose, and readiness to step into meaningful leadership.

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Program Leadership

MJLI is guided by leadership that brings together expertise, warmth, and intellectual rigor—defining the character of this unique learning experience.

Rabbi David Wolpe

SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE, MAIMONIDES FUND
Rabbi David Wolpe is the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and Scholar in Residence at Maimonides Fund, where he is helping shape a renewed vision of non-Orthodox Judaism working with rabbis, educators, and Jewish leaders to strengthen communities and address the evolving challenges of Jewish life and Israel. He has taught at Harvard University, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the American Jewish University, Hunter College, and UCLA, and has published widely in outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and The Washington Post. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of eight books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter, and David, the Divided Heart.

Dr. Mijal Bitton

SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE, MAIMONIDES FUND

Dr. Mijal Bitton is a leading voice in Jewish community, identity, and pluralistic thought, she is the spiritual leader of the Downtown Minyan, co-host of the Wondering Jews podcast, and author of the Committed Substack. As Scholar in Residence at Maimonides Fund, she focuses on renewed spiritual and communal hunger among American Jews since October 7th, advancing accessible and intellectually rich Jewish life—especially for young adults and parents.

Abby Pogrebin

Special Advisor, MJLI

Abigail Pogrebin is an award-winning author and journalist. Her books include My Jewish Year, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and It Takes Two to Torah, co-authored with Rabbi Dov Linzer, winner of the Independent Press Award. A former Emmy-nominated producer for 60 Minutes, she has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Vogue, and has moderated conversations at leading Jewish institutions. She is a former president of Central Synagogue in New York City.

Dr. Alex Sinclair

Education Director, MJLI
Dr. Alex Sinclair is an adjunct lecturer at the Hebrew University and has taught at many of the finest Jewish institutions in America and Israel. His first book, Loving the Real Israel: An Educational Agenda for Liberal Zionism, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and he has published two novels. He’s shaped the MJLI curriculum and helped the scholars-in-residence translate their visions for the program into practice.

Yael Warach

Program Director, MJLI
Yael Warach is the Program Director of MJLI and Assistant Director of the SAPIR Institute at Maimonides Fund, where she brings together her passions for intentional gathering, thoughtful event design, great conversation, and dynamic learning arcs to create meaningful Jewish experiences. Before joining Maimonides Fund, Yael worked in senior administrative and programmatic roles across Jewish communal organizations, supporting leadership and designing professional learning experiences.

MJLI exists to meet this moment by equipping promising leaders with the knowledge, community, and grounding needed to lead with confidence, depth, and purpose.

Why now?

Jewish communities around the world are facing a rapidly shifting landscape—socially, culturally, and geopolitically. More than ever, rising leaders across industries are being called upon to represent Jewish values, speak with clarity, and help shape a more resilient, informed, and connected Jewish future.

  • Maimonides Fund 2026

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