07/31/2023
Jewish Federation of Cleveland Announces 2023 Class of Mandel Myers Fellows
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Fellows will receive college scholarships, professional development while working at Jewish summer camps
Program expanded to include career workshops with mentors
The Jewish Federation of Cleveland announced today the 2023 class of Mandel Myers Fellows who are working as staff at select Jewish overnight summer camps.
The “Mandel Myers Fellowship Program” – funded by three-year grants of $1,800,000 from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation and a grant of $450,000 from the David and Inez Myers Foundation – was established in 2022 and enables Jewish overnight camps to attract and retain high-caliber staff, help students from Cleveland offset the costs associated with attending a four-year accredited university, and add professional development experience to the camp counselor role to make it more competitive with other internship opportunities. Returning overnight camp counselors will receive a scholarship of $5,500. First-time overnight camp counselors will receive a scholarship of $4,500.
“This program is an amazing opportunity for me as a leader, as a counselor, as a staff head, and as a member in the Jewish community who is also hoping to work in Jewish education and give back,” said Yedidya Blau, a counselor at Camp Stone and Yeshiva University student. “Being part of this fellowship has given me a lot of useful tools in terms of what are my goals going to be for this summer, what are my interactions with campers and staff, and with the broader camp community. It has made me a better counselor and a better division head.”
New this year – in addition to receiving a scholarship – participants are matched with one of 10 camp staff alumni who live in Cleveland and are professionals in different career areas. Throughout the three learning workshops for the fellowship, the alumni professionals are present and leading a session with their groups.
The Mandel Myers Fellowship Program is a program of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and operates in partnership with Jewish Family Service Association and Foundation for Jewish Camp. For more information, contact Leah Taylor at ltaylor@jewishcleveland.org or 216-593-2853.
