OU-JLIC Shalhevet Campus About Fellowship

Rabbi Jonathan Shulman, Program Director

Rabbi Jonathan Shulman served as Director of the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at the University of Pennsylvania from 2010-2014, before transitioning into his new role as Director of OU-JLIC in Israel and Director of Yavneh. He received his BA in Foreign Affairs from The University of Virginia and studied at Yeshivat Mir in Jerusalem. Rabbi Shulman has worked in international development in northern India, restaurant management and development, and is an Iyengar yoga instructor. He is originally from Washington, DC and now lives with his wife Jenny and their three children in Jerusalem.
To speak to Rabbi Shulman, email him at rabbishulman@yavnehoncampus.org.

Mission

Our mission is to train OU-JLIC campus professionals capable of advancing Jewish education, leadership and community for college students in North America.

Overview

The OU-JLIC Shalhevet Campus Fellowship is a year-long training program for English-speaking couples focused on work with North American college students. The program consists of two components: group meetings once per month and hands-on work with college students in Israel (tailored to each couple’s interests, including opportunities at IDC-Herzliya, Bar Ilan University and Hebrew University). The program offers an annual stipend and all related expenses paid. Fellows will be prioritized for future OU-JLIC positions.

We continue our training and support of fellows after they start working in North America. Follow-up includes regular check-ins, on-site visits and a national conference for fellows to continue to receive training and support.

Background

Jewish life on college campuses has changed dramatically over the past five years. These changes are coming in many forms. We are experiencing increases in anti-Zionism and antisemitism -college campuses have become the front lines for the struggle to maintain positive Israel sentiment and Jewish identity. The college environment has fully embraced new attitudes towards sexuality and gender. The mental health of students has shifted as individualism and online activity have increased. Values and ethics are shifting as society embraces new values and norms. Jewish demographics are shifting and in turn changing the nature of communal and educational needs. Students are not immune to these changes: the environment around them is changing and the demographics of Jewish students are changing as well. All of these issues have changed the game for Jewish professionals on campus. If we are to succeed in engaging the next generation of Jewish students in a new and changing environment, we must better prepare campus professionals for the challenges that lie ahead.

Partnership

OU-JLIC Shalhevet is run in partnership with World Mizrachi