PROFESSIONALS & LEADERSHIP

The Jewish community is only as strong as its professionals and leaders, and we believe in investing in their growth. We welcome those who work at Jewish nonprofits, including UJA’s partners and grantees, and other Jewish nonprofits, synagogues, and day schools.

Several of our workshops count for Continuing Education (CE) Contact Hours.

United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, Inc., SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0289.

We're under construction. Stay tuned for updates!

Nonprofits need vision, transparency, and effective leadership more than ever. We encourage volunteer leaders at Jewish nonprofits to connect with other engaged philanthropists and become part of our learning community.

UJA-Federation helps its nonprofit partners in the areas of governance and leadership. This Good Governance guide, which provides best practice recommendations in an easy-to-use format, is one of several opportunities available to the network. Please contact UJA’s Jewish Communal Network Department for more information on the guide and on consultative support, coaching, and workshops.

We're under construction. Stay tuned for updates!

YESH: The Institute for Newish Jewish Professionals*
UJA invites you to apply to YESH: The Institute for Newish Jewish Professionals. This brand-new program is designed especially for professionals like you, who‘ve been working in the Jewish nonprofit sector for 2 to 4 years.

Working in nonprofits of all shapes and sizes – from day schools to synagogues, from start-ups to venerated institutions across New York City, Long Island, and Westchester – we know that you’re serious about planting roots in the Jewish nonprofit world. And you’re eager to grow into seasoned professionals

Learn more about our program and curriculum.

Meet our First Cohort!

*YESH is made possible through a generous grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation,

The Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership is a transformative learning opportunity for a cohort of outstanding leaders who have between 4-9 years’ experience in the Jewish nonprofit sector. Through intensive retreats, individual coaching, monthly seminars, personal leadership assessments, and ongoing peer support from a network of diverse colleagues, the Ruskay Institute sharpens vision and provides essential leadership tools for rising stars.

Learn more about the 2019 Ruskay Institute

Read our leadership vision and curriculum

Meet our 2019 Fellows

For more information, please contact Penina Grossberg at

The Ruskay Institute is funded by an endowment created by friends and colleagues of John Ruskay upon his retirement in 2014 after 15 years as executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of NY and honors John’s visionary leadership and commitment to professional development. 

High-Impact Strategies for the Experienced Manager
Are you an experienced manager who wants to learn more? Hone your managerial skills and knowledge so you can better encourage and monitor staff performance, plan for the long- and short-term, direct daily departmental operations, and report on programs and services. We welcome department and program directors, and other experienced managers.

Learn more about our curriculum and stay tuned for updates!

Institute for Jewish Executive Leadership
We collaborate with Columbia School of Business to offer a 10-day program for CEOs and executive directors in the Jewish nonprofit sphere that draws on participant and faculty expertise and experience, and includes lectures, simulations, and peer discussions. The program covers strategic intuition, values-based leadership, shepherding change, mission-driven communication, financial management, and governance excellence.

Learn more about our program and curriculum. Stay tuned for updates!

Fellowships
Every year, we select up to 30 graduate students who are pursuing careers within the Jewish nonprofit world for the UJA Graduate Fellowship program. Through this program, graduate students and employees of UJA-Federation and our partner agencies earn scholarships toward their graduate degrees. The fellowship enables recipients to attend educational and professional development seminars and develop strong relationships with people who share their commitment to a vibrant Jewish future. Fellowships are available to students enrolled in schools of social work, public administration, rabbinics, nonprofit management, Jewish education, or business, and who want to work in the Jewish community. Scholarship availability may vary based on merit and need.

Learn more and complete an application.

Questions? Contact Rina Cohen at .

Scholarships
In addition to the scholarships offered through the fellowship program, we recommend that you explore the following scholarships:

Hebrew Free Loan Society offers three different scholarship programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professional-education students, funded by UJA.
Interested? Contact the Hebrew Free Loan Society.

Selim and Rachel Benin scholarship enables economically disadvantaged, academically gifted Israeli high school graduates to pursue graduate degrees in scientific fields in Israel. Interested? Contact your financial aid office for an application.

Internships
A diverse range of year-round internship opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students are available to those interested in exploring Jewish nonprofit career opportunities. Questions? Contact Rina Cohen at .