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YESH Institute

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We are proud to announce that YESH is back! YESH, which means “Hooray!” and “We’ve got this” in colloquial Hebrew, is an exciting and multilayered way for early career professionals to build skills as they strengthen the Jewish nonprofit sector.

Early Career Professionals from all sectors of Jewish nonprofit organizations are welcome to apply for YESH, from synagogues to startups, JCCs to social service organizations. In these turbulent times, their roles are more critical and more challenging than ever, which is why we are supporting their growth and building a peer network.

The third cohort of YESH, UJA’s Institute for Newish Jewish Professionals is intended for professionals who’ve been working in the Jewish nonprofit sector for 2-4 years.

Through YESH Institute, participants will:

  • Increase their understanding of the Jewish nonprofit sector and key issues impacting it
  • Develop a professional network
  • Engage in innovative learning seminars that will help them advance their professional skills, emotional intelligence, leadership capacity and understanding of organizational culture
  • Envision their long-term impact within the Jewish nonprofit sector

YESH Institute FAQ'S

New York based early career professionals that are 2-4 years in their careers in the New York Jewish nonprofit sector, including UJA’s network of non-profit partners, strategic allies, and grantees (including synagogues, day schools, startups, etc.) are invited to apply to YESH.

YESH will feature a wide variety of professional development educators, covering topics like project management, finding your strengths, tech skills, growth mindset, time management strategies, emotional intelligence, burnout, and the current Jewish communal and nonprofit landscape. The content will be delivered through a variety of modalities to maximize the learning experience. 

YESH will help early career professionals develop skills and connect with people who will help them meet the challenges of navigating the landscape of the Jewish nonprofit space.

Early career professionals who have been working for at least 2 years in the field already know the basics. The time has come to dive deeper into professional development, the Jewish nonprofit space, and skills to grow further in their careers.

YESH participants will dive into sessions on covering topics like project management, finding your strengths, tech skills, growth mindset, time management strategies, emotional intelligence, burnout, and the current Jewish communal and nonprofit landscape – all pieces that are vital growth points for all Jewish professionals. They’ll also engage in Jewish learning with and from fellow participants.

Participant Criteria
Participants are professionals who have been working between 2-4 years in the Jewish nonprofit sector in New York in UJA’s network of non-profit partners, strategic allies, and grantees, including synagogues, day schools, start-ups, etc.

Role of the Sponsoring Agency
YESH Institute is nearly fully subsidized. Sponsoring agencies pay a fee of $500 per participant. If the fee affects your agency’s ability to support a participant, please contact to explore alternative arrangements.

Dates and Locations
An evening orientation will take place at UJA in Manhattan on January 13, 2026, followed by a two-day retreat in Westchester on January 27-28. 

Tentative seminar dates (at UJA):
Thurs Feb 12
Thurs March 5
Weds March 25
Thurs April 23
Weds May 13
Mon June 8
Mon June 29
Mon July 20
Mon August 10 (“snow day”)

Applications for Cohort 3 of YESH: The Institute for Newish Jewish Professionals are now open. Deadline for applications is Monday October 20, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact us at .

New York based early career professionals that are 2-4 years in their careers in the New York Jewish nonprofit sector, including UJA’s network of non-profit partners, strategic allies, and grantees (including synagogues, day schools, startups, etc.) are invited to apply to YESH.

YESH will feature a wide variety of professional development educators, covering topics like project management, finding your strengths, tech skills, growth mindset, time management strategies, emotional intelligence, burnout, and the current Jewish communal and nonprofit landscape. The content will be delivered through a variety of modalities to maximize the learning experience. 

YESH will help early career professionals develop skills and connect with people who will help them meet the challenges of navigating the landscape of the Jewish nonprofit space.