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.

YESH 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 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 landscape, and begin to build a network of peers.

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.

Participant Criteria

  • Be currently employed at a Jewish nonprofit in New York City, Long Island, or Westchester
  • Have 2-4 years of professional experience as of the September, 2026.
  • Be available to attend sessions in person at UJA, and one local, overnight retreat

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

Orientation 

  • Wednesday September 16, 2026 3:00--6:00 pm

Opening Retreat 

  • Tuesday–Thursday, October 20–22, 2026

Monthly Sessions 

  • Tuesday, November 10  
  • Tuesday, December 8
  • Tuesday, January 12  
  • Tuesday, February 9  
  • Tuesday, March 9 
  • Tuesday, April 6 
  • Tuesday, May 18 
  • Tuesday, June 8 - SNOW DAY backup date 

Applications for Cohort 4 of YESH are now open. 
Apply here.

If you have any questions, please contact us at .

New York-based 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 landscape, and begin to build a network of peers.

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.