Mahloket Matters Fellowship

We live in a moment of unprecedented breakdown in civil discourse.

Yet, our Jewish tradition upholds the principle that constructive disagreement for the sake of heaven (Mahloket L’Shem Shamayim), is not only imperative but the holy work needed to repair what can feel like irreconcilable differences that permeate within our Jewish communities. Guided by the belief that Jewish texts and their diverse interpretations can empower us to engage more constructively in disagreements today, Pardes North America (PNA) has launched its second year of the Mahloket Matters Fellowship. 

The Winter 2023 Mahloket Matters Fellowship

This Winter, Pardes North America will be running three new cohorts of the Mahloket Matters Fellowship starting February 7.

The fellowship will consist of two essential components:

  1. Group Study & Individual Mentorship – Fellows will learn Pardes’s renowned Mahloket Matters curriculum and be given individual mentorship by PNA. Each fellow will receive a generous stipend of $400 for their time and participation in these sessions.
  2. Communal Action – As part of their participation in the fellowship, fellows will be asked to transpose the inspiration and learning into a community engagement initiative (in a way that balances local creativity and a handful of globally established metrics) for their communities back home. Each fellow will receive a $400 community engagement fund to support the development of their own communal MM study groups and/or community engagement initiatives inspired by MM learning. For more information, please click here for the requirements.

By participating in the MM Fellowship, fellows will:

  • Receive both professional mentorship and financial support
  • Immerse in highly relevant Pardes Torah they can then use to serve their own Jewish communities back home
  • Become a critical voice in a movement to help foster respectful dialogue across NA
  • Join a strong network of colleagues 

Each cohort will meet once per week. 

Class will be between 9:00 – 10:30 AM PST / 12:00 – 1:30 PM EST / 7:00 – 8:30 PM IST

Alumni Leadership Cohort: Tuesdays, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3/9, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28

Educator Leadership Cohort: Wednesdays, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29

Volunteer Leadership Cohorts Thursdays, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/1, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30

Pardes North America is offering four cohorts of the Mahloket Matters Fellowship.

  • Alumni Leadership Cohort: Designed as an intergenerational learning opportunity for Pardes Alumni who live in North America.
  • Educator Leadership Cohort: Designed for Rabbis & Jewish Educators currently working in the Jewish professional field for three or more years.
  • Volunteer Leadership Cohort: Designed for current & emerging Jewish volunteer leaders.

For any questions please contact Monica Kleinman, Pardes North America Programs Associate, at monica@pardes.org.

Meet Past Fellowship Cohorts

Fellowship Faculty

Rabbi Leon Morris

Rabba Shani Gross

Rabbi Zvi Hirschfield

Sefi Kraut

Rabbi Reuven Margrett