fellowship archive
Thirty-six Fellows from 17 countries gathered in Warsaw, Poland for the 24th International Nahum Goldmann Fellowship. Participants represented a diverse range of countries, including Lithuania, Canada, Cuba, Australia, and Denmark. The Fellowship also featured a significant delegation from Israel, whose contributions greatly enriched the program.
program
The theme of this Fellowship, The global Jewish community: Redefining and reconfiguring our normative commitments, focused on exploring the Shoah and the Jewish experience in pre- and post-Shoah Poland.
Sessions included:
Redefining and reconfiguring our normative commitments: To non-Jewish society, to Jewish peoplehood, and the State of Israel
The emerging profile of the global Jewish community
The restoration of historical memory
The revival of the Polish Jewish community: Panel of young Polish Jewish leaders
Additional discussion groups explored topics as:
European and other Diaspora communities: What can we learn from each other
The effectiveness of communal leadership in propagating Jewish consciousness and culture
Reconfiguring Jewish peoplehood
faculty
The program featured distinguished faculty, including:
Dr. Stephen Donshik, CEO, Stephen G. Donshik Consultants, Ltd., New York, NY, USA
Professor Benjamin Ish-Shalom, Rector, Beit Morasha, Jerusalem, Israel
Dr. Rina Rosenberg, Private Psychologist, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Shalom Rosenberg, Professor of Jewish Thought, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Moshe Rosman, Professor of Jewish History, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Professor Jacob J. Schachter, Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, USA
Shana Schachter, Private Psychoanalyst, New York, NY, USA
Professor Ismar Schorsch, Professor of Jewish History, Jewish Theological Seminary, New York, NY, USA
Professor Ilan Troen, Professor of Israel Studies and Director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
more about the fellowship
The 24th NGF placed a strong emphasis on the history of Polish Jewry, both before and after the Shoah, while highlighting the critical role of Jewish leadership in rebuilding communities. Two NGF alumni residing in Poland shared their personal growth journeys and their efforts to revive Jewish life in the country, underscoring the importance of accessible, meaningful Jewish education through programs like the NGF.
This NGF was especially significant as it marked the 25th anniversary of the NGF’s inception.
Alumni from around the world reflected on their communal successes and challenges, as well as the growing impact of regional gatherings, which have strengthened the NGF network, and provided unique levels of support.
Alexander Hasgall of Germany praised the NGF’s influence, stating: “The NGF is an extraordinary example of how it is possible to dedicate oneself to the most sophisticated type of learning of Jewish sources and at the same time exchange ideas and perspectives with a lot of different sectors of modern Judaism in a respectful and tolerant way.”
