Purpose and Goals of Friedman Fellowship
The purpose of the Friedman Fellowship is to build the capacity of DFI and the Baltimore Jewish community to recruit, train and retain high quality professionals who will lead and deliver services of excellence. Goals include:
To promote the field of Jewish communal service
To bring prospective and new professionals to Baltimore
To bring added value to Jewish organizations and our community
To enhance new professionals’ skills and Jewish knowledge
To take them to the next step in advancing their careers in the Baltimore Jewish community

Criteria

• Up to 10 new Friedman Fellows may be selected each year, to receive $5,000 over a period of two years while in Baltimore.

• The individual executive will ultimately select a candidate for a full-time position, who will have been in the field up to 3 years and may include career changers; graduating students entering the workforce of Jewish communal service; those moving to Baltimore for this position, or those with substantial change in function within or between agencies.

• In consult with the supervisor or executive director, the fellowship will be used to enhance the Friedman Fellow’s professional and Judaic competencies.

• The candidate selected must have exceptional characteristics including: demonstrated leadership experience, takes initiative, and is innovative, and a team player.

• The candidate musthave a commitment to strengthening and enriching Jewish life and Jewish identity within the broader Jewish community; have passion for and the commitment to be a Jewish communal professional; and be committed to learning and growing professionally to advance one’s career in this field.

• The committee will consider the following when selecting the position:

  • That this is a professional position

  • That the position has significance and is a priority to the organization

  • That in the position the professional has opportunities for day to day interaction with both lay and professional leaders

  • That the position provides opportunities to foster collaboration in the Baltimore Jewish community

  • That the organization/agency/synagogue has the capacity to provide excellent supervisory oversight

Program Summary
Executive directors will submit to the selection committee an application for positions to be selected so that they may offer a potential candidate for that position a $5,000 incentive, to be used for the professional’s development over a two year period. Within 6 months of start date, executive directors will submit to DFI, after consultation with the Friedman Fellow, an individual plan for anticipated training and allocation of funds. A final year-end actual plan and evaluation, along with an actual detail of allocation of funds with receipts should be submitted to DFI each year for reimbursement. The use of fellowship dollars must be an enhancement, rather than a replacement of existing organization training dollars. The professional development should be comprised of opportunities not traditionally covered by one’s own organization, in order to enhance both one’s professional skill competencies and Judaic competencies and have an impact on the organization and community. This may include participation in DFI workshops or other workshops, seminars, classes, leadership programs, conferences, coaching, leadership assessments, study in Israel. DFI staff is available to help create the development plan. Executive directors and Friedman Fellows will agree that the Fellows are to participate in the fellowship program which will include having a mentor and participating in any gatherings held with other Fellows to share or enhance their experiences. 

Selection Process
Applications should be submitted to DFI for Friedman Fellowship funds in July and November.

• The first opportunity to submit application to DFI for Friedman Fellowship funds will be by July 9. The selection committee will convene up to four times a year, understanding that the hiring process continues throughout the year.

• The selection committee will be comprised of 7 individuals: a DFI board representative, one DFI professional, one ASSOCIATED lay leader, two members at large, an organization executive director, and a representative of the board of rabbis or congregational representative.

• Executive Director applies to the selection committee with the appropriate “position” that meets the criteria.

• Ideally, the Executive Director should have a candidate in mind when applying, and should submit an application from their organization for the position with brief information on the candidate. The application should include a draft plan for professional development.  If you have a position in mind and not yet the candidate, you may submit an application for the position itself with the understanding that the candidate will meet the criteria. If you do not hire within a year, a new application may be submitted for the following year.

• The selection committee will review the applications submitted, as well as the plan of professional development for the candidate, and make their selection. Considerations will be made based on the agency/organization’s ability to supervise the professional and based on the position itself. The selection committee will consider the position using criteria listed.

• The selection committee will look to see that the organization will provide the most significant professional development opportunities to meet the professionals’ needs to ensure their growth over the two year period.