New Jewish Story Fellowship
Innovative thinkers and experienced Jewish educators are invited to apply.
Applications due March 10.
Kabbalah Experience is launching an inspirational and meaningful New Jewish Story.
If the stories we’ve inherited as Jews no longer serve us or humanity, how might we create a narrative that leads to a more just and equitable society?
We are mentoring Jewish educators to co-author a narrative that shakes up and shifts perceptions about humanity, and to teach it in their home communities.
What’s Our “Why”?
In these times of strife, absorbing crisis after devastating crisis, traumatic event after traumatic event, we know that if humanity is to survive, let alone thrive, a radical shift must occur.
Thought leaders from all walks of life implore us to tell a new story for humanity and in the Jewish world, a new story for our people.Ā Rabbi Sharon Brous, in her Yom Kippur sermon this past year, cautioned us to not remain stuck in stories which no longer serve us, especially stories whose narrative has become assimilated into our peopleās self-understanding. For a new story to be formulated, the roots of the old story must be dug out. What are the roots of the old story? What did it come to address? Is it all that different from the fundamental concerns humans still have? How can it be re-envisioned?
Over the centuries, Kabbalists went beyond the literal understanding of Torah texts to expose metaphoric interpretations which connect us to spirit. They were bold in revisioning text and audacious in presenting the seeds for a New Torah which would match the evolution of human consciousness and blossom as a Tree of Life.
New Jewish Story Fellowship
We invite you to join the first cohort of Torah āshape shiftersā as a New Jewish Story Fellow, to co-create an innovative story that reflects the evolution of human consciousness. The roots of the story exposed are embedded in the Tree of Knowledge and Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.
We enlist in this process, commentary from traditional and modern scholars to raise questions for constructing a new Jewish Story.
Kabbalah Experience is pleased to present this model of teacher mentoring and curricular co-creation, bringing the powerful teachings of Transformative Kabbalah to communities across North America. This initiative is made possible by a generous investment fromĀ UpStart.


Your Facilitator
Dr. David Sanders is the Founder and Spiritual Director of Kabbalah Experience. He created and taught a precursor course to āA New Jewish Storyā for the past 10 years. Time and again he hears from students, āI never thought of that story in the Torah that way.ā
These āAha!ā moments create connection to the Jewish tradition and Jewish people by providing new meaning to texts which align with a more universal, egalitarian and ecological mindset.
Dr. Sanders’s bio can be found at .www.kabbalahexperience.com/core-faculty/
Applicant Information
Who are the New Jewish Story Fellows?
Innovative thinkers, and experienced Jewish educators connected to institutions like Hillel, Moishe House, JCCās and other mission aligned organizations, who want to impact the future of Jewish life in North America.
Your commitment to the Fellowship:
- 14.5 hours April/ May ā25, plus class launch Fall ā25 (approx. 2.5hours/ week for six weeks)
- Partnership with Kabbalah Experience in engagement, evaluation, and feedback on the course and teacher mentorship experience
Kabbalah Experienceās commitment to you:
- $2400 stipend for engagement and launch
- Six week synchronous training with Dr. David Sanders, Founder and Spiritual Director, and Melanie Gruenwald, Executive Director
- Includes: Course content, additional resources/ background knowledge to deepen your understanding, teaching strategies
- New Story Curriculum Content (5-week curriculum to bring to your community)
- Curriculum modules for students with accompanying teacher guide
- Mentoring in Adult Centered Teaching Methodology
- Community organizing strategies
- Professional recognition and network
Timeline:
- Applications due: 3/10, 5pm MT/ 7pm ET
- Finalist Interviews 3/17-3/19
- Notifications 3/24
- Fellows meet weekly for six weeks via ZOOM: Mondays or Wednesdays, beginning April 9, day and time to be determined based on fellow availability
Applications for the first cohort of the
New Jewish Story Fellowship
are due March 10, 2025
To receive information about our current and future classes, connect with us.
