Leadership development for established Jewish communal professionals in the field (ages 37 – 50)
The Wexner Field Fellowship provides opportunities for growth to promising Jewish professionals (ages 37-50) who plan to continue to pursue careers as leaders in the North American Jewish community.
Through the Wexner Field Fellowship, Jewish professional leaders are provided in-person leadership Institutes, along with coaching and Jewish learning funds. This cohort-based program will deepen these professionals’ leadership skills alongside a rich network of colleagues for this three-year program and the rest of their career.
If you are a North American Jewish professional aged 26-36, please visit the Wexner Davidson Fellowship page to see if you’re eligible for that program.
Organizational Update
As of January 1, 2027, the Field Fellowship will operate under the auspices of Sulam, a new, independent non-profit organization. Sulam’s mission will continue the tradition of excellence in leadership development that has been the hallmark of the Wexner leadership initiatives for decades. For more information, please see this letter from Sulam’s incoming president, Rabbi Jay Moses.
The Sulam website and application platform are still under development, and we are asking applicants to complete their application through The Wexner Foundation’s application portal. Thank you for your flexibility during this transition.
Program Overview
Through this three-year intensive professional development program Field Fellows will:
- Participate in six in-person cohort-based institutes (2 per year) on leadership and Jewish issues with skilled leadership teachers and peer Jewish educators.
- Receive one-on-one professional coaching and access to funds toward customized Jewish learning opportunities.
- Become part of The Wexner Foundation’s network of 3,000 professional and volunteer leaders in the North American Jewish Community and in Israel.
- Connect with their fellowship cohort remotely between institutes to network, share concerns and for peer-consultations.
- Develop a nuanced appreciation for the diversity of the North American Jewish community.
- Focus on developing strengths in adaptive leadership, effective communication, difficult conversations, negotiation and other crucial leadership skills.
- Connect with members of The Wexner Foundation’s alumni community.
Staff
Dara Katzner, Assistant Director
Ruthie Warshenbrot, Senior Director
Benefits & Expectations
Field Fellows will:
- Participate in two in-person Institutes totaling approximately eight days of travel (six business days) per year for three years and ensure that there will be no conflicts with these programs. Spring Institutes are usually in March and Fall Institutes are usually in September or October. The Wexner Foundation covers all expenses for program participation.
- Commit to work full-time at a North American non-profit Jewish communal organization (which must be a 501©3 or registered charity) for all three years of the Fellowship Program and three years beyond (six years total).
- Select a professional coach from a roster of approved professional coaches to work with one-on-one on an ongoing basis. The coach will partner with Field Fellows every year for three years to help them reach their potential.
- Work with a Jewish educator every year for three years to help expand their Jewish understanding based on their unique needs or participate in immersive experiences.
- Must submit a personal W9 or W8BEN (signed and dated in the current year) after they have been accepted. Fellows may be taxed on some reimbursed expenses. The Wexner Foundation cannot give tax advice.
Eligibility
Re-Applicants
If you have applied to any of The Wexner Foundation’s programs in the past, you are welcome to re-apply with an entirely new application. Because we are creating a cohort, each applicant pool results in different selections and re-applications are considered independently from past applications. If you applied to the Wexner Field Fellowship in 2025 or the Wexner Davidson Fellowship in 2026, you are not eligible to apply unless it is your last year of eligibility.
To apply for the Wexner Field Fellowship, all eligibility requirements must be met. Please note there are no exceptions to the eligibility requirements listed below. A new class will be selected each year, so you may be eligible to apply in the future if you are not currently eligible. Please be aware that it is unlikely that more than one candidate from any given organization will be selected for the same class of the Wexner Field Fellowship.
WFF applicants for Class 11:
- Are based in North America and employed full-time by one non-profit (501©3 or registered charity) Jewish communal organization.
- Have been employed full-time at their current organization for at least one year by April 1, 2027
- Were born between April 2, 1976 and April 1, 1990 (ages 37-50 on April 1, 2027)
- Cannot apply to the Field Fellowship two years in a row unless it is their last year of eligibility
- Cannot apply to the Field Fellowship in the same calendar year as applying to the Wexner Davidson Fellowship
- Have at least five years full-time work experience
- Are a citizen of the United States, Canada or Mexico, or have documentation that allows them to work in that country
- Receive the written support of the Executive Director and Board President of their current organization for full participation in the Fellowship Program (a letter of support will be provided for those invited to complete the full application)
All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply, irrespective of denominational affiliation, gender, racial or ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation.
Selection Process
SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 AT 2:00 PM (EASTERN)
Field Fellow applicants must submit a pre-application and a full application to be considered for the fellowship. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. We recommend that you submit your full application several days in advance of the 2:00 PM Eastern deadline on Wednesday, September 23rd to allow for any technical complications that might arise.
MID-OCTOBER
Applicants will be notified by email as to whether they have been invited for an interview. Please contact Dara Katzner if you haven’t received an email from us by October 27th.
NOVEMBER 16-19, 2026: FINALIST INTERVIEWS
A select number of finalists will be invited to interview on Zoom. The selection of Fellows is made by the Wexner Field Fellowship Selection Committee, which is composed of professionals who are committed to Jewish professional leadership.
END OF NOVEMBER
Wexner Field Fellowship Class 11 Fellows are selected.
INSTITUTES STARTING MARCH 2027
Any candidate accepted as a Wexner Field Fellow must attend institutes on the days listed below, as well as subsequent Spring and Fall Institutes through 2029 for three years total.
- March 7-10, 2027
- September 12-15, 2027
- Institute dates for 2028 are TBD
- Institute dates for 2029 are TBD
Any Questions?
Please contact Dara Katzner (614-939-6062), Assistant Director
How to Apply
Application Requirements
All applicants must fill out their basic information and upload a resume (no more than 2 pages) as part of a pre-application eligibility form. Pre-applications are approved manually on a rolling basis during regular business hours (Eastern time). Please ensure you submit your pre-application with enough time to fill out a full application (if approved). The recommended browsers to use when filling out the application are Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox. Those invited to complete a full application will need to provide the items below.
Essays
Several short answer questions (Step 1) and two essays (Step 4). Please click here to view the essay prompts.
Video
A 60-second video answering the question provided within the application in Step 5 (“Video Answer”). The video should not be created professionally and must be uploaded in one of the following formats: .mov, .mp4, .mpeg, .avi. Additional guidelines are provided within the application (Step 5).
Letter of Support
A letter of support form (provided in Step 5) signed by your organization’s Executive Director and Board President. If you are the Executive Director, you should sign your own letter of support along with your Board President. The form ensures your organization is aware of the time commitment the Wexner Field Fellowship requires. Applicants should submit the signed form electronically.
Two Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation (final step), which are available for electronic transmission to your identified recommenders through the online application. The first recommendation needs to come from your current direct supervisor. If you are the Executive Director, your board chair serves as your current direct supervisor and therefore should write a recommendation.
“The Wexner Field Fellowship has gifted me the sacred space and time to enhance and leverage my self-awareness to refine how I show up in my authentic voice. The connections I have made have broadened my understanding and appreciation for the incredible impact of outstanding Jewish communal leaders in the field. The professional development opportunities have transformed my understanding of my role and connection to the Jewish community and the broader world. I am honored to apply what I have observed and learned to strengthen my comunities.”
Please Note:
The Sulam website and application platform are still under development, and we are asking applicants to complete their application through The Wexner Foundation’s application portal. Thank you for your flexibility during this transition.
Alumni Offerings
Opportunities to learn, connect, and exercise leadership do not end with the active fellowship. Through the Wexner Professional Leadership Programs Alumni Network, alumni of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars Program and Wexner Field Fellowship (as well as eventual alumni of the new fellowship for emerging leaders) are invited and encouraged to participate in, and contribute to, our alumni network and community.
Meet Our Alumni and Fellows
History & Partnerships
The Wexner Field Fellowship was created in 2013 in partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation to focus on developing promising Jewish professionals’ leadership skills while enveloping them in a rich network of Jewish professionals. Through in-person, intensive conferences and virtual meetings, Wexner Field Fellows are exposed to Jewish educational and professional growth opportunities while addressing their unique needs of career progress.
Fellows are selected based on their past accomplishments, current motivation and engagement, and the exceptional attributes they will contribute to the cohort of 15 Jewish professionals of which they will be a part.
