Questions and Answers
Why was the Einayich Yonim Fellowship Created?
The Einayich Yonim fellowship was created to honor the memory of Yonim Schweig z’ll who tragically left the world in the summer of 2020, one day before his 21st birthday. Yonim was a very special soul who continues to have a tremendous impact on so many people, even on those he never got to meet. Yonim was passionate about living an authentic Jewish spiritual life and he believed that living such a life includes honest personal reflection, joyful creativity, deep listening and connection with others, open-hearted learning across generations, love of nature and a commitment to envisioning and manifesting a healthier world. This fellowship was created to keep Yonim’s teachings alive and to support and inspire young people to grow, to connect and to take part in making change.
What are the goals of the program?
Our goal is to make a deep impact on our fellows. We want this to be the kind of experience that our participants will look back on and say, “That changed me. I made close connections. I got to know myself in new ways. I got to experience Jewish learning that spoke to my mind and to my soul. I integrated my Jewish values with my care for this precious planet and I built my confidence in being able to make a positive impact. I am still connected to the people I met and I am still inspired by what I learned.”
What kind of people is the program looking for?
The Einayich Yonim fellowship has been created for Jewish high school students in either 10th or 11th grade. Our ideal candidates are young people with strong Jewish identities who have experience with Jewish learning. They are interested in exploring their Jewish spirituality and they are also people who feel love and care for the natural world. Einayich Yonim participants are thoughtful Jewish souls who are open to reflection. They are compassionate and invested in relationship-building. They are curious, and motivated - to learn, to grow and to take action.
What Jewish affiliation is expected for participants?
The Einayich Yonim program is open to Jewish students across affiliations. Texts will draw from traditional sources and commentaries in the original Hebrew with English translation provided. Shabbat and kashrut will be fully observed. This is a co-ed program.
What is the role of the mentors and how does mentoring work?
Mentors will be responsible for enhancing the participants’ learning experience by shepherding the participants through the practical application of their impact project. Each student will conduct a year long study about Judaism and sustainability thinking about how they themselves might impact the community as a whole. From their learning, the students will select an impact project to bring to their larger community over the course of six additional months. The mentor will be responsible to help the students plan, and execute the project with the guidance of the program community. Mentors will walk through the impact project with the fellows to think about the on-the-ground details of the project, connect them to the right people, and support the student’s growth. The mentor will receive support from the program as well as the larger cohort of other mentors.
What is the time commitment for participants ?
Participants will need to be available for the following:
one monthly Sunday video call of approximately 2 and a half hours
at least one monthly meeting with their mentor
three 2 and a half hour Sunday workshops
one week-long summer retreat (June 2024) in California
What is the time commitment for mentors?
Mentors will need to be available for the following:
one monthly meeting with their mentee during the first year
more frequent meetings with their mentee during the last six months
semi-regular check-ins with the mentor group and mentor facilitator
one initial two-hour mentor training session in August 2023
How will participants from across the country learn together?
The majority of the program will take place through video calls with one in-person week-long retreat planned for the summer of 2024.
Is there travel involved?
Travel will be involved for the summer retreat and costs for travel will be covered by the program.
When does the program start and end?
The program will run from late August 2023-January 2025.
Is there a cost associated with participating?
No. All costs, including travel and lodging for the in-person summer retreat, will be covered by the Einayich Yonim Fellowship.
How do I apply and what are the deadlines?
We are accepting nominations and applications on a rolling basis. If you are interested in the fellowship for yourself or if you would like to nominate someone for the fellowship, you can do so here or contact us by email.
office@eyfellowship.org