Onboarding Intensive

Jumpstart your career in the Jewish nonprofit sector with the skills, guidance, and network you need to thrive.

Applications are open now for cohort three!

Starting out in this sector can feel like stepping into a space where others already share a common language — acronyms, history, organizations, and unspoken norms that take time to learn. Onboarding Intensive helps you build the skills, relationships, and sector context to feel more grounded and effective in your role from the start.

This program is made possible with the generous support of Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, the Jim Joseph Foundation, JUF, and an anonymous foundation.

“[Onboarding Intensive] helped me gain confidence in my strengths (as I'm generally more aware of them), and I've already integrated what I learned in the feedback sessions into how I give and receive feedback with colleagues and my supervisor.”

— Participant, Cohort 1

Onboarding Intensive gives you the guidance, skills, and connections to support you in your role, including opportunities to:

Build skills that stick: tools and practices around managing up, giving and receiving feedback, and navigating your workplace with confidence.
Discover your leadership style: understand your strengths, working style, leadership potential, and how to leverage them.
Connect with peers in a similar career stage: a network of colleagues who stay with you well beyond the program.
Make sense of the sector: a deeper understanding of the Jewish nonprofit sector, an introduction to Israel education, and where your work fits within it.

By the end, you’ll leave with more clarity, confidence, and connection as you grow in your role.

Apply Now
Spots are limited; application does not guarantee ability to participate.
Click here to apply

Onboarding Intensive is for you if:

You’re in the first 18 months of your current role and within the first 3 years of your full-time career
Your supervisor supports your participation

You do not need to be Jewish to participate. We welcome professionals of all backgrounds and identities.

Participation includes a $500 program cost, plus travel to and from the retreat. Need-based travel subsidies are available.

Program Timeline

Application Deadline: August 31
Participants Notified: September 8
Kickoff Call: October 13 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm ET
In-person retreat: October 27-29 (Downers Grove, IL)
Virtual Sessions: November 10, November 17, and December 1 from 1:00-2:30pm ET

Virtual sessions and the retreat will include a mix of networking, skill building, and learning opportunities, such as self-advocacy, managing up, giving and receiving feedback, Jewish nonprofit 101, and Israel education.

Can't make these dates? We will share more information soon about cohort 4 that will begin in January.

We are committed to creating an environment where participants feel welcomed, respected, and able to contribute fully. Our Gathering Norms help guide how we learn and engage together, and all participants are asked to review and uphold our Community Agreement to help foster a culture of belonging, curiosity, and mutual respect.

Behind the scenes with Cohort 2

→ Click through for the highlights. What happens at the retreat does not, in fact, stay at the retreat.

Your Questions, Answered

Why Leading Edge and why now?

Jewish nonprofits are the heartbeat of Jewish life. They shape vibrant communities whose impact extends far beyond their walls. Everything they achieve depends on the people behind the work — people like you. Leading Edge exists to power Jewish nonprofit talent because how the field invests in its people today will impact communities for generations to come. As you begin your career in the Jewish nonprofit field, now is the moment for Leading Edge to support your journey and connect you with a peer community to set you up for decades of engagement and success.

Do I need to wait to apply if I just started a new role?

No, you don’t need to wait. As long as you meet the program’s eligibility criteria, you’re welcome to apply.

Is the eligibility requirement about being in the first 18 months or the first 3 years?

Both. To participate in Onboarding Intensive, you should be:

In the first 18 months of your current role, and
Within the first 3 years of your full-time career overall

What are the costs to participate?

The $500 program fee covers your participation, as well as lodging and meals during the in-person retreat.

Travel to and from the retreat is not included. Need-based travel subsidies are available to help offset those costs, and additional details will be provided to accepted participants.

Do I need supervisor approval to apply?

Yes, we will ask for your supervisor’s information in the application, and they will need to approve your participation. If you’re accepted, we will also invite them to participate in a separate management training (strongly encouraged but not required).

What makes Onboarding Intensive different from other early-career programs?

Onboarding Intensive is designed specifically for early-career professionals working in the Jewish nonprofit sector. The program combines professional skill-building, personal leadership development, sector-specific learning, and community building in one integrated experience.

Through virtual sessions and an immersive in-person retreat, you'll learn alongside peers from a wide range of organizations, explore real workplace challenges, and build relationships that extend well beyond the program itself.

I still have questions. Who can I talk to?

We’re happy to help! Please reach out to programs@leadingedge.org.

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