The seminar began with an opening session, where Yoni Hammerman, Director of WJC NextGen, and Rebecca Schneider, NextGen Manager, welcomed the 6th cohort of the Fellowship Fellows and introduced the mission and activities of World Jewish Congress.

Lauren Rose, Executive Director, Executive Office led a session providing an overview of best practices when engaging in diplomatic settings.

The day kicked off with a session featuring H.E. Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Israeli Permanent Mission to the UN, who spoke about Israel’s role within in the United Nations and the complexities of the relationship following October 7.

Yfat Barak-Cheney, Director, Technology and Human Rights, discussed the real-world consequences of online hate, WJC’s work working with tech companies, and how the Fellows can get involved in this work. 

During a candid roundtable discussion with Amb. Ronald S. Lauder, the Fellows had the opportunity to learn about President Lauder experience and insight on global affairs, diplomacy, and philanthropy, and discuss ways to make a positive impact in different Jewish communities and the importance of Jewish unity.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former International Spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces, delivered a briefing on the Middle East political climate, emphasizing current dynamics and their implications.

The Fellows had a discussion with WJC Executive Vice President Maram Stern about the challenges facing Jewish communities around the world and the hope for the future of the Jewish people.

Lenka Jiroutová, WJC Director of Events, discussed best practices to build a successful event, and offered her insights into organizing events of all scales.

Fellows toured the United Nations, gaining firsthand exposure to global diplomacy as well as digging into some of the controversy surrounding the institution. 

Shahar Azran, WJC Director of Visual Arts, reflected on his experiences as a photographer to highlight how the worlds of diplomacy and photography interact and shared his insight to the Fellows can gain in the world of international relations. 

The fellows were split into breakout rooms where they had the opportunity to brainstorm about their work plan for the upcoming year.

The Fellows went Shabbat services at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue or joined a Shabbat Limmud at the WJC Office, a learning session discussing the ideas of destruction and rebuilding, which was followed by a Shabbat dinner.

After Shabbat Lunch, the Fellow split into different breakout rooms for discussion about the challenging and difficult topics within the Jewish community.

The Fellows set out on a tour of New York City, where they learned about some of the most iconic buildings in Midtown, Manhattan.

Benjamin Ryberg, Chief Operating Officer of the Lawfare Project, spoke about the legal strategies to combat antisemitism.

Russell F. Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish National Fund-USA, delivered a keynote talk spoke about the the importance to lead with action.

The seminar concluded with a closing session, where the Fellows learned about what comes next in the fellowship and prepare for the year ahead.