Open Doors Fellowship

Who: Jewish young adults in their 20s and 30s in the DMV
When: November 2026–June 2027
Format: Monthly learning experiences, plus occasional dinners and gatherings
Where: Primarily a Metro-accessible location in Washington, DC
Cost: $180 refundable/donatable commitment deposit; financial assistance available
Application deadline: October 6, 2026, or until spots are filled
Questions? Email Noa Nir, Engagement Director at noan@gatherdc.org.

Ready to apply? Tap here!

The Open Doors Fellowship is a 10-month fellowship for Jewish 20s and 30s who are passionate about bringing people together and strengthening Jewish community in the DMV.

The Fellowship combines monthly learning experiences with opportunities to practice relational leadership in the real world. You’ll learn alongside a cohort of peers who are also invested in making Jewish life more welcoming, inclusive, and interconnected.

You don’t have to have a formal leadership title. In fact, some of the most meaningful community-building happens without one!

If you’re a Shabbat dinner host, a group chat admin, the head of the table at Passover Seder, a greeter at services, a Rosh Chodesh leader, or the person jumpstarting that deep philosophical conversation at a get-together…then you might just be an Open Doors Fellow!

Over the course of the Fellowship, you will:

• Build your leadership skills through monthly learning experiences focused on relational leadership, community building, facilitation, and communication.
• Deepen your relationships with a cohort of Jewish young adults who are also creating and strengthening communities across the DMV.
• Practice being a connector by helping people find their way into Jewish spaces, relationships, and experiences that are meaningful to them.
• Learn to listen for what your community actually needs and turn those insights into meaningful action.
• Strengthen the communities you’re already part of with practical tools and new ways of thinking.
• Explore the DMV Jewish ecosystem and become a more informed, connected resource for your peers.
• Create opportunities for connection that respond to the interests and needs of the people around you.

ODF is for Jewish young adults in their 20s and 30s living in the DMV who are interested in building community and growing as leaders.

You might be a great fit if you:

• Love bringing people together.
• Are already involved in Jewish community and want to deepen your impact.
• Are organizing gatherings, groups, programs, or experiences for others.
• Want to learn more about the Jewish communities and organizations across the DMV.
• Are curious about what makes people feel welcomed, connected, and at home.
• Want to strengthen your leadership and relationship-building skills.
• Have ideas for how Jewish life could be more welcoming, inclusive, or connected.

You do not need to be a professional Jewish leader or have a formal leadership role.

Monthly learning: You’ll meet approximately once a month with the cohort for facilitated learning and leadership development. Sessions will focus on the skills that make community-building work: listening, relationship-building, facilitation, communication, leadership, and understanding what people really need.

A cohort of peers: One of the best parts of ODF is the people in your cohort! Through dinners, field trips, Jewish ritual experiences, and other gatherings, you’ll spend ten months getting to know a group of Jewish young adults who are curious, generous, thoughtful, and invested in the future of Jewish life in the DMV.

Real-world community building: You’ll have opportunities to put what you’re learning into practice by strengthening the spaces and communities you’re already helping to create.

A network of support: You won’t be doing this alone! GatherDC staff and the other Fellows will be resources, thought partners, and sounding boards throughout the experience.

The 2026–2027 Open Doors Fellowship runs from November 2026 through June 2027.

The Fellowship includes monthly meetings, with occasional dinners and gatherings between sessions.

The exact meeting location is still TBD, but most Fellowship meetings will take place in a Metro-accessible part of Washington, DC.

Because the Fellowship is an immersive experience with a limited number of spots, accepted Fellows will be asked to submit a $180 commitment deposit to secure their place in the cohort.

The deposit is designed to help ensure that everyone who accepts a spot is prepared to make the full commitment to the Fellowship. You will have the option to receive your deposit in full at the end of the Fellowship, or donate your deposit to GatherDC.

Finances shouldn’t be a barrier to participation. If the deposit would create a financial hardship for you, please reach out to us. We’re happy to work with accepted Fellows to make participation possible.

ODF is a 10-month commitment.

We’re looking for people who are excited to show up consistently, invest in their cohort, and put what they learn into practice.

If you’re not sure whether you can make that commitment, please reach out to GatherDC’s Engagement Director, Noa Nir.

Once you submit your application (either in writing or through video/audio), our Engagement Director will reach out to you and, based on the strength of your application, will schedule a 45-minute Zoom interview to learn more about you. You will be notified about the status of your application no later than Wednesday, October 14th.