(This article was updated on Monday, July 24.)
Seventeen high school sophomores and juniors from the Baltimore area recently arrived in Israel to participate in a three-week seminar as part of the yearlong Diller Teen Fellowship.
They joined approximately 700 peers from 32 communities in seven countries as part of the leadership program that strives to empower teenagers to explore their Jewish identities and become leaders of tikkun olam, or repairing the world.
The local participants include Jason Benesch, Brandon DeMattos, Harrison Fribush, Rachel Keane, Chloe Levine, Samantha Lubek, Adrian Maydanich, Daniel Melamed, Mason Miller, Zachary Minkin, David Netzer, Jordan Pearlstone, Kaitlyn Rochlin, Olivia Robbins, Elie Schwartz, Rose Seidman and Elan Vogelstein
“I am really excited for the chance to make connections with other Jewish teens from around the world while we explore Israel’s culture through the Diller Teen Fellows Summer Seminar,” said Miller, a McDonogh School junior.
The Israel Summer Seminar consists of Tiyul (Tour) Week during which fellows explore Israel; Community Week spent in their partnership communities; and Congress, when all Diller fellows come together for a week of global connection, exploration of Jewish peoplehood and shared community service projects.
Each year, Jewish 10th and 11th graders are selected to participate in the fellowship, which was founded in 1998. Together, they explore pluralism and peoplehood, engage in dialogue, and build understanding across religious and cultural differences.
In Baltimore, Diller is overseen by 4Front, the community’s comprehensive teen initiative managed by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore and supported by The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Joseph & Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds and other local donors.
There are more than 7,000 Diller alumni around the world.
“At a time when our world can feel more divided than ever before, Diller Teen Fellows from across the globe are uniting to build understanding across differences, create connections and use their leadership actions to help repair the world,” said Jennifer Smith, executive director of the Helen Diller Family Foundation Programs.
“Diller serves as a foundational year that can impact the lifetime of a teen as they explore their Jewish identity and the good they want to do in the world as a leader,” she said. “Their impact as young changemakers reaches across the globe.”
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