Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever
leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by
Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings
together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate
and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation
of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los
Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group,
Iranian-Jews in America have
often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide
by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire
Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand
is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish
Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the
Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for
approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train
and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other
Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in
the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining
boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists.
Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish
Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation
of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

Back to Top

Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training
fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews
between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet
complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of
our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of
unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC
Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum
split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel
and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools
(fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each
topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the
Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will
play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

Back to Top

Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher
Fellowship, there was no organization or project working
to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into
the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that
there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish
community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at
the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It
was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community
that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which
made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many
of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and
takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role.
We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at
the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los
Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity,
dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold
a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity
and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if
we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel
comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership
role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the
values that our community can contribute.

Back to Top

Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they
continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various
Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects
of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community.
These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as
upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal,
invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for
advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

Back to Top

How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program
and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations
and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship
is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they
would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a
single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year;
each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program
from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals
per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine.
This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool
was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20%
success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to
the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make
sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni
have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals,
created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in
navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open
applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we
have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time
for interviews.

Back to Top

Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever
leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by
Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings
together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate
and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation
of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los
Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group,
Iranian-Jews in America have
often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide
by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire
Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand
is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish
Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the
Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for
approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train
and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other
Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in
the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining
boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists.
Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish
Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation
of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

Back to Top

Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training
fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews
between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet
complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of
our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of
unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC
Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum
split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel
and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools
(fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each
topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the
Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will
play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

Back to Top

Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher
Fellowship, there was no organization or project working
to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into
the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that
there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish
community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at
the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It
was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community
that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which
made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many
of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and
takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role.
We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at
the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los
Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity,
dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold
a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity
and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if
we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel
comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership
role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the
values that our community can contribute.

Back to Top

Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they
continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various
Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects
of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community.
These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as
upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal,
invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for
advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

Back to Top

How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program
and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations
and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship
is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they
would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a
single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year;
each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program
from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals
per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine.
This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool
was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20%
success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to
the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make
sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni
have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals,
created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in
navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open
applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we
have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time
for interviews.

Back to Top

Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever
leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by
Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings
together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate
and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation
of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los
Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group,
Iranian-Jews in America have
often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide
by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire
Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand
is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish
Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the
Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for
approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train
and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other
Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in
the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining
boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists.
Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish
Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation
of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

Back to Top

Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training
fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews
between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet
complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of
our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of
unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC
Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum
split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel
and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools
(fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each
topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the
Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will
play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

Back to Top

Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher
Fellowship, there was no organization or project working
to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into
the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that
there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish
community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at
the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It
was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community
that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which
made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many
of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and
takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role.
We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at
the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los
Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity,
dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold
a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity
and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if
we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel
comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership
role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the
values that our community can contribute.

Back to Top

Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they
continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various
Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects
of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community.
These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as
upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal,
invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for
advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

Back to Top

How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program
and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations
and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship
is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they
would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a
single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year;
each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program
from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals
per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine.
This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool
was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20%
success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to
the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make
sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni
have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals,
created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in
navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open
applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we
have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time
for interviews.

Back to Top

Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever
leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by
Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings
together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate
and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation
of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los
Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group,
Iranian-Jews in America have
often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide
by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire
Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand
is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish
Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the
Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for
approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train
and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other
Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in
the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining
boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists.
Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish
Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation
of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

Back to Top

Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training
fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews
between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet
complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of
our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of
unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC
Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum
split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel
and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools
(fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each
topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the
Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will
play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

Back to Top

Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher
Fellowship, there was no organization or project working
to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into
the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that
there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish
community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at
the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It
was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community
that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which
made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many
of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and
takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role.
We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at
the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los
Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity,
dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold
a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity
and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if
we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel
comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership
role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the
values that our community can contribute.

Back to Top

Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they
continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various
Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects
of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community.
These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as
upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal,
invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for
advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

Back to Top

How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program
and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations
and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship
is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they
would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a
single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year;
each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program
from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals
per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine.
This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool
was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20%
success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to
the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make
sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni
have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals,
created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in
navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open
applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we
have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time
for interviews.

Back to Top

Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group, Iranian-Jews in America have often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists. Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

Back to Top

Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools (fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

Back to Top

Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher Fellowship, there was no organization or project working to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role. We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity, dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the values that our community can contribute.

Back to Top

Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community. These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal, invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

Back to Top

How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year; each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine. This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20% success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals, created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time for interviews.

Back to Top

Maher Fellowship

About

30 Years After's Maher Fellowship is the first ever leadership-in-training fellowship created for Iranian-American Jews, by Iranian-American Jews. Six months long, the Fellowship brings together a cohort of 18-20 first generation Iranian-American Jews, to educate and train them on a variety of topics necessary to become the next generation of Jewish communal leaders, activists and philanthropists in Greater Los Angeles, in a culturally conscious way. As a new immigrant group, Iranian-Jews in America have often felt dismissed or unwelcome. 30 Years After is bridging the divide by working in a culturally conscious manner, to further strengthen the entire Jewish people.

The Maher Fellowship has now completed it's 3rd year, and demand is sharply rising. We have since produced about 60 alumni.

Back to Top

What is the mission and purpose of this program?

The mission of the Maher Fellowship is mutli-fold.

The over-arching goal of the Fellowship is to create Jewish Communal leaders for the greater Jewish Community, from within the Iranian-American Jewish community, which has been in Los Angeles for approximately 37 years. Furthermore, through the Fellowship, we work to train and educate individuals in our community who will act as role models to other Iranian-American Jews, who will engage their Iranian-American Jewish peers in the greater Jewish community; whether through volunteering, through joining boards of organizations, or through becoming informed philanthropists. Furthermore, we encourage our fellows and alumni to leave their mark on Jewish Los Angeles, or beyond through their own creation of projects, initiatives, non-profits, giving circles and more.

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Program Description

The Maher Fellowship is a 6 month leadership-in-training fellowship which engages one cohort a year, of 18-20 Iranian-American Jews between the ages of 23-35. We make an effort to create diverse, yet complementary cohorts - bringing together individuals from different pockets of our community, in order to better facilitate the over-arching goal of unity.

Through twice monthly meetings, field trips, and a trip to AIPAC Policy Conference, the facilitator guides the Fellows through a curriculum split between 4 major topics: Iranian-Jewish Identity in America, Israel and Zionism, "Our" Role in Los Angeles, Leadership Tools (fundraising, public speaking, community building).

We host influencers and leaders to address the Fellows on each topic, and dive into a raw discussion afterwards.

Each meeting is proceeded by dinner, which is time for the Fellows to further bond and build the foundation and net that their cohort will play for them as they branch out into the community later, as leaders.

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Demonstrated Need

Prior to the Maher Fellowship, there was no organization or project working to engage the Iranian-Jewish Community formally and directly, into the greater Jewish community's landscape. 30 Years After recognized that there were two needs when building the Fellowship.

First, there was a need to integrate the Iranian-American Jewish community into the greater Jewish world and to finally start to chip away at the insularity that comes with being a first generation refugee community. It was time that the collective 'we' start to play a role in the community that immediately took us in at the height of Islamic Revolution in Iran, which made many Persian Jews homeless sometimes overnight. Due to our history, many of our community have little understanding or knowledge of what it means - and takes - to play a role in community, and more importantly, why play a role. We are changing that!

Second, the greater Jewish landscape of Los Angeles needs us at the table. There are approximately 60,000 Iranian-American Jews in Los Angeles, and we are often characterized by our fierce Jewish identity, dedication to tradition, and dedication to education. Culturally, we hold a key to Jewish continuity despite hardship, and Jewish identity and tradition despite religious observance - and we can share this key, if we are at the table. With more trained Maher fellows, who not only feel comfortable to sit at the table but also have the tools to play a leadership role in Jewish communal life, the entire Jewish Community will benefit from the values that our community can contribute.

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Program Accomplishments

We are so proud of the accomplishments we've had, and they continue to teach us how to best evaluate our work moving forward.

1) We've graduated almost 60 fellows, in just 3 years/cohorts.

2) A majority of our alumni have joined the boards of various Jewish organizations, and are already showing their leadership activity.

3) A number of our alumni have created organizations or projects of their own, either working with or benefiting the Jewish community. These include media, women's empowerment, and social justice.

4) Our alumni are being recognized by larger organizations as upcoming leaders of the Jewish community; they have been featured in the Jewish Journal, invited to join Jewish Federation boards and programs, and sought after for advisory work with other Jewish non-profits, including JDC Entwine and more.

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How do you measure the success of your program?

Of course, evaluation is the most difficult part of any program and we are constantly considering new metrics. Here are some of our evaluations and measurements, that clearly show the success of our program.

1) We ask the Fellows to fill out a survey after the Fellowship is completed. We gather all kinds of information, including whether they would recommend the Fellowship. To my knowledge, there has not been a single "no" in that regard.

2) We ask Fellows to recommend applicants for the next year; each year, a majority of applicants were recommended or heard about the program from an alumni friend.

3) Demand is rising. The program was created for 18 individuals per cohort, but the number of applicants has been beyond what we could imagine. This past cohort was bumped up to 20 individuals, as the applicant pool was remarkable and we simply couldn't turn away more. In 2016, we had a 20% success rate just about.

4) Fellowship alumni and their families, have made donations to the fellowship. They want to pay it forward, see it succeed, and make sure others get this gift as well.

5) Fulfilling our mission. We are so proud that our alumni have joined boards of organizations, taken jobs as Jewish professionals, created their own projects, and are being playing an important role in navigating the future of Jewish Los Angeles.

6) Already a demand for 2017 cohort. We usually open applications in October. With the amount of attention and interest we have gotten, we're considering opening applications earlier to leave more time for interviews.

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