Personal Growth. Professional Purpose.
M² Aleh Summit
Aleh is a three-day summit equipping early-career professionals with the skills, insights, and networks to thrive in Jewish communal work.

TBD
Early Career Professionals
TBD

Aleh, a Hebrew word that means Uplift, gives organizations the opportunity to invest in their rising professionals, ensuring they are supported, inspired, and prepared to strengthen Jewish communal life.
At the heart of Aleh are three value-centered goals:
MOTIVATE
Motivate your work with a sense of calling and a deep connection to your mission, seeing it as a meaningful and noble pursuit. Fueled by passion, you will recognize your essential role in shaping the Jewish community.
NAVIGATE
Navigate complex conversations on Israel, antisemitism, and communal divides by applying Jewish values as a guiding framework. Gain the clarity and confidence to engage thoughtfully and effectively in your work.
CULTIVATE
Cultivate the skills, tools, and networks needed to excel in Jewish communal work. Strengthen your ability to communicate, foster relationships, and lead with impact.
Seminars
SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS
Join a three-day immersive summit where you’ll engage in hands-on learning, peer collaboration, and real-world application. By the end of the summit, you will have concrete insights and lasting connections that will continue to shape your professional journey long after Aleh ends.
Consider Applying If You…
- Have 2-5 years overall of professional work experience.
- Want to sharpen your skills, expand your knowledge, and grow professionally.
- Seek a like-minded cohort to learn with and build lasting connections.
- Are ready to engage, reflect, and gain fresh perspectives on your work.
- Want to return with new tools that enhance your impact in the Jewish communal field.
Encourage your employee to apply if you...
- Have a highly motivated employee who is committed to Jewish communal work and eager to grow.
- Want to strengthen their connection to Jewish values and their role in Jewish communal life.
- See their potential for advancement and want to equip them with practical skills.
- Know that investing in their development will enhance their impact and strengthen your organization’s long-term success.


Faculty and Staff

Mollie
Andron
Lead Faculty and Facilitator
VP of Programs, M²
Mollie has over 10 years experience teaching in a variety of Jewish educational settings – from formal classroom teaching to nature education, theatre education to collaborative philanthropy education. She enjoys being in the field, as well as building programs and trainings to support others. Mollie holds a double Masters in Midrash and Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, a BA in Religion from Bard College, and is a graduate
of M²’s Senior Educators Cohort.
She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and children.
VP of Programs, M²

Debbi
Cooper
VP of Partnerships, M²
Debbi Cooper is the VP of Partnerships at M². Previously Debbi served as the Director of Engagement for PJ Library and Associate Vice President, Community Outreach & Engagement of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. She is the immediate past Chair of the Board for Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, a pluralistic Jewish Day School in Chicago. She is a graduate of M²’s Senior Educators Cohort and a current 18×18 fellow.
Debbi graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and has a Master’s in Public Administration/Non-profit management from George Mason University. Debbi lives in Chicago with her husband, Aaron, and their three children: Gabe, Judah, and Noah. She schleps her family on hikes and bikes, makes big dinners upon their return and can often be found hiding out with a good book.

Julie
Maschler Pearl
Design Manager at M²
Julie Maschler is the Design Manager at M². She is excited to bring her experience in design and nonprofit work to further M²’s vision to develop compelling and creative ways to engage in Jewish life. She sees design as an important medium of communication and as a way to blend the visual and narrative world. Prior to joining M², she worked for The Natan Fund and continues to consult on a variety of graphic design and nonprofit projects. She holds a BA from Brandeis University in Massachusetts and completed the Shillington Graphic Design Certificate program in New York.

Abby
Mintz
Lead Faculty and Facilitator
Senior Program Director, M²
Abby joined M² in 2022 as Program Director of the Center for Values in Action and spent her career prior to that working in a variety of settings including Jewish camping, academia, and as a clinical therapist. Abby is a graduate of M²’s Camp Educator’s Cohort and the current community coordinator for M²’s Chicago Educator’s Cohort. Abby lives in Evanston with her partner Zach, her 3 adorable kiddos Max, Ayla, and Asa, as well as her mini shih-tzu Badger.
Senior Program Director, M²

Tania
Nemeth
Program Coordinator, M²
Tania Nemeth is the new Program Coordinator at M², bringing a dynamic mix of educational and software experience to the role. Raised in Michigan and a graduate of San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Computer Science, Tania blends her technical skills with a profound passion for Judaism and education. Enthusiastic about advancing educational initiatives through a Jewish perspective, she is eager to contribute to M²’s mission. Now based in Bushwick, Tania enjoys exploring her neighborhood, experimenting with new recipes, attending Broadway shows, and losing herself in a good book.

Joanna
Tasch
Program Coordinator, M²
Joanna is excited to join M² in the Program Coordinator role. Joanna holds a BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University. Prior to joining M², she worked at Evanston Township High School, where she facilitated a course that empowered students to use the design thinking framework to develop innovative solutions for community improvement. Joanna loves using her creativity to design engaging and meaningful program experiences and then produce organized action to bring these ideas to life. Outside of work, you’ll find Joanna picking up a new book from her local public library, exploring farmer’s markets and new neighborhoods around Chicago, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and spending time outdoors with friends.

Shuki
Taylor
CEO, M²
As the CEO of M², Shuki helps provide educators and organizations in Israel, North America, and Europe with knowledge, tools, and skills to advance the theory and practice of experiential Jewish education. Previously, Shuki served as director of Service Learning and Experiential Education at Yeshiva University, where he founded the Certificate Program in Experiential Jewish Education and a range of programs mobilizing college students to serve underprivileged communities worldwide. A Schusterman Fellow, Shuki studied Jewish philosophy, education, and scriptwriting.
Tuition: $
Eligibility
Tuition & Funding: Aleh is offered to participants at a significant subsidy thanks to generous funding.
FAQ

Aleh is an initiative of M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education. The summit is designed exclusively for early-career professionals, ensuring that every session, discussion, and experience is directly applicable to your role and challenges.
Information on presenters, schedules, and sessions are forthcoming.
The gathering is designed for Jewish communal professionals who:
- Are early-career professionals with 2-5 years overall of professional experience
- Want to sharpen their skills, expand their knowledge and grow professionally
- Seek a like-minded cohort to learn with and build lasting connections
- Are ready to engage, reflect, and gain fresh perspectives on their work
- Want to return with new tools that enhance their impact in the Jewish communal field
If you have any questions as to whether Aleh is a good fit for you, please contact us.
When applications are open, we’ll update this field with a relevant link to apply.
If you know an early-career professional who is eligible for Aleh, you can simply forward them a link to this page, encouraging them to apply!
Eligibility criteria can be found above. Thank you in advance for spreading the word about Aleh!
For questions, please contact Joanna at joanna@ieje.org.