Jewish givers and grantmakers, will you join us?

At JLF, we are building power as part of modern movements for justice to ensure a future in which everyone has what they need to live and thrive for generations to come. We are clear that we have a unique and powerful role to play as our movements defend and strengthen multiracial democracy in the face of authoritarianism, antisemitism, and white Christian nationalism.

Now more than ever, it's critical that we get organized: clear about our work, courageous about how we do it, and committed to mutual support.

Meet the moment by meeting each other

Brick by Brick is a one-year fellowship for Jewish philanthropic leaders: staff, board members, and trustees at Jewish or secular foundations; donor advisors; and major donors giving $50,000 or more annually across organizations and causes. It equips leaders with organizing frameworks, political education, and rigorous peer support.

In short, it’s our community for bold experimentation and honest conversations among those who are ready to direct more philanthropic power in support of social justice movements.

Applications are now open for our 2027 cohort.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and are due on Wednesday, November 25, 2026 by 10:00pm Pacific Time.

If you would like to nominate someone, we're eager to connect.

Hear more about the Brick by Brick Fellowship from two of our 2026 Fellows, Lauren Blitzer and Ali Sirkus Brody:

Brick by Brick is a great fit for those who:

• Know that today's fast-shifting political conditions demand new philanthropic strategies and approaches, and desire a space to discern these;

• Have funded social justice organizations in the past, but want to better understand movement ecosystems and strategies;

• Are eager to understand "the Jewish left" and what's at stake for us;

• Are seeking an action-oriented community of support for their philanthropic work that is aligned with movements for justice;

• Have power to make changes to their grantmaking because they possess informal authority or formal decision-making power.

The curriculum & experience

Brick by Brick brings Jewish funders into conversation with philanthropic and movement leaders who've been navigating the challenges and opportunities of this work for decades, and who care deeply about resourcing and weaving together the Jewish left and broader movements for justice.

These leaders have helped us shape a curriculum that includes:

• A full suite of Adaptive Leadership skills and expert support to design and pilot a transformative change within your grantmaking;

• Political education to meet this moment, including how antisemitism is dividing our communities and movements, and what we can do to address it;

• Tools for mapping the systems in which our philanthropic work is situated, enabling us to better understand the role(s) we play within these systems; and

• Practices and rituals from Jewish and movement traditions that will support the cohort's individual and relational work.

How we will gather

We know that bold change only happens when we can rely on supportive, trusting relationships. Our expert facilitators have designed a fellowship that includes in-person immersives and virtual spaces that reinforce Brick by Brick fellows' connections.

As such, we invite fellows to:

• Show up relationally: you have much to share and receive;

• Adopt a spirit of openness to possibility and experimentation;

• Be challenged with care by movement leaders, colleagues, and peers; and

• Dream and vision expansively in pursuit of justice.

Program structure

• An Opening Retreat: 3-day, in-person gathering, Monday, February 22 - Wednesday, February 24, 2027 at a retreat center outside Baltimore, Maryland.

• Virtual Sessions*: 9 virtual two-hour sessions, presented every other week:

◦ Sessions include connection time with a chevruta, another fellow who you will be paired with for learning and accountability

◦ Sessions will require an average of 15-30 minutes of preparation

• Periodic one-on-one conversations with facilitators to support fellows' work

• A Closing Retreat*: 3-day, in-person gathering, to be scheduled between September-November 2027

*Scheduled once cohort is selected to accommodate fellows' availability

Program cost

The actual cost to JLF to run the Brick by Brick fellowship is considerable. Program costs include lodging and food for opening and closing retreats, an exceptional team of philanthropy and movement leaders, trainers, and facilitators, and the operations and infrastructure to support the program. Brick by Brick is subsidized by JLF, with generous support from the Krupp Family Foundation. 

We invite every fellow to make a contribution to JLF to help offset these costs. Suggested participant contribution for the fellowship is sliding scale based on your organization’s/individual annual grantmaking budget.

We recognize that individual circumstances can vary substantially across philanthropy. If these suggested contribution levels are prohibitive but you feel like this program is a strong fit for you, please reach out to us directly to discuss. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and are due on Wednesday, November 25, 2026 by 10:00pm Pacific Time.

Our team

Let’s build, nourish, and sustain a progressive movement that can win, Brick by Brick.