J Street Hiring Mikva Family Fellow (DC)
Emily Koppel
What is the Mikva Family Fellowship?
The Mikva Family Fellowship is a unique one-year opportunity for a highly-qualified recent college graduate to gain in-depth experience in political organizing, legislative and policy developments in Congress, community organizing, and advocacy work around US efforts to help secure a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We invite college seniors and recent graduates to apply.
The Mikva Family Fellowship, based in Washington, DC, is tailored to the personal skill-sets, interests, and ambitions of the Fellow selected. Over the course of one year, the Fellow will go through three rotations lasting four months each, working for a handful of departments within J Street and J Street PAC, including, for example, Government Affairs, Political Affairs, Communications and J Street U. Actual rotations will be determined based on the Mikva Family Fellow’s skills and interests, as well as the priorities of the organization.
The Mikva Family Fellowship is designed to prepare the Fellow for future work in political advocacy and organizing, particularly around issues related to Israel, US foreign policy, security, Jewish communal affairs, and diplomatic efforts to achieve a two-state solution. With that in mind, the Fellow will gain insight and skill-sets critical to the work of J Street’s overall legislative, advocacy, and grassroots mobilization, as well as exposure to the inner workings of a multifaceted and significant American political advocacy organization.
The Mikva Family Fellow will be supervised by J Street’s Chief of Staff, as well as the director of the team upon which the Fellow serves at any given period.
What kind of work will the Mikva Family Fellow be doing? What are the general responsibilities of the Fellowship?
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
– Provide substantive support for JStreetPAC, the PAC endorsement process, and associated political fundraising efforts
– Work with the entire Political Affairs department and provide political assistance to staff in our nine regions
– Responsibility for helping track Congressional elections/polling, researching Congressional candidates, and drafting political memos, candidate profiles, and website content
– Assist with cultivating J Street’s National Finance Committee, researching prospective political donors, and providing logistical support for political/fundraising events as needed
– Work closely with the Political Director and PAC Manager to uphold our nationally significant PAC and help expand the political capital of J Street
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
– Analyze policy and legislation while working with Government Affairs associates on relationship- building with Congressional offices
– Frequent representation of J Street including by writing in various publications, public speaking at political and communal gatherings (political party conventions, Jewish communal gatherings, campus conferences, etc.)
– Assist in the formulation and execution of strategies and tactics to advance legislative and policy priorities on Capitol Hill
– Draft, edit and analyze legislative language related to J Street priorities
– Research and draft informational materials and statements related to J Street legislative and policy issues
– Maintain up-to-date awareness and deep knowledge of relevant legislative initiatives, communal developments, campus happenings, and policy developments on our issue
J STREET U
– Research related to and analysis of critical media and political developments on campus and in the Jewish community related to our issue
– Help develop and execute national and regional J Street U campaign work
– Run trainings and workshops for students on campuses across the country
– Ensure successful execution of major workshops, student legislative gatherings, Congressional briefings, advocacy days, and other events on campus and on Capitol Hill
– Help further develop and expand J Street U’s programming on the ground in Israel and the West Bank
– Help coordinate J Street U alumni organizing and campaign initiatives
– Identify key opportunities to advance the work of J Street on campus and in local communities
COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL MEDIA
– Support the Communications team in all major areas of media content development, especially urgent coordination and implementation of breaking stories related to American, Israeli, and Palestinian political developments
– Work on the implementation of communication strategies for Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets
– Help draft effective talking points and strategies around engaging critical media sources
– Develop and edit public-facing content including op-eds, letters to the editor, etc.
– Create and/or find quality education content (videos, images, infographics, etc.) that will engage a wide audience
– Brief the Communications team on news- related developments requiring response and organizational attention
– Dissemination of critical and breaking news and key analyses to staff and supporters
What are the desired skills and characteristics of a Mikva Family Fellow?
– A deep and strong commitment to J Street’s mission
– Interest in legislative and lobby work on a Congressional level
– Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
– Strong verbal presentation skills, including public speaking
– An interest in and understanding of how the Israeli- Palestinian conflict plays out in American politics, campus environments, and the American Jewish community
– Personally engaging style and eagerness to work with various team members, student leaders, Members of Congress, Congressional and campaign staff, and organizational leaders
– Comfort with online communications and data management
– Willingness to travel to campuses across the country for various workshops, trainings, and other meetings
– Strategic thinker: the ability to identify and pursue opportunities within moments of tension and/or challenge
– Some knowledge of history and politics as it relates to the Middle East, Israel, and the Arab- Israeli conflict
– Ability to be a team player and able to multitask/ manage multiple time-critical projects
– An ability to take the work seriously and simultaneously have a strong sense of humor
– A strong desire to learn in a fast paced environment from a wide range of seasoned colleagues from various departments
What does J Street do?
J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans working for the future of Israel as a democratic state and the homeland of the Jewish people. The organization believes that ensuring Israel’s future depends on achieving a two-state solution and ending the occupation, resulting in a Palestinian state living alongside Israel in peace and security.
Launched in 2008 with four staff and a limited budget, J Street is now an $8 million organization with a national staff of 60. J Street has an expansive network of supporters engaged in pro-Israel, pro-peace activism in their communities, promoting active US leadership to achieve a two-state solution.
J Street focuses its work on three main areas: (1) Lobbying and advocating for Middle East policy changes in Congress, the media, and the Jewish community; (2) Endorsing and raising money for federal candidates who share J Street’s agenda; and (3) Educating the public and raising awareness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the two-state solution.
The J Street family of organizations is comprised of J Street, JStreetPAC, and the J Street Education Fund. J Street is a 501(c)(4) organization and registered lobby that seeks to complement the work of existing organizations and individuals that share J Street’s agenda through lobbying and advocacy efforts. JStreetPAC is the largest pro-Israel, pro-peace Political Action Committee in the US and the first PAC formed to endorse and raise money for federal candidates who champion pro-Israel, pro-peace policies, including a two-state solution. In 2014, JStreetPAC distributed a record high of over $2.4 million to 95 endorsed candidates, which led to 79 electoral victories.
The J Street Education Fund (JSEF) is a legally independent 501(c)(3) organization that works to open up the conversation on Israel in the American Jewish community, educate Americans and elected officials about the urgent need for a two-state solution, and organize Americans in support of active US leadership to achieve this objective. JSEF’s operations include its national Field, J Street U, Rabbinic programming, and general community educational programs.
How do I apply for the Mikva Family Fellowship?
Email jo...@jstreetu.org with the subject line “Mikva Family Fellowship Application”
Include in the email:
· Cover Letter answering the questions:
o Why do you want to be a Mikva Family Fellow and how will it help you achieve your personal or professional aspirations?
o Why are you uniquely qualified for the position?
o What about the work of J Street is of greatest interest to you and why?
· Resume
Contact Information for 3 References
Compensation and Hours
The Mikva Family Fellowship offers a competitive salary and package of benefits. Benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, paid time off on federal and Jewish holidays, health and dental insurance, company paid life insurance, 401k and flexible spending account.