SAN DIEGO (SDJW)– Two Reform rabbis from San Diego have been named as Fellows in a year-long Amplify Israel Initiative designed to strengthen Reform Jewish leadership and deepen connections between Israel and North American Jewry.
Rabbis Benj Fried of Temple Emanu-El and Jeremy Gimbel of Congregation Beth Israel are among 24-early career rabbis nationwide whose selections were announced by Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York on Thursday. Fellows engage in mentorship with veteran rabbis, study foundational Zionist texts, and learn to express their perspectives through teaching, writing, and public discourse — from op-eds and sermons to digital media.
Rabbi Hirsch, founder of the Amplify Initiative, said: “In the wake of October 7, it has become urgent for us to ensure the closest possible relationship between American Jewry and Israel. Our fellows are on the front lines of rebuilding that connection — and cultivating Zionism in their communities. The growth of this program is evidence that rabbis are eager to lead and searching for support in this work.”
As part of their year-long studies, the rabbis will spend a week in Israel from Dec. 31 to Jan. 6.
The Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship is funded by the Hochberg Family Foundation, the Lisa and Michael Leffell Foundation, the Maimonides Fund, and the Paul E. Singer Foundation, along with an anonymous donor — and hundreds of other donors to Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s Amplify Israel initiative.
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Preceding story based on a press release provided by the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue