The Marbeh Fellowship
Cultivating Senior Jewish Mindfulness TeachersFebruary 2026 – August 2028
Marbeh is a 30-month fellowship program to cultivate a new generation of Jewish mindfulness and spirituality educators to lead the field with enhanced teaching and practice. The 24-member cohort participates in intensive in-person retreats, ongoing study, writing, chevruta, teaching, publication, and both peer and traditional mentorship.
Marbeh builds upon several of IJS’s previous programs and includes both veteran teachers and earlier career, promising teachers. The goal of this fellowship is to invest in the deepening of each teacher’s practice and teaching in order to help the overall field thrive and for the Torah of Jewish Mindfulness to flourish.
We’re thrilled to welcome our 2026 cohort! These dedicated teachers will deepen their practice and expand their capacity to guide others. To learn more about this exceptional first cohort, please visit our 2026 fellowship directory.
Fellows pictured, in order from left to right, top to bottom: Shira Abramowitz, Rabbi Benjamin Barnett, Rabbi Lauren Berkun, Aviva Chernick, Alison Cohen, Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Rabbi Sam Feinsmith, Sarah Hurwitz, Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife, Jes Golden, PhD, David Gottlieb, PhD, Rabbi Ariel Hendelman, Rabbi Zvika Krieger, Rabbi Miriam Margles, Rabbi Batsheva Meiri, Cantor Julie Newman, Rabbi Dev Noily, Rabbi Shuli Passow, Rabbi Benjamin Ross, Rebecca Schisler, Larry Schwartz, Yael Shy, Rabbi Lauren Tuchman, Carrie Watkins.
We are grateful to the Covenant Foundation for supporting us in launching our Marbeh Fellowship this year, and for recently interviewing our Senior Core Faculty, Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell, about this innovative new program.
In their annual issue of Sight Line, the foundation interviews project directors from their newest cohort of Covenant grantees and asks them generative questions to uncover their inspirations, their passions, and their visions for the field of Jewish education.
Meet The Instructors:
Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell
Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell is Senior Core Faculty at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS), where he teaches Jewish mindfulness and text and directs cohort and retreat programs. Jordan began working for IJS as rabbinical student intern in 2005, and was on staff from 2011-2017, as a teacher of Jewish Mindfulness, leading retreats, and as Director of the Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training. Jordan also taught meditation to rabbis and cantors through IJS’ Clergy Leadership Program.
Currently at IJS, Jordan focuses on teaching Jewish mindfulness and text, planning and directing retreats, and leading the development of a new training program for advanced teachers of Jewish mindfulness.Jordan will also continue to share his expertise through online courses and on retreats, fostering mindful engagement with Jewish wisdom and tradition.
Rabba Dorothy Richman
Rabba Dorothy Richman serves as Rabbi of MakorOr: Jewish Meditation Center and Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco. She teaches on the faculty of the Institute forJewish Spirituality’s Clergy Leadership Program and for Or HaLev. Dorothy’s commited to the spiritual practices of Torah study, meditation, prayer, and justice. She is a soulful leader of traditional and creative ritual, and released an album of original music called Something of Mine, available on Bandcamp.