ISRAEL—Gabe Friedman of Newton, Massachusetts’s was among 350 Jewish teens from 16 communities in six countries who arrived in Israel on July 4 for a three-week seminar as part of a year-long Diller Teen Fellowship, an immersive leadership program for teenagers from across Israel and the world.

The teens hail from several U.S. cities, Canada, Australia, South Africa, South America, and the international teens were will joined by their Israeli counterparts who also took part in the program. 

The Diller Teen Fellows program is a global leadership program for Jewish teenagers. Participants are Jewish 10th and 11th graders, selected to participate for their leadership potential.

“Diller Teen Fellows has allowed me to create and maintain lifelong friendships with Jewish teens both locally and globally,” said Friedman, 16, who is a student at Gann Academy. “The program has also allowed me to develop leadership skills and explore my Jewish identity.”

The Diller Teen Fellows program has been cultivating new generations of Jewish leaders since 1998. Today, there are more than 6,500 Diller alumni worldwide.

“At a time when our world can feel more fractured and divided than ever before, Diller Teen Fellows from across the globe are uniting to build understanding, create connections and help repair the world,” said Jen Smith, executive director of the Helen Diller Family Foundation Programs. “Diller serves as a foundational year that can impact the lifetime of a teen, as they explore their Jewish identity and the good they want to do in the world as a leader. Each teen brings their own unique perspective, lived experience and leadership qualities. Working together, we believe they can change the world.”

After arriving in Israel, the teens traveled throughout the country, experienced a Shabbaton retreat experience, and participated in Community Week with teens from their Israel-partnership communities. During the last part of their Israel visit, they gathered for The Global Congress – a week of global connection, exploration of Jewish peoplehood, and shared community service projects.

PHOTO: GABE FRIEDMAN: 

MAIN PHOTO: Gabe Friedman of Newton, Mass. was one of 350 Diller Teen Fellows this summer in Israel.