Birthright Israel Onward announced the completion of the inaugural cohort of its new “Storytellers” program, a pioneering fellowship designed to empower Jewish creatives and digital changemakers to share authentic narratives about Judaism and Israel worldwide.
Launched earlier this year, the program brought together its first group this summer: 43 participants from the United States, Canada, Argentina, Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Over several weeks in Israel, participants engaged in workshops, mentorship, and content creation experiences, building a foundation for authentic storytelling in the digital age.
“This initiative was born out of the need to break out of the echo chamber of traditional pro-Israel content and to give a platform to diverse, original voices with real influence online,” said Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel. “It is a program with a long-term vision to build a community of creators and changemakers who shape the digital and cultural discourse long after the program ends. After 25 years of activity, Birthright not only connects young people to Israel but also enables them to become partners in shaping the Jewish story of our generation.”
“Storytellers” is designed as a skill-building incubator and creative community for Jewish influencers, entrepreneurs and thought leaders between the ages of 18 and 35. The program combines high-level workshops, field trips, TED-style peer exchanges and incubation time for project development, equipping participants to produce content and initiatives that expand the reach of Jewish stories and strengthen Jewish identity online.
Flagship tracks launched this summer are:
• The Storytellers Reichman Geopolitics & Digital Influence Fellowship: A three-week, campus-based program at Reichman University focused on storytelling, digital influence and geopolitics.
• The Storytellers Impact Incubator: A nine-day immersive program running four times per year, blending brand-building, content creation and experiential learning.
Chelsea Jacobson, a New York-based writer and creator with an audience of 30,000 across TikTok and Instagram, joined “Storytellers” to deepen her relationship with Israel and Jewish identity. “This program gave me the space to connect my creative work to my heritage in a meaningful way,” she said.
Aurele Tobelem, a 22-year-old British-Israeli historian and policy researcher, added: “Through ‘Storytellers,’ I was able to amplify Mizrahi and Sephardi voices in the digital space and create bold, visually compelling content that challenges misinformation.”
Building on the success of its first cohort, Birthright Israel Onward plans to expand “Storytellers” with multiple programs annually, creating a long-term ecosystem of Jewish creatives committed to elevating Jewish voices and narratives across digital platforms.
