Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC Fellowship

Ready to apply? Click here to download an application and recommendation form.
Program seeks individuals who want to make a difference

The Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) are seeking applicants for the Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland-JDC International Fellows program for 2008-2009. The fellowship will provide an unparalleled opportunity for a select individual to spend one year abroad, making a significant difference in the lives of members of an overseas Jewish community.

One Fellow will be chosen annually to help an isolated or re-emerging Jewish community develop programs to educate youth, care for the elderly and/or train future leaders. Candidates need to be college graduates who have a strong commitment to Jewish life and a spirit of adventure.

Please click on the links below to read about Fellow experiences:

The program was established in memory of Roslyn Z. Wolf, a Trustee for Life of the Cleveland Federation whose many decades of active and loving service helped improve the lives of thousands of Jews and continues to motivate volunteers.

The program is made possible through the generosity of Ambassador Milton A. Wolf z'l and his children, Leslie Eric, Caryn Wolf Wechsler, Dr. Nancy Wolf and Dr. Sherri Wolf. Ambassador Wolf served as President and Chair of the JDC and Board Chair of the Cleveland Federation and was a life trustee of both organizations.

"It is only fitting that Roz be memorialized in this fashion," said Steve Schwager, Executive Vice President of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). "Her interests and leadership encompassed both Cleveland’s local Jewish community and the world-wide work of the JDC, the overseas arm of the American Jewish community."

"The fellowship program is a significant and tangible way to both honor Roslyn Wolf and affirm her practice of our sacred Jewish value, kol Yisrael areveim zeh le zeh, each Jew is responsible for one another," said Federation Board Chair Charles A. Ratner.

Among her many accomplishments, Roslyn Wolf was a trustee of several Jewish organizations, chaired the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury, served on the boards of the Ohio Arts Council and Cleveland State University, and worked tirelessly on behalf of disabled and elderly persons. She also chaired the Committee of 110 Ambassadors’ Spouses in Vienna, Austria, while her husband was posted there, and traveled with him to more than 50 countries, meeting most heads of states.

The program will enable the Fellow to enrich the lives of Jews in countries such as Romania, Turkey, India, Poland, Austria, Ethiopia or the former Soviet Union. The Fellow’s skills will be matched with the needs of an overseas Jewish community to help that community find workable solutions to its most pressing problems.

Prospective Fellows can be any age, and should possess a strong Jewish background, teaching or group work experience, exceptional leadership skills and the ability to quickly adapt to the unique culture of the local community.

Throughout their one year experience, Fellows will be responsible to the JDC and the Jewish Community Federation for reports and articles about their experiences, occasionally speaking to the JDC, Jewish Federations and other groups. The program covers transportation and living expenses and offers a small stipend upon successful completion.

To apply for the Fellowship, please download the Microsoft Word application (217KB) or email us at volunteer@jdc.org.