Millstone Fellows

Millstone Fellows is Federation’s signature leadership program that serves to strengthen the St. Louis Jewish community and region. Federation believes talented leaders who represent the full diversity of the community create a thriving Jewish community. Millstone Fellows creates the space to effectively tackle challenging conversations and community situations through:

• Sharing perspectives and ideas
• Integrating Jewish values into decision-making
• Enhancing leadership skills
• Exploring relevant topics on the local, national, and global scene

Fellows deepen and define their personal commitments, build meaningful relationships, and develop leadership tools that can be applied to their leadership.

Learn more about the 2022 Millstone Fellows Cohort here.

Testimonial

“My participation in the Millstone Fellows program was a great way to tie together and enhance my various leadership roles in the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and larger Jewish community. It helped me network with other leaders of various backgrounds and prepare me for increased leadership roles in the Federation, of which I’m currently serving as Board Chair for YPD.” -Elliot Kleiman, Cohort 7

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Karen Sher at KSher@JFedSTL.org.

Testimonials

“Participating in the Millstone Fellows program helped me grow as a leader within the Jewish community. At each month’s meeting, I enjoyed seeing my cohort of Fellows who brought a variety of perspectives and diverse opinions from within the St. Louis Jewish community.” -Neil Jaffe

“The program has given me the skills to tackle the challenges in my community with confidence. More importantly, it reminded me that although the other Fellows and I may practice our Judaism in different ways and spaces, we are more alike than we are different.” -Judith Frankiel

“The Millstone Fellows experience taught me much about Jewish values and Jewish leadership. The cohort of 25 wonderful individuals, who come from a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives studied, discussed, brainstormed, and planned together. We were guided by a number of strong speakers and facilitators, who challenged us and who we, in turn, challenged. By the end of the program, my new friends and I all had come far in defining ourselves as Jews and as leaders.”

“I am a stronger leader because of Millstone Fellows. I better understand my tradition, my values, and myself. And I now have a new network of friends and colleagues who I have already called on for help on two different projects.”

“Being a part of the 2015 Millstone Fellows program is an eye-opening and rewarding experience.  I love that we are able to have so many thought provoking and frank group discussions.  Our meetings are filled with passionate ideas and good conversation about real issues that Jews face, both locally and globally. Being a Millstone Fellows has given me tools to become a better and more effective leader within the Jewish community. “

“Being a part of the 2014 Millstone Fellows class has been an honor and privilege,” said Josh Wallach, 2014 Millstone Fellow. “As active participants, we’ve been given extensive opportunities to engage in meaningful conversation amongst a diverse demographic of Jews, broadening our viewpoints and potentially our ways of thinking.  It has been an experience which will benefit my skills as a lay leader going forward.”

“I love the program and all of the leaders. I gained so much insight into myself and why I love being Jewish,” said another alum, Karen Dubinsky, 2016 Millstone Fellow. “I am so proud of my religion and what it stands for. I cannot wait to take what I learned and apply it to my everyday life. Since the first session, I have consistently used the skills that I have learned. It was amazing. Thank you for allowing me to participate.”

Past Millstone Fellows

• 2019 Millstone Fellows
• 2017 Millstone Fellows
• 2016 Millstone Fellows
• 2015 Millstone Fellows
• 2014 Millstone Fellows
• 2013 Millstone Fellows
• 2012 Millstone Fellows