The Lieberman Fellowship &
Adult-Focused Initiatives
The Lieberman Fellowship for Jewish Organizations Serving Young Adults
Made possible by the generosity of Eileen and Jerry Lieberman, this fellowship empowers Jewish organizations serving young adults to build communities where neurodivergent individuals and people with disabilities can thrive. Through expert-led training, mentoring, and peer support, participants are provided the tools to transform their institutions into more inclusive spaces—and the opportunity to create lasting organizational change.
Additional Options for Engagement:
While our premier offering highlights our expertise in deep ongoing training, the Lieberman Fellowship is not the only way we work to elevate the Jewish communal experience of disabled & neurodivergent young adults.
Matan offers a range of support levels to meet communities where they are in their disability inclusion journey. Complete the form below to learn how Matan can provide custom disability inclusion PD opportunities for your community’s young adult engagement organizations!
About the Fellowship
While there are many Jewish programs geared toward young adults, people with disabilities often face barriers—both physical and attitudinal—that prevent full participation. Matan believes that young adults with and without disabilities should be able to meaningfully participate in Jewish life.
The Lieberman Fellowship is a year-long, cohort-based experience combining training, mentorship, and community-building opportunities. Matan works with community partners to identify 6-10 Jewish organizations who participate in “teams” of 2-4 professionals and lay leaders.
Read more about our inaugural cohort here:
Core Components
Disability Inclusion Audit
Organizations identify strengths in their current programming as well as gaps they wish to address.
Deep Learning + Filling Your Toolbox
Teams learn from presenters with lived experience and receive resources (tangible tools) to further their work.
Community Building
Professionals build a community of support, strengthening local relationships as well as being introduced to national networks.
Inclusion Impact Plan
Teams work with mentors to identify goals as well as concrete objectives to test inclusion strategies in real time.
What Participants Receive:
Participants in our program navigate the fellowship as part of a team from their Jewish organization. Each team gains practical tools, personal guidance, and a supportive community designed to strengthen their disability inclusion work.
20+ hours of disability inclusion training.
10 hours of direct mentoring per team
Access to experts in the disability inclusion field, as well as learning from individuals with lived experience
A network of other like-minded colleagues
Key Training Topics
Partner with Us
Matan seeks partner organizations that serve young adults to help anchor new Lieberman Initiatives. We collaborate with local communities to bring this program to their city or region and with national organizations to offer cohorts tailored to their area of practice.
We’d love to hear from you if:
- You have a general interest in the Lieberman Fellowship or young adult inclusion.
- You’re a young adult engagement professional interested in strengthening your disability inclusion efforts.
- You represent an organization or funder that wants to partner with Matan to bring this program to your community or professional field.
- You are a neurodivergent person in your 20s or 30s with a disability and believe your community would benefit from this training.
If this sounds like you, please contact Jennie Gates Beckman at jbeckman@mataninc.org to start the conversation.
In Their Own Words
“This experience has enhanced my understanding of creating an inclusive space for Jewish young adults and given me the tools, resources and network to adapt the programs within my organization!”
- Ali Gugerty
- Director, Immersive Experiences
- Mem Global