Alumni Perspective

Working at Mayyim Hayyim has been a tremendous experience for me both personally and professionally. Over the past year, I have managed projects for the fall and spring fundraising benefits; directed the Personnel Committee in the creation of the organization's Employee Handbook; prepared financial documents for presentation at Board of Directors and Committee meetings; and written a grant for a new program to be launched in Spring 2010. Empowered by the talented, passionate group of women with whom I work, and strengthened by the diverse skill set I have acquired during my time at Mayyim Hayyim, I am that much more confident in my abilities and my potential moving forward in my career."

Jenny Kibrit '09 MA/MBA
Program & Administrative Associate, Joshua Venture, NYC


"Fieldwork at Hornstein gives students the opportunity to find synergy between the classroom and the Boston Jewish community. I was able to pinpoint specific skill sets I wanted to improve and use the fieldwork experience as a catalyst for growth in professional and educational settings."

Jordan Fruchtman '08
Chief Program Officer, Moishe House, Oakland, CA



Field Experience

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The professional field experience requirement of the Hornstein Program is designed to help students develop and refine important career skills that can only be acquired in a setting outside of the classroom. All Hornstein students spend a minimum of 150 hours working for a Jewish organization prior to graduation, either during the summer after the first year of the program or during their second year. Students are given considerable support and latitude in choosing an organization with a mission that matches their interests. Stimulating fieldwork projects are carefully designed to provide students with practical experience as well as guidance and mentoring from experienced Jewish professionals.

Recent Field Experiences

At Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston's federation, a student interested in strategic planning managed a pilot measurement and evaluation project for the federation's strategic funding initiatives.

At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a student interested in fundraising and development, is entrusted to act as a member of the major gifts team to screen, solicit, and steward donors.

The Bureau of Jewish Education of Los Angeles was the choice for a student who wanted to learn more about Jewish education. The student spent the summer developing a website for families with young children, participated in an accreditation visit for a local day school, and developed an evaluation of a service-learning program.

Darim Online, a Virginia-based organization focusing on Internet strategies for Jewish organizations, provided an ideal opportunity for a student who wanted to develop social media expertise.

A student interested in philanthropy and evaluation worked at Natan Fund, a giving circle in New York that makes grants to start-up Jewish organizations. He evaluated the impact of the organization on members, grantees, and other funders.

At the Boston office of the American Jewish Committee (AJC),  a student worked closely with senior staff to learn about development, board cultivation, communications and programming.

Students interested in international Jewry have pursued fieldwork abroad or in a U.S. organization with an international focus:

  • A student interested in the connections between Judaism and healthcare spent the summer in Jerusalem working at Tishkofet/Life's Door, an organization that provides support programs for Israeli patients, families, and professionals dealing with illness.
  • Another worked at the New York headquarters of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. The student's project was under the auspices of the International Development Program, which offers non-sectarian development and relief projects that assist distressed communities around the world.
  • A third with a background in media relations spent the summer at the Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco working on Israel-related public policy issues.

Other recent fieldwork sites have included: