J Street picks two L.A. seminary students for fellowship

The third- and fourth-year rabbinical students from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles will work on their advocacy and leadership skills so they can discuss the safety and future of the state of Israel and their support of a two-state solution.

Hoffman and Antman come from community engagement backgrounds. Antman previously worked as a legislative staffer at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and United Nations Foundation in Washington, D.C, focusing on issues of racial equity, global health advocacy, LGBTQIA+ equality and immigration. Hoffman founded the J Street U chapter at the University of Arizona and is currently the rabbinic intern at USC Hillel.

Once ordained, they hope to pursue similar work. They’re also interested in seeing how clergy can utilize J Street’s resources when discussing Israel.

“There is so much pressure for clergy to speak about Israel-Palestine in a very specific manner from all ends of the political spectrum,” Antman said. “J Street is one of the few Jewish nonprofits that trains future clergy in how to bridge those difficult conversations and how to be authentic and maintain a level of approachability.”

Fellows, who span all religious denominations, also will be mentored by a rabbi or cantor from the J Street Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet. They will have the opportunity to advocate for J Street’s policies with their local members of Congress, participate in monthly learning sessions and represent J Street at their local seminary.

“Israel conversation, within a synagogue or otherwise, is something I’m both looking forward to and anxious about. J Street [will] not only help me facilitate those conversations, but give me the language to be a part of those conversations,” Hoffman said. “This [fellowship] is meaningful engagement with Israel. I want to be engaged in this work, in this discussion, in this future and this is a stepping stone in continuing in that.”