The Digital Storytellers Lab is a yearlong fellowship that gives Jewish storytellers the opportunity to develop, launch and grow projects exploring Jewish themes for new media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, podcast networks and game platforms. The cohort-based program provides fellows with creative community, mentorship, technical expertise and funding to support their work. We have graduated two cohorts so far; read about our fellows here.
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The Lab fellows tell untold and lesser-known Jewish stories, or familiar stories retold in innovative ways and for new audiences. Working with each other, and with support from accomplished mentors, they participate in professional workshops, consultancies and Jewish educational experiences that elevate the material.
Peer learning
Cohort gatherings
Celebrating wins
Peer learning
Applications for our third cohort are now open, with a deadline of May 23. Apply here.
Benefits for Fellows
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Up to $25k in project support. (All fellows will receive $18,000 in funding, contingent on meeting project deliverables and goals. Projects with larger production and marketing budgets can apply for additional funding at the midpoint of the fellowship year.)
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Three gatherings, in LA, New York, and Israel, to learn and network with local experts, with your cohort, and with our sister cohort, the Screenwriters Lab - another fellowship cohort of the Jewish Writers’ Initiative
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Meaningful Jewish learning experiences in a creative community
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18 peers in a tightly woven cohort built to support each other through feedback circles, co-working and social time
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Expert technical and scholarly consulting support for projects
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Mentorship from experts in the digital media field
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Monthly virtual cohort meetings organized around Jewish learning and digital media trainings
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Who We're Looking For
We are looking to support and convene creators with ideas for social media series, podcasts, games, webtoons and so on that illuminate Jewish narratives and tell new Jewish stories. As a Jewish Writers' Initiative program, we gravitate towards projects that feel written or crafted; we are less excited about interview shows as a format but generally welcome unique takes on any genre. Our ideal applicants fall into one of these categories:
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Jewish content creators who are out there now, doing the work, and want to up their game
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Creators in any niche (food, science, fashion, true crime, health and wellness, etc) who want to produce a Jewish-themed series for an existing channel, or to launch on a new subchannel
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Jewish subject matter experts who want to extend their work and their reach onto digital platforms. Perhaps you are a scientist, musicologist, fine artist, performer, athlete, travel writer, historian - this is a special opportunity for you to take your insights and bring them to a digital media platform with support from our team.
Qualifications
This is not an age-based cohort and we truly welcome 21+ applicants at every stage of their careers, provided that you have the media and content know-how – with appropriate support – to carry out your project. Applicants must
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Reside in North America
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Demonstrate competency in media production and/or your subject matter expertise
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Be available to attend all fellowship convenings and online meetings (all travel is paid for) - key dates below
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Be action-oriented - fellows are expected to not only develop but regularly post content to their projects while in the fellowship
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Work independently on a widely available A/V digital media platform, such as Youtube, Instagram, Tiktok, podcasting, Webtoon, Itch.io, etc.
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Plan an English-language, or bilingual project
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We’re not looking for...
For this program, we are not interested in pitches for full-length TV shows, festival short films or feature-length films - even if you intend to put them on a digital platform. Pitches should not mention film festivals, Netflix, Hulu and so on and we will not read applications of this nature.
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Timeline 2025 - 2026
May 23: Application Deadline
End of Aug: Kickoff virtual gathering
Sep 14-17: LA Seminar
Oct. - Jan.: Zoom gatherings on the second Tuesdays, monthly
Feb 3-10: Israel Seminar
March - June: Zoom gatherings on the second Tuesdays, monthly
Mid/Late June: NYC Seminar + Showcase (Date to be confirmed)
July 31: Official conclusion of Program
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Applications are now open for the 2025 cohort. Apply now.
