The Honey Fellows are forty-six dynamic, inspiring Israeli spiritual entrepreneurs, some of whom call themselves rabbis –all of whom are the change agents for a new Jewish future. Leaders who represent the great tapestry of Israeli Jewish expression. Leaders for whom the Honey Foundation has committed to funding-up to one-third of a full-time salary, allowing them to more fully embed themselves in the transformational work of Jewish community building.  

Spiritual Entrepreneurs bring a disruptive, creative energy to the work of Jewish community building. In an environment too often marked by severe limitations of financial resources, spiritual entrepreneurs transcend narrow thinking to help others see possibility. Not afraid to take risks and empowered with fresh visions of Jewish community and Jewish learning, these leaders are building communities that feel a sense of responsibility for their members and the larger world.

Investor — not donor! At the Honey Foundation we don’t use the word donor.  We are not a charity. We don’t want people giving us their money without strings attached. We want investors. We want people who are highly focused on the “return” on their capital. We want people who are looking for opportunities to impact Jewish life. We are disciplined “investors” focused on Israeli Judaism, deploying our capital and resources with the expectation that we will generate outsized impact.

A renaissance of cultural and religious activity organic to the Israeli scene. A turn towards Judaism for authentic Jewish and Israeli responses to life’s great existential questions; A grassroots Israeli phenomenon, transcending old parochial definitions of Jewish movements. Israelis are returning “home” on their own terms, forging new conversations between Judaism and Zionism in order to open-up a new Jewish future.

Imagine the shuk or a Beit Midrash — a noisy, exciting, alive space filled with different Jewish ideas, sounds and rhythms. That’s our vision for Israeli society. A country filled with robust and deep Jewish communities where people are free to find meaning in the communities of their choice. Such an environment maximizes involvement and raises the quality of all cultural expression.