I was on the maiden voyage of the Encounter program, and it was great–they do really worthwhile work.
They’re looking for an intern now, so if you’re in the Holy Land now and are interested, drop Ilana a line–info below.

Intern Positions Available
Encounter, Jerusalem Office
September 2007 – June 2008
Encounter is an educational organization dedicated to providing Jewish diaspora leaders from across the religious and political spectrum with exposure to Palestinian life. Motivated by the relentless Jewish pursuit of hokhma (wisdom) and binah (understanding), Encounter programs bring participants on journeys to engage with Palestinians face-to-face and witness realities first hand. Encounter organizes one and two day trips to Bethlehem and Hebron.
Encounter’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is unique: we incorporate Torah values in all aspects of our work, including an intentional emphasis on skillful listening to others, as we grapple with the challenging, present-day issues facing the Middle East. Our participants include Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, & post-denominational rabbinical and yeshiva students learning in Israel for the year. We also lead trips for synagogue delegations, Federation missions, visiting Hillels and other groups.
Encounter is growing quickly. We are seeking talented interns to provide assistance in a variety of areas.

Components of the internship include:
· Research: preparation of relevant reading materials for participants, comparative study of models of peace-building
· Leadership development: training in a broad array of leadership skills development, ranging from project management to group facilitation skills; meet and learn from key Palestinian, Israeli and international leaders in the region
· Fundraising assistance: preparing thank you letters, researching potential foundations and individual donors
· Administrative: data entry, filing, registration of participants, photocopying
· Trip program assistance: participate on trips and provide logistical support as needed
Qualifications
· Commitment to participating in a meaningful way in the Israeli-Palestinian peace-process
· Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, and internet-use
· Some prior experience in organizational work (organizing campus student groups, event planning, program development)
· Openness to learning and ability to incorporate new information
· Ability to receive supervision and work independently and be part of a team
· Strong sense of responsibility and follow through on task-completion
· Sense of humor
Helpful but not required
· Familiarity with databases (Access, Salesforce, others)
· Knowledge of Hebrew and/or Arabic
· Fundraising experience
Time Commitment
Flexible schedule; 10 – 20 hours a week, plus Encounter trips to Bethlehem (2 days) and Hebron (1 day)
How to Apply
Please send an email with a cover letter in the body of your email with an attached resume, no more than 1 page, to:
Ilana Sumka
Director, Middle East Office
Encounter
Ilana AT EncounterPrograms DOT org
In the subject line of your email, please write: “Internship Application, (First Name Last Name)”
Interviews will be conducted beginning September 2.