Program Overview
A fellowship for Jewish and Christian leaders and professionals committed to the biblical renewal of America. Fellows will participate in online seminars and convene at America’s oldest synagogue in Newport, RI, for an in-person Shabbat retreat. We will be hosted by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, spiritual leader of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York City, and Congregation Ahavath Israel of the Touro Synagogue.
Who
Candidates will include the best and most promising early- to mid-career Jewish and Christian professionals from all spheres of influence: journalists, editors, and content creators in media; policymakers, legislative staff, legal advocates, and think tank leaders in public policy; teachers, school and university leaders, and education reformers; pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders; and leaders of civic, cultural, and community organizations. We welcome applicants from any field whose work shapes public and communal life.
When
Monthly Online Seminars + Shabbat Retreat in Newport on May 14-16th 2027
Application Deadline and Stipend
Application Deadline:
Sunday, December 20, 2026
Stipend: $2,500 to cover travel expenses and support each Fellow’s participation in the program.
At this pivotal moment in Jewish, Christian, and American civilization, Tikvah has launched the Newport Fellowship to bring together Jewish and Christian leaders from across the nation to explore the Hebraic roots of America’s founding and advance the biblical renewal of American civilization.
In our inaugural year, we are forming two distinct cohorts:
The program will have three core activities:
Applications for the Newport Fellowship are due by Sunday, December 20, 2026. If you have questions, e-mail Simone Rizkallah at srizkallah@tikvah.org. To apply, click here.

Tikvah is an educational institution and think-tank dedicated to advancing Hebraic ideas, strengthening the American project, deepening the bond between America and Israel, and bringing together Jews and Christians committed to the renewal of Western civilization. Through its educational programs, fellowships, media platforms, and public initiatives, Tikvah advances serious engagement with the enduring wisdom of the Jewish tradition and the great challenges facing the Jewish people, America, and the Western world.

The Shabbat retreat will take place in Newport at the historic Touro Synagogue. Owned and cared for by Congregation Shearith Israel, it is the oldest Jewish synagogue in the United States. George Washington’s famous letter to the Jews of Newport is one of America’s most profound statements about the meaning of religious liberty, and Touro Synagogue stands as a powerful symbol of the role of Hebrew Scripture, freedom of worship, and Jewish-Christian friendship in the American story.
The Newport Fellowship is rooted in four foundational principles that form the basis for a new Jewish-Christian alliance and friendship at this defining moment in the history of our civilization.
The Newport Fellowship aims to create a movement of Jews and Christians who believe in these ideals, who turn to the Hebrew Bible as a source of wisdom and inspiration, and who partner together in the civic, political, and educational arena to strengthen the American project.
Candidates will include the best and most promising early- to mid-career Jewish and Christian professionals from all spheres of influence: journalists, editors, and content creators in media; policymakers, legislative staff, legal advocates, and think tank leaders in public policy; teachers, school and university leaders, and education reformers; pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders; and leaders of civic, cultural, and community organizations. We welcome applicants from any field whose work shapes public and communal life.
Monthly Online Seminars + Shabbat Retreat in Newport on May 14-16th 2027
The Newport Fellowship is rooted in the belief that the Bible is the foundational text of American civilization. Our learning sessions will always include the “Public Reading of Scripture,” reading and listening to the biblical text in a wisdom-seeking and civic spirit.
Together we will study primary sources, excerpts and essays—reading and listening together in “Just Show Up” seminar discussions—that illuminate the history and meaning of religious freedom in America, the significance of Jewish-Christian friendship, the spiritual and historical centrality of Jerusalem and the State of Israel, and the translation of biblical renewal into a practical agenda for strengthening modern America.
We will invite some of the most interesting civic and political leaders—from both the educational and public policy arenas—to share their insights on the great challenges and opportunities facing Jews and Christians today.
Tikvah is an educational institution and think-tank dedicated to advancing Hebraic ideas, strengthening the American project, deepening the bond between America and Israel, and bringing together Jews and Christians committed to the renewal of Western civilization. Through its educational programs, fellowships, media platforms, and public initiatives, Tikvah advances serious engagement with the enduring wisdom of the Jewish tradition and the great challenges facing the Jewish people, America, and the Western world.
Tikvah is a deeply Jewish institution that believes the values and ideas of the Hebrew Bible form the touchstone of the American republic and Western civilization. We seek to renew an alliance between Jewish and Christian communities—rooted in shared texts, common moral purpose, and a shared belief in the dignity of every human person.
The Newport Fellowship is open to early- to mid-career Jewish and Christian professionals from every sphere of influence. Prospective fellows include journalists and content creators, policymakers and legislative staff, legal advocates and think tank leaders, teachers and school or university leaders, pastors and rabbis, and leaders of civic, cultural, and community organizations. If your work shapes public and communal life and you are committed to strengthening Jewish-Christian partnership, we encourage you to apply.
The program will be conducted through online seminars, culminating in an in-person Shabbat weekend retreat in Newport, Rhode Island and follow-up online presentations by the Fellows.
A series of readings drawn from biblical texts, primary sources on the American experiment, and essays and excerpts illuminating the great questions facing Jews and Christians in the modern age. Fellows are expected to come to our seminars and Shabbat retreat prepared for high-level conversation. At the end of the program, we will challenge each fellow to develop and articulate practical ideas for advancing the biblical renewal of America in their own work, institutions, and communities.
Fellows should expect to participate in monthly seminar sessions (approximately 3 hours per month), complete the assigned readings, attend one Shabbat weekend in Newport, and prepare a final presentation at the close of the program.
No. The Fellowship and Shabbat program in Newport are offered at no cost to participants. Fellows will be reimbursed up to $750 to cover transportation costs and incidentals. All meals and housing in Newport are covered by the program.
Our vision is to create, over the next many years, a network of Newport Fellows in every arena of civic life who work together to advance the project of biblical renewal. Newport Fellows will also gain access to Tikvah’s online library of resources and be invited to future conferences, events, and programs following the completion of the fellowship.
For more information, please contact: