Voice of the People Initiative Launches Application Process for Second Cohort

New cohort will bring together diverse Jewish voices from around the world to build connections and develop leadership and collaborative solutions

JERUSALEM – September, 2026 – Voice of the People, the global Jewish leadership initiative founded by President Isaac Herzog, has opened applications for its second cohort, marking a major new stage in the development of a lasting network connecting Jewish communities, perspectives and expertise around the world.

The launch begins a worldwide search for the next cohort of participants, following an inaugural cohort that brought together 150 Jews from across countries, communities, professions, denominations and generations. The second cohort will maintain the initiative’s global structure, with 50 participants from Israel, 50 from the United States and Canada, and 50 from Jewish communities across the globe.

Voice of the People was established to create a framework through which Jews with different experiences and perspectives could build relationships, develop trust, deepen understanding and develop practical responses to challenges facing the Jewish people. More than 20 initiatives aimed at creating meaningful impact across the Jewish world have reached the proof-of-concept stage with support from Voice of the People and its partners.

The inaugural cohort demonstrated how sustained engagement across different perspectives can build trust and lead to collaboration. Through regular meetings and conversations, members formed relationships that continued beyond formal meetings through new initiatives, partnerships and an active alumni community, connecting individuals and communities that, in many cases, might otherwise never have encountered one another.

Amanda Miller, member of the inaugural Voice of the People cohort, said: “Voice of the People has given me meaningful connections with Jewish people globally. At a time of immense challenges for both Israel and the Diaspora, being able to navigate them together, sharing our different perspectives and experiences, has been incredibly powerful.”

Those experiences will shape the second cohort, with recruitment placing particular emphasis on diversity of perspective as a practical source of strength. Voice of the People is seeking participants from a wide range of backgrounds, professions, generations, denominations and communities who can contribute their knowledge, creativity, community connections and lived experiences to the cohort.

The objective is to create a cohort in which people who might rarely find themselves in the same room can build trust, develop meaningful relationships and work across differences. Its strength will come from what becomes possible when individuals with different perspectives listen to, learn from and collaborate with one another.

Noam Meirov, member of the inaugural Voice of the People cohort, said: “Voice of the People is an extraordinary platform for connecting with Jewish leadership worldwide and building relationships that can shape the future of our people.”

President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog said: “The strength of the Jewish people has always come from our ability to remain connected across differences of geography, tradition and perspective. As we open applications for the second Voice of the People cohort, I invite Jews from around the world to bring their voices, experiences and ideas to this growing global network, and to help shape our shared future together.”

Shirel Dagan-Levy, CEO of Voice of the People, said: “The opening of applications for our second cohort is an important moment for Voice of the People. Our first cohort showed that when Jews with very different experiences and perspectives build trust and real relationships over time, those relationships can generate ideas, collaborations and opportunities that continue well beyond the cohort itself.

“As we build the next cohort, we are looking beyond titles and traditional definitions of leadership. We want people with local knowledge, lived experience, expertise, creativity and a willingness to work with others, including people who may never previously have thought of themselves as Jewish leaders. The strength of this network comes from those differences and from what becomes possible when people bring them into serious collaboration.”

Applications are open to Jewish candidates aged 21 and above who are committed to the future of the Jewish people and Israel, have working proficiency in English, and demonstrate leadership potential and a readiness to contribute. The submission deadline is October 12, 2026.

For the second time, Voice of the People’s specially developed AI algorithm will be used to help select candidates, considering predetermined criteria designed to ensure a diverse and representative cohort. The algorithm will consider factors including gender, religious affiliation, ethnicity and community ties.

Members selected for the second cohort will serve for 16 months, beginning by sharing personal experiences and identifying challenges facing Jewish communities around the world. Cohort members will then form working groups around selected challenges, drawing on their experience and expertise to develop specific proposals before moving into an accelerator phase focused on turning ideas into collective initiatives and action. The final phase will focus on evaluating what was achieved, lessons learned and what can be carried forward to the wider global cohort.

At the conclusion of the cohort, members will join the permanent Voice of the People alumni network, allowing relationships, initiatives and collaborations developed through the cohort to continue beyond the formal program.

Applications for the second Voice of the People cohort are now open: https://apply.voiceofthepeople.network/#apply