Base – To deepen engagement with Jewish young adults and to grow its vision for the growing network of Bases in Brooklyn, Downtown Manhattan, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington D.C. Base is a project incubated in Hillel International’s Office of Innovation. The program presents a Jewish educational model for emerging adults, in which a pluralistic rabbinic couple use their home as a center for Jewish life and learning. Each Base couple hosts Shabbat and holiday meals, studies with individuals and small groups, is available for counseling or life cycle events, and facilitates meaningful service opportunities. Base offers a crucial solution to the Jewish drop-off problem that occurs during the transition from college to adulthood. Each Base rabbi works as an entrepreneur and communal leader, setting programmatic priorities based on local needs, offering pastoral counseling, partnering with local institutions, and collaborating on community initiatives. While each Base reflects the personality of the rabbinic couple and embodies their vision for a vibrant Jewish community, all Bases are committed to pluralism and are focused on three core values: Shabbat and holiday hospitality, Jewish learning, and community service.

Base will also launch the expanded Base Summit, a three-day immersive retreat for Base rabbinic couples to welcome in new Base teams, share best practices, collaborate on ideas, analyze emerging trends and existing data, and dream together about the future evolution of Base’s work.