The Israel Legal Fellowship brings outgoing law clerks and judges to Israel to study the country’s complex history and legal and political institutions. The program’s mission is to fortify bonds between leading lawyers and jurists in Israel and the U.S. and strengthen the two countries’ commitment to the rule of law. The fellowship is housed within Yeshiva University’s Center for Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization, and it is funded and organized by iTrek, a nonprofit that empowers leaders to bring their networks to Israel.
ILF - 2024 Program Highlights
• Tour of Israel’s most sacred religious sites, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the City of David.
• Judicial exchange with justices and law clerks of the Israeli Supreme Court.
• Private meeting with Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, at his residence.
• Briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office with Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs.
• Meeting at the Kirya, Israel’s Pentagon, with the highest-ranking lawyers in the IDF, including Israel’s Military Advocate General and the President of the IDF Court of Appeals.
• Briefing at Israel’s Knesset with its Speaker, Amir Ohana.
• Dinner with Deputy Attorney General for Constitutional Affairs, Avital Sompolinsky.
• Dinner at the residence of a leading diplomat from one of the Gulf states.
• Private meeting with Monsour Abbas, leading Arab member of the Knesset.
• Q&A with Palestinian American activist and New York Times journalist Rami Nazzal.
• Visit to Yad Vashem, Kfar Aza, the Nova Festival, and the sites of October 7.
• Visit with hostage families and their legal representative at the Hostage Family Forum.
How are Israel Legal Fellows Selected?
The primary selection criteria are: experience as a law clerk on a leading appellate court, including the U.S. Supreme Court; outstanding academic achievement; and demonstrated interest in international law, foreign affairs, and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Dates & Costs
- The 2025 fellowship will run from Sunday, September 7, to Thursday, September 11, 2025. Flights to Israel will depart on Saturday, September 6, and return on Friday, September 12.
- In the summer, fellows will gather for a pre-trip event in Washington, D.C.
- Fellows will be provided flights, lodging, and meals for the trip to Israel.
- Additional travel expenses and any costs associated with a lengthened stay are the responsibility of the Fellow.
How to Apply
- Applicants should submit their resumé, a short statement of interest, and two to three references to Israellegalfellowship@gmail.com by no later than March 14, 2025.
- Fellowship recipients will be notified of their selection in April.
Meet the Director - Josh Halpern
Josh Halpern is Of Counsel at DLA Piper, where he litigates high-stakes commercial disputes in state and federal appellate courts across the country. During the first Trump Administration, Josh served as a Bristow Fellow in the U.S. Office of the Solicitor General, where he represented the federal government before the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals. Previously, Josh served as a law clerk to Justice Neil M. Gorsuch of the U.S. Supreme Court and to federal appellate judges in the Fifth and D.C. Circuits. Josh has also held academic positions at Harvard Law School, where he has taught and published on the First Amendment, antitrust, and Israel-related issues. At Harvard, Josh co-authored a leading article (link below) on the constitutionality of anti-BDS laws. In 2024, Josh joined the Center and partnered with iTrek to found the Israel Legal Fellowship.