Tefillateinu

Developing Prayer Leaders for Progressive Jewish Communities

Supported by The NLPS Trust

Tefillateinu Programme 2027-2028, Applications Open

Applications for the first cohort of Tefillateinu – The Movement for Progressive Judaism’s service leadership programme – are now open.

Please note that applicants need to have the backing of their community, and have identified and spoken to someone willing to serve as their mentor for the duration of the programme.

Applications to join the 2027/2028 cohort must be submitted by Monday 9 November 2026.

On receipt of a form, the applicant’s community and proposed mentor will be asked to complete additional references. Applicants will be contacted by Friday 11 December 2026 to confirm their place on the programme, which will start on Sunday 17 January 2027.

Before applying, please read this document which includes a detailed overview of the course, together with full information about the commitment required from Participants, Mentors and Communities.

APPLY HERE

Taster Sessions, October 2026

Two free online sessions for anyone who might be interested in signing up to the core Tefillateinu programme.  An opportunity to learn or revise some of the fundamentals of service leading; to find out what the core programme entails; to assess readiness to undertake the core programme and identify any gaps to work on; and to see if this feels like the right programme at the right time for you.

Wednesday evenings on Zoom:

Wednesday 14 October 2026, 19:00-20:30

Wednesday 21 October 2026, 19:00-20:30

To register for these two sessions, please visit Tefillateinu Taster Sessions

Hebrew Reading Levels

We have decided not to have a fixed entry requirement for Hebrew reading level.

This is because the need to be able to read Hebrew in services will vary from community to community.

Instead, we will ask prospective participants and proposed mentors to give a rough assessment of the participant’s Hebrew reading level and to confirm that this level is considered high enough for lay service leaders in that particular community.

There is no opportunity to work on Hebrew reading skills during the programme.

Programme Fees

Tefillateinu is a subsidised programme. The actual cost of running Tefillateinu is £900 per participant. 50% of this cost is covered by MPJ, in partnership with the NLPS Trust (for affiliated communities only).

The remaining course fee of £450 should be shared between the participant and the community, with the exact split being agreed, based on the candidate’s means and the community’s need for new lay service leaders.

Travel bursaries will be available for reasonable travel costs to all in-person elements.