Adam Science Leadership Programme (ASLP)
Adam Science is Lead’s long-established programme for emerging leaders, launching and supporting talented individuals on their journey into lay and professional leadership in the Jewish community. Since the initial cohort in 1992, the 300-plus alumni have become eminent contributors to the Jewish community including Claudia Mendoza (CEO of the JLC), Danny Stone MBE, (CEO of the Antisemitism Policy Trust), and Carolyn Bogush (Chair of Limmud). Our 2022-23 cohort included for the first time a group based in Manchester.
We are delighted to announce the cohort for the Adam Science Leadership Programme 2025-26 which will be the historic 25th running of the programme! Read below to find out about our 18 participants. We are thrilled to be working with a talented and diverse cross-communal and cross-denominational group of young lay and professional leaders, including participants from Leeds, Manchester and Brighton.
You can find out more about the new programme by downloading the brochure (link below the bios). Further information about the programme, including FAQs, can be found at the bottom of this page. If you feel that you may be interested in future ASLP cohorts, please get in touch with Nick Young at nick@thejlc.org.
Adam Science 2025-26 Cohort
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I’m currently proud to work at Norwood as the Autism Specialist, where I support teams across the organisation to better understand and respond to neurodiversity across the lifespan, from early childhood through to adulthood. My role involves shaping inclusive approaches and creating environments that are responsive, respectful, and empowering for every individual and family we support.
My background is in education. I began with a degree in Psychology, before training as a primary school teacher and SEN specialist. I’ve worked in specialist local authority schools, supporting children and young people with a wide range of complex needs, including autism, learning disabilities, and social, emotional, and mental health challenges.
Outside of work, I’ve had the honour of both volunteering and competing at the Maccabiah Games, an incredible experience that brought together my love for community, sport, and inclusion in a truly meaningful way.
I’m passionate about celebrating strengths, understanding needs, and working together to create more inclusive, supportive communities.
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Joel Azulay is the Community Development Officer at Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Hub (BNJC), where he leads on shabbatonim as well as a number of community-building projects, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement and connection. Joel brings extensive experience from across the Jewish community, having held roles such as Campus and Sixth Form Programme Executive at Tribe, where he spearheaded initiatives like Study Break and Tribe Summer Fellowship, Informal Educator at JFS, and his work whilst he was President of QMUL JSoc.
Joel has organised impactful events, from large-scale student gatherings to intergenerational programming, combining creativity, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering initiatives that resonate with diverse audiences.
When not working, Joel enjoys playing cricket with Belmont & Edgware Cricket Club or watching matches at Lord’s and the Sussex County Ground.
Joel is excited to join the Adam Science Programme’s latest cohort and looks forward to working with peers to further strengthen the Jewish community.
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I work at Tribe, the youth department of the United Synagogue as the Projects Manager, working with many Jewish schools around London to provide them with informal extra-curricular activities. My role also includes different year-round projects, the main one being summer camps for over 400 children.
This is my second role at Tribe, previously having been the Fieldworker. In between these roles I took an 18-month gap to work in Perth, Western Australia as the Head of Youth, responsible for events and programs in one of the shuls. Living in Australia was great for me, both professionally and personally, experiencing an entirely new community and way of life.
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Leo was born and raised in Leeds. His most formative experience was participating in FZY Year Course where he learnt about Israel, Hadracha and volunteered with Save a Child's Heart.
After a year in Israel, he returned to study International Relations at the University of Nottingham where he was on J-soc committee as well as UJS National Council. During his study abroad year in Hong Kong, he founded a Jewish student society, connecting Jewish students to local communal life and hosting a student Seder.
Leo is currently an External Affairs Manager at the JLC where he does both political engagement and engagement with communities on the East side of the UK.
When not working Leo can be found following the snooker, watching history documentaries and improving his skills in the kitchen!
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Emily was born in London and spent 15 years living in the United States.
After completing a gap year programme in Israel, she attended Pennsylvania State University (We Are… Penn State!). Following graduation, Emily went back to Israel to staff the gap year programme as Programme Coordinator, where her focus was on the Yozma track, assisting participants with disabilities to strengthen their vocational skills and independence.
Emily then returned to San Diego and served as the Youth Director at Congregation Beth El, La Jolla, for five years, leading a range of experiential education programmes and community initiatives through United Synagogue Youth (USY) and Synagogue-based programming.
In 2024, she moved back to the UK to take on the role of Diller UK Coordinator, a programme run under the auspices of FZY. There she continues to focus on informal education and youth engagement.
Emily is committed to helping Jewish teens discover their passions and skills, explore their Judaism, and find their place within the community. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, and travelling.
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My name is Libi and I'm the Families & Programming Coordinator at Sinai Synagogue in Leeds. Born and raised in rural Yorkshire before moving to London, it gave me a unique experience of seeing how vital thriving Jewish communities & programming are to Jewish identity and a sense of belonging Jewish. That experience really sparked my passion for working to keep that going for current and future generations.
My path to this role has been a winding one—starting in theatre and then marketing. I now use the leadership and creative skills I developed in those early roles to design engaging, meaningful programmes that centre people and connection.
In my spare time, I continue to teach theatre and dance to children, and I've just started as the first Leeds host of Moishe House Without Walls, creating accessible events for young Jewish adults. I can also be found running, with my dog (who's called Kelev) when I'm not working.
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Yehuda is the Director of Education at StandWithUs UK, where he leads on educational programming, campaign strategy, and content development for audiences of all ages. Passionate about empowering individuals with knowledge and tools to stand up for Israel and combatting antisemitism, Yehuda plays a central role in shaping the educational vision of the organisation across the UK.
Before joining StandWithUs, Yehuda spent seven years as a teacher at Yavneh College in History and Modern Hebrew and led as a Head of Year. His classroom experience continues to inform his work, ensuring that all StandWithUs content is relevant, impactful, and accessible.
Yehuda holds a BA in Jewish Studies from UCL and an MA in Contemporary History and Politics from Birkbeck. His academic background provides a strong foundation for his work in education, enabling him to contextualise current issues with depth and clarity. A proud alumnus of Bnei Akiva UK, Yehuda was actively involved in the movement for many years, including serving as a movement worker.
Yehuda is married and lives in London. Originally from Israel, Yehuda is a passionate Zionist and is dedicated to educating about Israel for the benefit of future generations, which now includes his son.
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I grew up in London, originally living in Hendon, before moving to Edgware, where I still live today. I went to Hasmonean School, leaving after the completion of my A Levels in 2019. Following this, I went to study at a yeshiva in Israel, located in the Jerusalem’s Old City. After a couple of years studying at the yeshiva, the yeshiva offered me a position as part of the staff team. My role included coordinating events and logistics
In the winter of 2023, I took up my current position as Services Projects Coordinator at Camp Simcha.
I am very passionate about supporting and being an active part of the Jewish community. Alongside my work for a communal organisation, I play an active role in my local synagogue, and I have recently registered to volunteer for Jewish Care’s Befriending service.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I have keen interest in sport, history, politics, cooking, and music. I enjoy a good board game and definitely wouldn’t say no to a competitive game of chess.
I am excited to be participating in the Adam Science Programme and looking forward to having the opportunity to meet and learn from and connect with each member of the group.
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My formative early experiences working for the West Ham United Foundation and on university widening participation programmes motivated me to pursue a career serving disadvantaged communities in the UK.
After graduating from Warwick I worked for the social mobility charity Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation where I founded the alumni programme, creating a framework to support our beneficiaries with their post-18 journeys.
I am currently the Operations Manager at Police Now, which develops outstanding neighbourhood officers to build trust with local communities.
I joined Westminster Synagogue in 2019 after deciding to engage more fully with my Judaism. I have been involved with many aspects of communal life, most notably through leadership of Next Dor - our group for members in their 20s and 30s - and finally having a bat mitzvah at the age of 27 (!). I am proud to have been appointed as a trustee of the Synagogue in 2024, and to be part of the 2025 rabbinic selection committee.
When not at work or Westminster, I like going to the theatre, suffering through watching Everton, and spending time with friends.
Having grown up in south London without a Jewish community, I am so excited to meet and learn from everyone on the Adam Science Programme.
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Daniel J. Levy is Programmes Manager at the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) where he oversees the thinktank's media operations, networking, and capacity building.
He has a strong background in crisis communications, audience analysis, and campaign planning, and holds an MSt in Oriental Studies where his research focused on Iranian proxies in the Israeli-Arab Conflict since the outbreak of the Arab Spring. He is also a British Army veteran, and worked with a range of Jewish and Zionist organisations including the Zionist Federation and We Believe in Israel before joining BICOM in January 2024.
Having grown up in North West London, he has widely travelled across the Middle East and North Africa, and is particularly interested in Israel’s developing relationships with GCC member states. His hobbies include reading and cooking.
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Hey, I’m Nicole and I am the Events & Challenges Coordinator at Kisharon Langdon (The Jewish Learning Disability & Autism Community) charity.
I have worked in the community for over 4 years. Every event I organise is an achievement for different reasons, but our most recent Purim campaign really stood out as our reach grew substantially and we raised considerably more than last year.
I am the founder of Young Kisharon Langdon, a committee I am particularly proud to lead (contact me to find out how you can get involved!).
When I’m not at work, I love to travel and gain new experiences of different cultures, my favourite place I’ve been to so far was Thailand! I love being Jewish because we have so much to celebrate, and the food is epic, but my all-time favourite is an Ice Coffee from Aroma. Israel has and will always have a special place in my heart, half my family live there!
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Victoria Lisek ('Lee-seck') hails from a coastal town in Denmark, and moved to London in 2019. She completed her bachelor and Master’s degree in Jewish Studies at UCL where she studied Hebrew and Yiddish.
Since June 2023, she has been working for the Public Affairs team at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, with a focus on religious affairs and interfaith relations.
Victoria is passionate about fostering intracommunal relations between all parts of the Jewish community, and connecting with people through dialogue, even when it gets difficult.
Victoria also loves running, Bruce Springsteen, and Danish pastries (of course).
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Having worked throughout my career in education, and with people with disabilities, I have developed a strong passion to improve the lives of people with special needs within the Jewish community.
I have spent the last 6 years working at an organisation called The Friendship Circle in Manchester, and there I have enjoyed being part of a vision striving and advocating to make our community one which is accepting, inclusive and supportive of all people regardless of ability through the various initiatives and programmes that we run.
As an experienced bar mitzvah teacher, I have guided many students to one of the key milestones in their lives. I have a deep commitment to tradition and their personal growth within the community in their journey to adulthood.
I am a school governor at a Jewish primary school and have enjoyed supporting leaders in the school to make the school a success within our community.
I am looking forward to undertaking the Adam Science programme to strengthen and further develop my leadership skills. I strive to be an empowering leader that can influence change and outcomes for the benefit of the wider community.
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Laurie Maurer (Reznik) works as a projects executive in the United Synagogue’s education and events department, organising educational material and events for the 56 US communities and beyond. She is on the editorial team of the weekly Torah publication Daf Hashavua and has frequently contributed articles to the Jewish News and Jewish Chronicle. More specifically in the leadership space, she is the Programme Coordinator for the United Synagogue’s pioneering female Torah education and leadership programme, Ma’aleh.
After spending a gap year studying in Midreshet Harova seminary in Israel, she gained her Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in Social Work from Middlesex University. She has volunteered in charities across the UK and Israel, such as Shalva, Bnei Akiva, Seed and GIFT.
She lives in NW London with her husband, where she enjoys reading, walking in London’s best green spots and spending time with family.
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Danny is the Open-Source Intelligence and Tech Policy Manager at the Community Security Trust. Danny’s career began at CST in 2015, where he was focused on antisemitism on British university campuses. Danny has covered a wide range of topics related to antisemitism, including the far-right and jihadist groups, as well as playing a pivotal role in CST’s online intelligence work.
In 2021 Danny joined the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) Hate and Terrorism Unit in support of their work in developing and implementing the UK’s Online Safety Bill. Danny rejoined CST in 2023 to support the growth of their Open-Source Intelligence team, as well as lead CST’s increasingly important tech policy efforts, this includes the briefing of parliamentarians and government ministers. In September 2023, Danny spent 6-months in America, strengthening ties with CST’s US counterparts and developing relationships with key stakeholders.
Danny has written and presented about antisemitism, extremism and anti-Jewish terrorism to a range of audiences, including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Tel Aviv University’s Seminar on Contemporary Antisemitism, the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism and the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
Outside of work, Danny can be found at the Emirates Stadium or at Katz’s Deli in New York City.
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Sally Patterson is a journalist and documentary filmmaker, dedicated to amplifying underheard voices. She has worked in both the UK and US, covering Donald Trump’s criminal cases from Manhattan, the presidential election from West Palm Beach, immigration, abortion and more.
Alongside her journalism, Sally sits on the executive committee of the Alliance of Jewish Women, where she runs events that bring together women from across the community. She is committed to creating spaces that are welcoming, thought-provoking, and rooted in Jewish values. She has been involved in interfaith work for many years, finding ways to bring people together and listen to different narratives.
Previously, she served as the Equality, Liberation, and Access Officer at Bristol Students’ Union, and holds a master’s degree in Gender Studies from Cambridge, where her research focused on online abuse towards female MPs.
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I work in youth and community engagement, with experience delivering programmes in schools, leading teams, and supporting young people in both formal and informal settings. I’ve been involved in community work for a while — from running youth groups and managing volunteers to organising local events and building partnerships with schools and organisations.
I’ve worked with organisations including Jewish Women’s Aid, The Scout Association, and United Synagogue. Alongside this, I regularly volunteer in youth and care settings, and have led projects centred on leadership, inclusion, and supporting personal growth.
Being an active part of the community is important to me, and I’m passionate about creating real, lasting change through the work I do.
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Ben is the Project Manager of the ‘Tackling Antisemitism in Sport’ programme, a partnership between Maccabi GB and the Office of HM Government’s Independent Advisor on Antisemitism. In this role, Ben provides workshops for staff, players and stewards at football clubs, governing bodies, and other areas of British sport, taking him up and down the country and abroad.
He has been involved with Maccabi GB for 10 years, competing and managing at international games’, participating and then leading Maccabi GB’s Sport Leadership programme, and then joining their full-time staff in September 2023.
Providing Antisemitism education primarily outside the Jewish community, Ben is keen to participate in the Adam Science programme to connect with and learn from leaders within the community.
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The Adam Science programme was set up in memory of Adam Science, a young dynamic lay leader who was exceptionally engaged in communal life (you can watch a video about him below). He recognised that the community would benefit greatly from engaging young adults at an early age and he organised events and ‘Quest’ weekends for young people to meet and be inspired to get involved in communal life.
In 1991, Adam was tragically killed in a car accident and the community lost one of its shining stars. His friends and family rallied to continue his communal work and set up a young leadership programme in his name to help young adults learn about the community and get involved in communal leadership.
The first Adam Science Programme was held in 1992, making the last cohort, our 2022-23 group, the 30th Anniversary cohort. The programme was originally run by Adam’s friends, many of whom are now in senior lay leadership positions across the community. It was then housed within UJIA together with the Adam Science Foundation for 10 years. Since 2011 it has housed within Lead, the leadership development division of the Jewish Leadership Council.
Each cohort of leaders has included a diverse group of people from across the community, bringing their communal, denominational and cultural perspectives to the Adam Science table. As well as learning from the professional and lay leaders that they hear from, the group also learns much from each other’s rich tapestry of backgrounds and experiences. This heavily subsidised programme has supported and developed generations of Jewish leaders since its inception and many alumni now hold senior lay and professional roles in the Jewish community. You can get a sense of the tremendous impact of the programme from the video above which we invite you to take a look at.
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The ASLP programme is specifically for emerging leaders within the Jewish Community and those wanting to lead. The programme is twelve months long and will blend in-person and online development experiences.
Vision: The vision of Adam Science is to inspire, empower and enable young adults within the Jewish community to lead and know how and where they can best contribute to a vibrant and vital UK Jewish Community
Aims:
Understand: Engaging a broad cohort of emerging leaders to understand and navigate the UK Jewish Community, the voluntary sector, in which the community operates and the wider global Jewish community and how this may support and impact their leadership
Lead: Enabling participants to apply this knowledge and understanding in their leadership and inspiring them to continue their leadership journey
Network: Allowing participants to build a diverse network of connections that will support their ongoing leadership journey and help to strengthen the Jewish community more broadly.
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The Adam Science Leadership Programme is scaffolded around these key questions:
What is leadership for?
What is the strategic purpose - what must it achieve for Jewish communities and organisations in the UK?
What makes a good leader?
What leadership behaviours will enable me to achieve what I set out to do? What leadership will fit my context in the organisations and places that I wish to shape?
How does leadership ‘work’?
How do these key behaviours connect with, engage and inspire followers? How can I build my vision and bring about change? What are some of the key skills I will need to take my leadership forward? What are the differences between leadership and management?
How do I continually develop leadership in myself and others?
Who am I and what do I stand for? How do I build and nurture my leadership network that will allow me to sustain and grow my leadership potential?
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The programme, blends in-person and online learning sessions led by top leadership facilitators and will include core and optional modules on a range of essential topics as set out below (subject to review): The programme will also support participants in navigating the UK Jewish Community, developing their leadership vision and connecting with a network of peers.
Full Cohort Gatherings
Residential
A residential experience that builds connections between the cohort, introduces Relational Leadership practice and community mapping
Graduation event
Guest speaker and action planning
Regional Cohort Gatherings
Combination of days/evenings gatherings with local leadership to learn and reflect. Includes cross denomination panels, Jewish Leadership Learning and current community issues
Core Online Modules*
Introduction to Charity Commission Guidelines (Trusteeship and good governance)
The Bottom Line (Financial Management for Charities)
Managing Up/Down/Across
Strategic Planning and impact measurement
Managing the lay/professional relationship
Optional Online Modules*
Fundraising for Charities
Effective Marketing and Comms
Leading Change
Team Dynamics
Courageous Conversations
Inclusive Leadership in a Changing World
Facilitating effective meetings
Coaching and mentoring
Effective networking
Project management
*Adam Science is a programme that is responsive to the needs of our cohort, so modules may be subject to change
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Is Adam Science for you? The following are the pathways.
Current Lay Leadership Role
You are a leader who is actively engaged and involved in an existing organisation (for example as a trustee/advisory board member, committee/organising/steering group member)
Communal professional
You are working as a professional within a Jewish community organisation and will have experience to draw and reflect upon during your time on the programme from this. You may also have a lay leadership role. You may or may not manage others.
Volunteering commitment
If you don't have a current lay or professional role within a communal organisation, the programme is still open for you to apply to participate. In order to ensure the impact of the programme is maximised, for those applying in this situation and through our partner organisation JVN, we will help facilitate a substantive volunteering opportunity that will complement your leadership development.
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The programme sessions are a blend of in-person and online. The schedule below offers a sense of our 2025-26 programme with exact dates of sessions to be confirmed as soon as possible. Sessions below are in person and for the whole cohort (Northern/Southern), unless stated otherwise. By signing up for the course participants are committing to attending these sessions. There will also be optional sessions which will be added throughout the programme.
Residential weekend/Opening:
Sun-Mon 18th/19th May 2025, daytime
Where: Venue TBC, nr London
Regional local gatherings**
12th (Northern) /19th (Southern) June 2025- evening
5th (Northern)/ 26th (Southern) February 2026- evening
Where: TBC
Mid-point workshop:
Sun-30th November 2025, daytime
Where: Venue TBC
5x Core Module Sessions:
When: Tuesday evening- 8th July, 16th September, 11th November 2025 and 13th January, 11th March 2026
Where: Online (90 mins)
Optional module sessions*:
When: Weekday evenings in October 2025 and April 2026 TBC
Where: Online (90 mins)
Graduation Event:
When: 10th May 2026, Sunday 10am-5pm
Where: TBC (Full cohort meeting in London)
*= optional
**=regional
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Applications will open on 3rd February 2025 until 28th February.
Once you have registered your interest, you will be sent the new programme guide and (on 3rd February) the link to apply.
The first stage of the application process involves completing an application form with supporting statement. You will also be asked to provide references. From this point, we will shortlist candidates for interview.
Following an interview process, the cohort will be finalised in early April 2025 ahead of our launch in May 2025.
If you would like information or to express interest, please email Nick Young at nick@thejlc.org.
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The 2022-23 cohort was the largest ever, with 22 participants. It was also the first to feature a group based in Manchester. You can read about the group here.
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How long is the Programme?
The programme is 1 year long. Although the 2022-23 cohort was extended to 15 months due to the events of October 7th, the first gathering for the 2025-26 cohort takes place in May 2025 with graduation planned for May 2026.
What is the model of delivery?
The programme will blend in-person sessions with online core and optional modules.
How big is the cohort?
We are looking for a broad based cohort drawing from the spectrum of the Jewish community. We will have a cohort based in London, and, in partnership with UJIA and the Jewish Rep Council, a Northern cohort based in Manchester and Leeds.
What is the commitment?
The Adam Science Programme has been described as a both an individual and a group journey, and we hope that those participating will bring an open mind, a growth mindset, be ready to share their skills, experiences and ideas and be receptive to others. Those accepted onto the programme will be expected to attend and participate in every core and in-person session.
This is an exceptional opportunity to develop skills, learn about yourself, communal organisations, the community and grow your network. We hope that participants will be ready to make the most of that opportunity.
There may be information shared or reading opportunities between sessions, but most of the "work" will be about what you get out of sessions and take with you out into the community.
When will sessions take place?
Sessions will take place monthly. In -person sessions will normally be on Sunday daytime, with online sessions on weekday evenings. There will be approximately one session per month.
The residential in May 2025 is an overnight stay at a hotel just outside of London. We are able to provide a letter to explain that you are participating on a Leadership Programme that will include CPD if you need to take time out of work to participate.
Who are the facilitators?
The programme will include delivery by expert speakers and facilitators. under the direction of Nick Young (JLC/Lead). Michelle Janes will be serving as consultant for the programme and delivering some sessions.
What is the cost?
The cost to each individual is £750 for 2025-26, which is significantly subsidised. There is a 10% discount available to participants representing JLC member organisations.
We encourage participants to ask their organisations to sponsor them or share the cost with them and we are able to offer payment plans to participants. We aim to ensure that finance is not a barrier to participation. Please contact us in confidence if you have any questions/concerns.
What is the age of participants?
Adam Science participants over the years have tended to be in the 23-35 age bracket, but the focus is very much on developing emerging leaders in the community.
What do you offer for alumni?
As a graduate of the Adam Science Programme, with the Adam Science name on your CV (described as a Jewish communal “kitemark”), you will join a distinguished network of alumni, holding senior professional and lay leadership positions within and outside the Jewish community. We hope to redevelop our alumni network in the future but there is ample opportunity to connect to alumni at our events and events held around the community.
You will also have a broader network of contacts across the Jewish community developed through your cohort which will support you in your role and, by connecting our organisations, will help strengthen the Jewish community.
What has been the impact of the programme?
Many of our alumni are now in senior professional and lay leadership roles and our participants down the years have told us about the many ways in which they’ve benefited,
The best way to get a sense of the impact of the programme, apart from talking to one of the many alumni, is to watch the videos at the top of this page or read the testimonials below this panel. The videos on this page include testimony from alumni as well as images from the programme down the years, and words from Adam’s friends and family who brought the programme into existence. If you have further questions, please get in touch.
The Impact of the ASLP
The video on the left is a highlight reel of the graduation ceremony for the ASLP 2022-23 cohort (which took place in February 2024), while the video on the right features participants, programme staff and communal representatives telling us in their own words what they think about the programme. Below those is an earlier video featuring Adam Science himself, the young communal leader whose vision and service to the community inspired the creation of the ASLP. Click to take a look.
