The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) are joining with the Ruderman Family Foundation to place young adults with disabilities in internships and fellowships at five Federations as well as in JFNA’s Washington office.

Through the Ruderman Family Foundation Opportunity Initiative, each of the five federations will lead its own search to fill positions specially designed for their individual offices. In addition to JFNA’s Washington, DC office, the following federations have been selected to participate in this new initiative: The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore; The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ; the Minneapolis Jewish Federation; and UJA-Federation of New York.

Each of the five participating federations has identified an opportunity that provides a meaningful employment and career training experience. Each federation will provide a workplace that can both accommodate individuals with a range of disabilities and a work environment that promotes inclusion of all employees, and each federation will select an intern or fellow through an equal opportunity employment search.

The Ruderman Family Foundation Opportunity Initiative will begin with a one-year pilot in 2014.