News

Jewish Grad Organization Brings Graduate Student Leaders and Organizational Partners to Washington, D.C. for 2026 Partners Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 1, 2026) – More than 130 Jewish graduate student leaders and organizational partners gathered in Washington, D.C. on August 30-31 for the Jewish Grad Organization's (JGO) annual Miller Family Partners Summit, bringing together emerging Jewish leaders representing campuses across North America for two days of leadership development, advocacy and best practices training, and community building.

The Partners Summit is JGO's signature student leadership gathering and the only national conference exclusively for Jewish graduate students. The annual convening equips leaders of Jewish affinity groups in graduate schools with the skills, relationships, and confidence to build vibrant Jewish communities on their campuses, while navigating the increasingly complex landscape facing Jewish students in graduate programs. 

Hosted at the Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key, this year's Summit also showcased Jewish organizations and experts in a robust curriculum designed to prepare Jewish graduate students to lead on campus and beyond.

The Summit opened with video remarks from singer, actor, and activist James Maslow, followed by a keynote from Don Rovak (Chief Revenue Officer; Baltimore Orioles), who presented “From the Ballpark to Campus: Creating Experiences That Keep People Coming Back,” sharing lessons from the sports world on inspiring lasting engagement.

Across expert-led panels, workshops, and interactive sessions, student delegates explored how to increase participation, combat antisemitism, advocate effectively, and engage faculty and peers. Specialized programming included tracks for law, MBA, and Ph.D. students.

Partner organizations including Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Committee (AJC), Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Secure Community Network (SCN), Community Security Service (CSS), Academic Engagement Network, StandWithUs, and JScreen contributed expertise and training throughout the Summit. The Summit also spotlighted the newly launched National Jewish Bar Association (NJBA), JGO’s initiative to connect Jewish attorneys, law students, and legal professionals across North America.

“The moment that impacted me the most was [seeing] that there were so many Jewish leaders from across the country present and ready to be active,” said Michael Krutoyarsky, Treasurer of the Jewish Law Student Association at Rutgers Law. “I am inspired to do more for myself and my campus after seeing everyone be so passionate about their Jewish graduate organizations.”

“JGO has let me, for the first time, connect with other Jewish graduate students from across the world. It fills a very unique niche in the Jewish lives of me and others,” said Steven Zeldin of the Jewish Students Association of Weill Cornell Medicine.

The Summit concluded with Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, giving a select delegation of participants the opportunity to share their experiences on campus with lawmakers across the political spectrumand advocate for the bipartisan Jewish American Security Act. Students met with the offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), Rep. John McGuire (R-VA), Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ).

Students capped the advocacy experience with a first-of-its-kind JGO Congressional Dinner, hosted by Congressional Jewish Caucus leader Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). The Dinner featured a fireside chat with Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH), who reflected on the role his Jewish identity has played in public service.

For Bianca Miller, who serves as Vice President of UC Davis Jewish Grads, the experience offered a glimpse of what Jewish leadership could look like beyond campus and into public life.

“Meeting with Congress members on Capitol Hill will forever be a moment that I realized that I want to pursue a career in public service to directly support the Jewish people nationwide,” said Miller.

“Our commitment to providing what our students need, in a way only JGO can do, has never been stronger,” said Rabbi Dave Sorani, CEO of JGO. “When you bring together Jewish student leaders from across the country and show them just how many people are committed to their success, something powerful happens.”

The JGO Partners Summit is sponsored by Adam Miller and Family.

Coverage of the Summit's Capitol Hill Advocacy Day appeared in Jewish Insider: https://jewishinsider.com/2026/09/jewish-graduate-students-arrive-on-the-hill-to-urge-lawmakers-to-tackle-campus-antisemitism/

About the Jewish Grad Organization

The Jewish Grad Organization is the national movement for Jewish grad students and alumni. Our mission is to foster Jewish community on grad school campuses and to cultivate Jewish identity and leadership among young adults at this critical life stage. Since 2011, JGO has built a network of grassroots Jewish affinity clubs at over 170 graduate campuses across North America, impacting 14,000 unique students a year through more than 948 annual programs. We have empowered a generation of young Jewish leaders and touched the lives of more than 50,000 individuals.

To support JGO's work across campuses in North America, visit gojgo.org/donate.