J Street U is the student organizing arm of J Street, the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans.

About the Program

Each summer since 2010, J Street U has placed a select group of college students in Capitol Hill internships to experience the legislative side of advocacy work. Students chosen for the J Street U Congressional Internship Program are full-time interns in the offices of Members of Congress, learning about the inner workings of the House of Representatives and Senate.

In their free time, Congressional Interns will have the opportunity to attend a wide range of educational programs, work with other J Street interns and J Street Education Fund staff to plan high-profile events, and receive in-depth training on organizing skills.

Every Congressional Internship is unique. Past interns have…

• Planned and executed a Congressional briefing covered by C-SPAN and featuring Former Ambassador to Israel William Harrop
• Prepared Statements for the Congressional Record on behalf of Members of Congress on high-profile and topical issues (such as Gaza and Gilad Shalit)
• Staffed meetings between Members of Congress and representatives of issue-related organizations
• Conducted independent research on topics of personal interest, such as Russian trade
• Written letters on behalf of Members of Congress to international dignitaries
• Attended the Congressional Summer Intern Lecture Series (exclusive to Capitol Hill interns), featuring figures such as Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell
• Managed projects for other Congressional and committee staff members
• Attended Congressional hearings and briefings on behalf of staff
• Written memoranda for Members of Congress recommending action on sponsorship of bills
• Worked with other Congressional offices to add supportive Members of Congress to bills and letters
• Learned Congressional office processes (giving tours of the Capitol, speaking with constituents, compiling news clips for staff) and how to use office programs (Intranet Quorum, Congressional Research Service)

By the end of the summer, J Street U Congressional Interns will have a broad and in-depth understanding of the legislative process, as well as J Street’s role in advocating Congressional leadership toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Congressional Internship Program is also an opportunity for interested students to increase their involvement with J Street U while gaining the experience of a full-time Capitol Hill internship. Alumni of the program have gone on to serve on the J Street U National Student Board, as chairs of their campus J Street U and J Street Local chapters, and as full-time J Street staff members.

The final deadline to submit an application is February 1, 2013. The application consists of:

1. A completed application form, including short essay responses and three (3) references.
2. A one-page resume, emailed to cip2013@jstreetu.org, as specified in the application.
3. A 1-2 page writing sample, emailed to cip2013@jstreetu.org, as specified in the application.

Admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis. We encourage applicants to submit their materials as early as possible to ensure ideal placement in a Congressional office. Applicants who move on to further consideration may be contacted for a telephone interview after review of their application. Applicants will be notified of their application status no later than March 15, 2013.

Please note:

• J Street U currently does not offer monetary stipends to Congressional Interns. Upon acceptance into the program, we will work to the best of our ability to assist Congressional Interns in finding housing in Washington, DC and supplementary sources of income, if necessary.
• Participation in the J Street U 2013 Summer Leadership Institute (dates TBD) is expected, whenever possible, for all J Street U Congressional Interns. SLI is an important opportunity for interns to participate in conversations with J Street U leaders regarding their experiences on the Hill and J Street U’s role in ongoing political advocacy work.
• Students need not be J Street U leaders in order to apply. Any student with a demonstrated interest in J Street’s issue areas or related subjects may be considered.
• The J Street U Congressional Internship Program will begin in early June 2013 and end no later than August 2013. Depending on the Congressional office in which interns are placed, the term of the internship may vary.
• The program is open to all students who will be undergraduates in the 2013-2014 academic year. Unfortunately, we cannot accept graduate students or graduating seniors at this time.

Please contact Helen Knight, J Street U Congressional Internship Program Coordinator, at cip2013@jstreetu.org with questions.