The Collab 2023

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We are happy to announce that we have reached 100% capacity.

At the time registration for The Collab 2023 is Wait List ONLY. If you would like to be added to the wait list please reach out to Julie Marsh.


Dates
: Friday, November 10, 2023 – Monday, November 13, 2023

Cost: $525 + transportation.

*If you need financial assistance with your registration fee please complete this form and you will hear back from Julie Marsh.

We are happy to announce that we have reached 100% capacity. At the time registration for The Collab 2023 is Wait List ONLY. If you would like to be added to the wait list please reach out to Julie Marsh.


Come to The Collab, a teen-powered, community-driven retreat, to:

  • Form lasting relationships! Connect with other Jewish teens from around North America and expand your Jewish Geography, make new, exciting connections, and get to know people you’ve crossed paths with before.

  • Make our movement stronger! Find your place throughout the Reform Jewish Youth Movement in NFTY, camps, social justice work, & fellowships.

  • Explore what makes you Jewish! Everyone expresses their Judaism uniquely, whether it be with nature, art, deep conversation, music, or something else. Discover yourself and your Jewish identity with other Jewish teens.

  • Explore Torah and find your way of Jewish spiritual practice, while you shape the best version of your well-rounded, Jewish spiritual self

  • And embrace the unknown in Wisconsin!

We can’t wait to see you there!

For Teens Only

(9-12th Graders)

Barak Landis

Shayna Levy

Brendan Messinger

Benji Rosenblum

Frogby Sachs

Lainey Weissman

What Exactly is The Collab?
The Collab: a teen-powered, community-driven retreat to:
  • Form lasting relationships! Connect with other Jewish teens from around North America and expand your Jewish Geography, make new, exciting connections, and get to know people you’ve crossed paths with before.
  • Make our movement stronger! Find your place throughout the Reform Jewish Youth Movement in NFTY, camps, social justice work, & fellowships.
  • Explore what makes you Jewish! Everyone expresses their Judaism uniquely, whether it be with nature, art, deep conversation, music, or something else. Discover yourself and your Jewish identity with other Jewish teens.
  • Explore Torah and find your way of Jewish spiritual practice, while you shape the best version of your well-rounded, Jewish spiritual self

So, The Collab is a teen-powered, community-driven training retreat where teens will work together to grow and harness their power to begin organizing the Reform Jewish Youth Movement into an inclusive and sustainable movement and create connections that last a lifetime.Here, teens will build a community that supports their visions, encourages them to share their talents and experiences with other Reform Jewish youth leaders throughout the movement, and teach each other skills they can use now and over the course of their lives.

The Collab will be reflective of the diversity of identities and experiences in the Reform Jewish community and is truly a gathering of teens from all over North America.

Who is planning The Collab?

 A lot of people! 

We have an ever-growing team of teens at the core, known as The Collab Crew. They come from all over North America and represent a variety of NFTY regions, camps, and RAC programs. And part of their job is to bring other teens into our work throughout the process, whether it is to workshop a blurb for communications, or invite them to our planning meetings. 

The URJ Youth Organizing Team and some of our Regional Mentors are supporting the teen vision and connecting with our administrative and operations teams to ensure that these plans can come to life in November.

After the Collab, Teens Will:
  • Connect with current leaders of the Reform Jewish Youth Movement and explore your potential as a part of the community.
  • Believe in the power of teen leadership and its impact on the future of the Reform Jewish Youth Movement.
  • Feel more confident and excited to create and lead your community in experiences you are passionate about.
  • Connect with Judaism beyond services and Shabbat.
  • Find your place throughout the Reform Jewish Youth Movement in NFTY, camps, social justice work, & fellowships; and in the greater Reform Jewish Movement.
How do teens get to The Collab?

Registration fees DO NOT include the cost of travel to and from your home to our programs.

  • Before you can register online you will need to coordinate your travel plans to and from The Collab: The URJ Teen Leadership Collaborative. You will need your flight, train, bus or carpool information before you can begin the online registration process.
    • Driving to camp: If your teen lives close enough to be driven to camp, they need to be driven by an adult 21 years or older.  The Collab participants are not permitted to drive to or from the event.
    • Bus or train: If you are taking the bus or train: be sure to be at Chicago O’Hare Airport by the times below.
    • Flight Travel Windows: We will be providing transportation from Chicago O’Hare Airport.
      • Friday, November 10th – All flights must arrive to Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) by 1:00 PM
      • Monday, November 13th – All flights must depart after 4:00 PM from Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD)
  • After October 18, 2023 all registration is on a space available basis-only and will be approved by a Youth Organizing Team Member
WHAT ARE THE COVID POLICIES?
  • Vaccines REQUIRED: We will require ALL participants, staff, and adults to have completed the full COVID vaccination schedule that they are age-eligible for (CDC defines this as being “up to date”).
    View the URJ Vaccine Statement

  • Pre-travel Rapid Antigen (RA) testing: We will require ALL participants, staff, and adults to self-administer a rapid antigen COVID test prior to traveling to the program or event. You may only attend if your RA test is negative for COVID. You do not need to submit this test. 

  • Mask-wearing throughout the event is optional. 

The URJ will be monitoring COVID as we get closer to the event and will update guidance as needed. 

WHAT SHOULD TEENS PACK?

We will provide a packing list in our pre-event email sent the week before The Collab. In general, clothing should be casual. Temperatures can change quickly at camp so be sure to check the weather when packing!  

Who can come to the collab?

All 9th-12th graders are welcome to attend this teen-powered weekend. All are welcome, whether you are a first-timer or returning NFTYite want to build tight-knit relationships in just 4 days

  • have strong leadership potential
  • represent the diversity of identities and experiences of Reform Jews
  • care about the future of Reform Judaism
  • want to build the future of the Reform Jewish Youth Movement

Running alongside The Collab is the retreat for the first-ever Teen Jews of Color Fellowship, a small pilot cohort of 11th and 12th graders. Other Jewish teens and adults of Color will be participating, planning, and leading the programming of The Collab. If there is interest, we will be hosting an affinity space for all Jews of Color during the weekend.

We can’t wait to see you there!

What is housing like at the collab?

​​​​​​​Every year brings new opportunities to apply our values to day-to-day life in our Reform Jewish Youth Movement.  Our movement has affirmed and included transgender teens specifically as it pertains to all participants being housed by the gender with which they identify. We are proud of the powerful resolution adopted by our movement at the URJ Biennial, on the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people, and we are also proud to help actualize this by being fully inclusive of teens in all stages of transition.

We have already implemented an all-gender bathroom space with stalls for teens and adults who prefer not to use traditional gender binary restrooms.

Additionally, we are committed to offering inclusive housing options for every teen, including our transgender and gender non-conforming participants. To achieve this goal, we will offer male gender housing, female gender housing, and all-gender housing. Our all-gender housing is just that: open to those of any gender, and not restricted to only trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming teens.  When registering, please opt for whichever option feels most comfortable to you.

TO WHAT IS INCUDED IN THE REGISTRATION FEE?

Your registration fee includes room and board, program supplies an event giveaway, and all meals and snacks.

All meals will meet dietary needs including but not limited to gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian. Please be sure to indicate your teen’s most up to date dietary needs in their registration.

How do we pay for The Collab?

Registration fees DO NOT include the cost of travel to and from your home to our programs.

  • The Collab costs $525 per teen.  If you need financial assistance with your registration fee please complete this form and you will hear back from Julie Marsh.
  • We are also offering a sliding scale for those who would like to include a donation to help other teens attend this event.
    $575
    $600
  • Payments can be made using a credit card or by electronic check. We accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
WHAT DOES HEALTH AND SAFETY LOOK LIKE FOR THE WEEKEND?

The health and safety of our teens is our number one priority. We will have a nurse on site throughout the weekend in case teens need anything. You will need to share medical information in the registration so please have that information handy. Additionally, we will be collecting medication for the weekend. We will send out more detailed information prior to the event.  

IS THERE GOING TO BE SECURITY FOR THE WEEKEND?

We will have security on site for the weekend. Additionally, we have a strong relationship with our local law enforcement in case of any emergency.  

WHO SHOULD I REACH OUT TO WITH QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, please reach out to Julie Marsh, Associate Director of Youth Organizing-North American Community.

WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION POLICY?

Refund of Payment Policies:

– All cancellations must be in writing to Julie Marsh

– Refunds will be processed and returned within six weeks after the conclusion of the event.

– Refunds will be given based on the following schedule

– A 90% refund will be given 21 days prior to event date.

– A 75% refund will be given 14 days prior to event date.

– A 50% refund will be given 8 days prior to event date.

– No refunds will be given 7 or fewer days prior to event date with exception of a documented medical emergency in which case a 75% refund will be granted.

 

Refunds will not be made if the Participant has attended any portion of the session at The Collab. This covers all circumstances, including, but not limited to:

– Participants homesickness

– Participants refusal or inability to participate in the normal activities

– Participants violation of any rules, regulations or policies at NFTY for which a Participant has been provided notice, and as described below in Participants Participation and NFTY Program Expectations section. Furthermore, I understand I will be responsible for the cost of my participant leaving the program early due to violation of the rules.

 

Please allow up to six weeks after the conclusion of the event for your refund to be processed. Refunds are only eligible for the registration portion of payment. Tax deductible contributions made at the time of registration are not eligible for refund.

All cancellation requests must be in writing. We will accept cancellations by email to Julie Marsh  We’re sorry, but we cannot accept cancellations over the phone.