Leadership Training
Da lifnei mi atah omed – דע לפני מי אתה עומד
Know before whom you stand.
(Talmud B’rachot 28b)
We believe a community organizing model is the best way to grow our youth movement. Instead of one person starting with an idea and writing a program, a community organizing model brings people together first, and asks curious questions – What do you do outside of school? What’s bugging you about our community? When do you feel spiritual, and why? And after we all get to answer from our own points of view, we see what we have in common, and all five, or ten, or twenty of us can create something together. It’s not just planning great programs and hoping people show up or buy the merch we make – it’s designing it all together; everyone having a stake in what we create. It’s allowing our creative, collective vision to drive us in directions we have never gone before, and working to fill the room because we’re all so excited about what we built when we started with questions instead of answers.
Fnd information about Training Opportunities, House Meetings, North American Teen Cohorts, and Fellowships below!
Training Opportunities
Teens and adults need the same skills to grow our youth groups and communities into fun, inclusive, radical movements that set the direction of Reform Judaism and have the power to change the world. These sessions are available to anyone: high schoolers, synagogue professionals, alumni – you name it. You’ll see that some sessions are designed for just one of those groups, and others are open to everyone, with a breakout where we’ll think about how to apply them to our different communities based on our roles. Check back soon to see what’s coming up!
Story Telling
How can I share my voice and get others to listen?
More dates coming!
Power
How can I change or fix something that’s broken?
More dates coming!
The Art of Gathering
How can I change or fix something that’s broken? How do I make sure that when I bring my community together, it is purposeful, intentional, and the right people are in the room?
More dates coming!
House Meetings Training
How can I bring people together to build relationships and work towards taking action?
Thursday, March 16 @ 8pm ET – Registration
One on one
How can I get to know my friends and new people better, and get them to build a movement with me? Whose voices in my community have gone unheard, and how can I make sure they have a place in our movement?
Wednesday, March 22 @ 8:30pm ET – Registration
REDI Trainings
What does it mean to build an inclusive community, why should I do it, and how do I do it?
Sign up for REDI trainings led by our Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team
Organizer’s Math, Turnout, and Accountability
How do I get people to show up when I plan something?
More dates coming!
GRassRoots Fundraising
How can I fundraise to make my vision come alive?
More dates coming!
House Meetings
NFTY is working on putting its vision and values into action, and we want to hear from you! Join us for one of our house meetings to discuss the things that are important to you, or contact us at nfty@urj.org to connect with a Youth Organizing Team member about having a house meeting.
Jewish Youth of Color House Meeting with Kelly Whitehead
More dates coming in 2023!Join Rabbinic Intern Kelly Whitehead for an opportunity for Jewish high schoolers of color to gather together virtually, connect around their diverse lived experiences, and learn more about upcoming opportunities.
Kelly will lead this group by and for self-identified Jews of Color. Affinity spaces offer People of Color a safe space to have honest and open conversations. We also encourage you to read Affinity Groups: A Space for Strength, Belonging, and Empowerment by Anabelle Keimach.
Questions? Contact Kelly.whitehead@huc.edu
More dates coming!
Join a North American Teen Cohort
Cohorts are an opportunity for teens across North America to learn and grow together in affinity groups led by the NFTY North American Board. Cohort topics include Engagement & Inclusion, Activism, Religion & Culture, Development: Fundraising, Financing, & Growth, and Leadership.
Engagement & Inclusion with Cameron Samuels
Join the Engagement & Inclusion cohort to learn how to best engage your peers, build inclusive and affirming communities, and make meaning of the Reform Jewish Youth Movement. What do teens want from our movement? How can teens become self-interested in leadership? What can we do as leaders to build NFTY better for future generations? We will answer all these questions and expand our leadership throughout our time together in this cohort. And the best part is that this cohort is led by you! In between regional events, at each of our monthly meetings, we will experientially learn from each other and grow as leaders. Let’s engage!
Religion & Culture with Simon Warner
Explore the value of religious and cultural leadership from the realms of moving services to Reform Jewish values in everyday life to Israel and its state in the world!
Leadership Noa Apple
The Leadership/President Cohort will be for all of NFTY’s regional presidents and anyone interested in developing their leadership skills. This cohort will focus on keeping all presidents in the loop while also working on skills pertaining to leadership in and out of specific roles. These skills include networking, meeting facilitation, delegation, and personal wellness.
Activism with Daniella Abbott
Join the Activism cohort if you are interested in learning more about social justice! The cohort will primarily be held as an educational platform for various activism, and is best for folks that want to gain a better understanding of the SAVP position, the RAC, social action as a whole, and any specific social justice topics the cohort is interested in.
Development: Fundraising, Financing, & Growth with Evan Jaffe
Join the NFTY Development Vice President and other North American leaders like yourself in the Development Cohort focusing on fundraising, financing, and growth. We will dive deeper into how you can become a part of, and start your own, conversations regarding your region’s future. Some skills we will cover include grassroots fundraising, budgeting, alumni engagement, event planning, and synagogue partner communication.
Intensive Leadership Learning & Fellowships
Teens and adults need the same skills to grow our youth groups and communities into fun, inclusive, radical movements that set the direction of Reform Judaism and have the power to change the world. These sessions are available to anyone: high schoolers, synagogue professionals, alumni – you name it. You’ll see that some sessions are designed for just one of those groups, and others are open to everyone, with a breakout where we’ll think about how to apply them to our different communities based on our roles. Check back soon to see what’s coming up!
Teen Justice Fellowship
Have you ever wondered how social movements happen? How to get people to show up for a youth group event, rally, or protest? How to get people to listen to you? Community organizing is the answer to those questions and so many others, and we’ve built out a whole virtual Fellowship for high schoolers to learn to organize! This semester, we will explore community organizing and social justice through the lens of mental health.
Through our fellowship, high schoolers connect with other social justice leaders from across the country and learn lifelong skills applicable to any issue you are passionate about. Our fellowships value experiential learning, moving beyond theory and Zoom training into action. Each fellowship culminates in teens designing and implementing an organizing project in your home communities.
Teen Songleader Fellowship
The URJ & NFTY are excited to partner with Sing Unto God to offer this exciting teen songleader fellowship! More than perhaps anything else in the Jewish world, singing has the power to bring our community together in prayer, celebration, and action. The Sing Unto God Teen Songleader Fellowship invites young Jewish songleaders to develop their skills, deepen their knowledge of repertoire and communal singing technique, and build meaningful leadership and relationship opportunities in their congregations, camps, and communities.
Israel Fellowship
The URJ Teen Israel Organizing Fellowship is an immersive nine-month fellowship for North American high school students (ages 14-18) to learn about the society and culture of Israel and learn how to organize within their communities. Fellows will travel to Israel and attend Heller High during the Fall 2023 semester learning about Israel’s past and present, traveling around the country to meet community organizers and experience various social issues up close, and honing their leadership and community organizing skills. Upon returning home, Fellows will spearhead an organizing project in their local communities, exploring what they are passionate about in Israel and then putting their ideas into action!
Teen Israel Organizing Fellows will finish this program empowered and prepared to lead their peers on the issues they care most deeply about. They will have developed a deeper and more nuanced understanding of Israel, will be able to lead community actions, events, discussions, and more within their community, and they will have the tools they need to work for social change in Israel, at home, and elsewhere.