Investments in Jewish Teen Education

Earlier this month, national and local leaders from across the Jewish world gathered in Baltimore to network, to learn from one another, and to hear about the latest developments in Jewish teen education and engagement. The 2016 Summit on Jewish Teens addressed areas such as teen leadership development, diversity and inclusion, “tikkun olam,” teen entrepreneurship, teens and tech, and Israel, along with other teen engagement and education areas.

Along with Maimonides Fund, The Marcus Foundation, Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Awards

Committee, and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Jim Joseph Foundation was pleased to serve as a host of the Summit.

The Summit is only one example of the Foundation’s commitment to supporting dynamic teen Jewish learning experiences and to advancing this field. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $37 million to community-based initiatives within the framework of the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative—which includes national and local funders from ten communities working together to expand and deepen Jewish teen learning and engagement.

Members of the Foundation professional team visit frequently with the communities to learn more about each initiative and the new offerings available to teens. Recent and upcoming visits to Los Angeles, New York, and Denver/Boulder are representative of initiatives at different stages of implementation—all of which already are changing the landscape of teen Jewish life in their communities. Other communities with community-based teen initiatives underway include Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, and San Diego.

The Foundation deeply appreciated seeing practitioners, researchers, funders, and other education and communal leaders at the Summit, and it will continue to share lessons learned about Jewish teen education with the field.