photos: Ethan Roberts Photography

By Sally Abrams, Holly Brod Farber and Naomi Breazeale
Staff of JCRC Youth Fellowship for Jewish Identity and Leadership

May 14, 2025

With pride and excitement three teens shared the impact of hosting a Shabbat dinner that included a deep dive into the Purim story for their mostly non-Jewish peers. Nearby another teen recounted the impact of researching the history of the North Side Jewish community and sharing that with his youth group. Three other teens recapped the impact of leading a lounge night for their youth group where they discussed the contrast between their lives as Jewish teens in the Twin Cities and those of the Israeli friends they met at Herzl Camp. 

This is just a sampling of the projects showcased by JCRC’s Youth Fellows at the Gallery Walk on May 4, the culmination of seven months of learning and growth for twenty two Jewish high school juniors and seniors from across the Twin Cities. The intentions of the program were to empower Jewish high school juniors and seniors to explore and embrace their history, develop leadership skills, and cultivate a deep sense of pride, meaning and joy in their Jewish identity. 

The Youth Fellowship is supported by funding through a grant from the Women’s Endowment Fund, a fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation, Toodie and Frank Trestman Collaborative Education and Special Needs Fund, a fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation, a microgrant from the MInneapolis Federation’s Horizon Program, and an anonymous donor who funded the $1000 stipend that students were able to earn.

Evaluations from the teens speak for themselves and affirm the value of offering the Fellowship again in the fall. After a conversation with our anonymous donor focusing on the impact of the project, they agreed to fund stipends again for the 2025-26 school year.

Ninety percent of the teens stated that being in the program strengthened their Jewish identities, ninety percent gained crucial knowledge, and ninety five percent felt that the capstone project enabled them to demonstrate leadership among their peers.

The teens enthusiastically recommend the program to peers who would consider it for next year. One teen wrote, “The Youth Fellowship is a space where you don’t have to shrink who you are. You’ll meet others who care deeply, who challenge and support you, and who help you grow into the kind of person you didn’t even know you could become. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. You won’t regret taking that step.”

Parents also are gratified that their children participated, with one hundred percent of survey respondents affirming that their child’s Jewish identity was strengthened by being in the program. Wrote one parent, “The JCRC fellowship is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills and become more immersed in their Jewish identity. Additionally it was a great way for participants to connect with people in our local community and peers their age in Israel, especially when it came to doing their capstone projects. Our son also enjoyed learning alongside peers in the program who he doesn’t go to high school with and really enjoyed learning & getting to know new people. As a parent, I am so glad our child participated in this program – it was very valuable. It was also only one Sunday per month and the time commitment was very manageable.”

Jewish students who will be high school juniors or seniors in the fall of 2025 are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted from June 9 through September 30, with the first of seven monthly sessions to take place in November (date to be determined). Click here for more information.

This blog post was the featured staff column for the May 2025 Gesher (‘Bridge’ in Hebrew) – JCRC’s monthly email newsletter.
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