Anyone who has been to NFTY Convention will tell you that it is an experience like no other, and this year’s event will be extra special. NFTY Convention 2019 will be held in Dallas, TX, February 15-18, 2019, and will bring together more than 1,400 teen leaders, college students, Jewish educators, alumni and other dedicated supporters.

This year, students have led the Reform Movement in many powerful ways. This year’s NFTY Convention will build on their leadership in co-creating experiences with and for their peers: teens are leading the way in curating and creating every aspect of their experience, and youth professionals are doing the same for the Youth Summit at NFTY Convention.

NFTY Convention may just be for a few days in February, but the experiences, learnings, and connections will stay with participants for long after they return home.

Your congregation can’t miss this opportunity to offer teens and adults the chance to…

1. Experience the power of being part of a Movement. In communities across North America, Reform Jews of all ages are creating and participating in life-changing programs, making change, and shaping the future. It’s incredibly powerful. At NFTY Convention, all of these communities come together to create something even more powerful. The energy, excitement, and significance of all being together is something you have to experience to fully understand. Attendees will leave with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to lead and take action in making the changes they want to see in their communities.
2. Rub elbows with the leadership of our Movement. Teens and adults alike will have unparalleled opportunities to meet, dine, network, and learn with our Movement’s leaders. Everyone from Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the President of the URJ, to Lila Greene, the President of NFTY, will be under one roof, and ready to chat over a meal, answer questions, dream with you, listen to your ideas, and share their vision for the Reform Movement.
3. Immerse in once-in-a-lifetime programming. NFTY Convention brings the best-of-the-best when it comes to workshops, offsite experiences, and worship. This year, with peer-created experiences and hundreds of ways to customize your schedule, we are ensuring that every single piece of the program is relevant and interesting to each attendee. Teens can choose from more than 50 workshops, including:
   • Improv as a Community Building Tool
   • Finding Judaism in Your Spotify Playlist
   • The Teen-Adult Partnership Toolbox
   • Adulting 101
   • Intersectionality and Me
   • Find more examples on NFTYConvention.org!

Whether it’s opting into something new (culinary instruction, anyone?) or diving deep into an existing passion, there is something for everyone. Adults at the Youth Summit will be inspired by keynote speakers and workshops covering education theory, forging sacred partnerships, and skill-building for 21^st century engagement. Teens and adults alike will return home with new and expanded worldviews that help them lead their communities and congregations, navigate school, careers, relationships, and change. And, of course, they’ll have had a ton of fun.

4. Be part of our biggest Shabbat of the year. This is no ordinary Shabbat – with more than 1,000 voices coming together to celebrate on Friday night, plus new worship options for Saturday morning – we can guarantee you’ve never experienced a Shabbat like this before. Shabbat at NFTY Convention will celebrate and honor the ways that our Movement seamlessly blends tradition, legacy, and innovation.
5. Forge deep connections that will set them up for success. While there is a wide range of opinions and identities present at NFTY Convention, we all have similar values, like strengthening our Movement through inclusivity, developing and strengthening our connection to Israel, tikkun olam (repairing the world), and experiencing joyful Judaism. It’s an environment that’s made for idea-sharing and networking; a place that actively encourages our youth to see themselves as leaders of our Movement and learn the skills to maximize their potential. The connections made there will last for years to come.

What happens at NFTY Convention shapes the future of the Reform Movement. Don’t miss the chance for your congregation to be part of that story. Encourage your teens to register, and support your youth engagement team in attending, too.

Who do you know that belongs at NFTY Convention? Share this with them and encourage them to register by January 8. Find more about the program and how to make it a reality for the teens and youth professionals in your networks at NFTYConvention.org.

Yes – there are scholarships available! Teens can reach out to their Regional NFTY Staff or explore more ways to make it happen.

Additional support is available for congregational leaders from small congregations. Visit The Tent for more information about grants from the Small Congregation Resource Fund, and then apply for the Youth Summit grant.

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