Over the weekend of January 17-20, over 250 teens from 11 NFTY regions - the largest NFTY event since 2020 - were welcomed to URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, CA for a weekend of connection, joyful Jewish moments, social action, and fun.

Asking for donations in a Jewish context can feel like a paradox: tzedakah is one of our most cherished values, yet many of us were raised in homes where discussing money was taboo.

NFTY has long been a catalyst for teen leadership and social change. Two remarkable teens, Maccabee Anderson and Lucy Targum, embody the innovative spirit and commitment to being the change they wish to see in the Jewish world and beyond.

I'm Benji Rosenblum from Phoenix, AZ, and I have the honor of serving as the NFTY North American president. I'm currently taking a gap year, and when I'm not engaged in NFTY work, I love to cook, spend time outside, and read.

At The Collab, these teens met new people, learned about social justice issues, and shared their traditions with one another.

Over the past months, the URJ Teen Israel Organizing Immersive has been a haven for Jewish teens.

NFTY's Teen Jews of Color Fellowship is a nine-month program that offers leadership development, value building, and deep communal connection by and for Jews of Color. All of these are especially crucial in these challenging times.

"Stop being nostalgic for the past and start helping to build what is already happening, because it's happening, with or without you. And we want you with us."

Over the past 150 years, the impact of our youth has been nothing short of remarkable. As we reflect on the past, we can't help but take pride in the transformative influence of programs like URJ camps, NFTY, Heller High School in Israel, Yallah! Israel powered by NFTY, and L'Taken Social Justice Seminars.