Youth Engagement

Youth Professionals - YP101

YP101 is an impactful professional development program for Jewish Youth Professionals. This fellowship provides a cohort of youth professionals with training curated by experienced Jewish educators and youth professionals on the URJ Youth Organizing team.

Teens, Power, and NFTY – Growing our Reform Youth Movement

Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE
December 12, 2022
A few weeks ago, I had the joy of being at the "NFTY-GER Ball," one of the many NFTY events being run by Reform teen leaders across North America. A room full of teens gathered at Temple Sholom in Scotch Plains, NJ to dance, laugh, get to know one another, and celebrate Jewish life.

Building a Meaningful Jewish World: A Lesson in Expanding Temple Youth Group Programs

Aaron Wiener
November 3, 2022
During the COVID pandemic in southern California, we saw our Jewish communities weaken. From our camp spaces disappearing to our teen youth groups (TYG) struggling, many of us stopped programming and decreased in membership, while a few of us thrived the best way we knew how - by joining forces. For us, as youth directors, advisors, and educators, we knew this was the way to keep teens inspired and engaged with one another.

A Note on Leadership from My 16-Year-Old Self

Lauren Stock
April 13, 2022
Almost exactly six years ago, I ran for NFTY-TOR regional president. I lost. And yet when I look back at my election materials in a bout of nostalgia, I stand by absolutely everything I said, now having seen how much the ideas I mentioned still influence me and the way I think about leadership, both personally and as an organizer working with NFTY and Reform Jewish teen leadership.