Atlanta Kesher Teen Engagement Fellowship

Plan, Lead, & Inspire Jewish Life Among Your Peers

Open to Jewish 10th – 12th grade teens from Atlanta, this prestigious application-only, nine-month Fellowship includes:

Engage your friends as you create 3 local "pop-up" events over the course of the year
Develop peer-to-peer engagement and event planning skills at the Fall Training Workshop
Receive a stipend for completing the fellowship requirements
Grow through coaching and mentorship as you create your events
Learn leadership skills and build your resume
Connect your friends to other Jewish teen events and programs

Returning Fellows Apply Here New Fellows Apply Here

Application priority deadline: August 31st, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until early fall

Fall Training Workshop: October

Winter/Spring Training Workshops: TBD

Spring Celebration: TBD

Stipend Amount:  $75/event (up to 3 events) Stipend received upon completion of each event.

If you are a member of your Temple's Youth Group Board please email jschwartzman@urj.org

Email: jschwartzman@urj.org if you are interested in the fellowship or would like to be notified when the application opens

Program Details

Open to Jewish teens currently in 10th-12th grade
Fellows commit to creating and running 3 pop-up events during the school year.
Each event must have a minimum of 4 Jewish teens in attendance in addition to the Fellow.
After each pop-up, Fellows will encourage the teens that attended to either come to another pop-up or to attend another Jewish teen program (NFTY, BBYO, Amy’s Party…).
The goal of the Fellowship is to engage teens that may otherwise not attend Jewish teen programs.
Fellows receive support and coaching throughout the process.
Fall Training Workshop will include training, orientation, and introduction to community partners. Additional shorter workshops will take place every couple months.
Upon completion of the requirements of each event, Fellows will receive a stipend of $75 (stipends may be earned for up to 3 events per school year). Additional funds are available to cover program expenses (documentation and advance approval are required).

What is a Pop-Up Event?

Pop-Up Events provide teens with new and ongoing opportunities to bring their ideas to life, engage their peers, and build invaluable leadership skills. In planning these events, Jewish teen leaders gain practical skills such as marketing and outreach, event planning, self-advocacy, community organizing, and more.

Pop-Up Events are local, interest-based events and experiences planned and led by Kesher Fellows! They are low commitment, stand alone or on-going events with a specific focus on community and relationship building. All Pop-Up Events have an underlying Jewish theme and focus on engaging your peers. Some Pop-Up Events are planned in collaboration with the teen leader’s synagogue or other community organizations.

Example Pop-Up Events: Discourse on the presidential debates, Israel advocacy session, Shabbat Dinner, Hanukkah Party, Clean up a local park (and get community service hours!).

FAQs

Who should apply to this Fellowship?

The ideal candidate is an engaging 10-12th grader who is excited and passionate about being a Jewish teen. They are involved in different organizations in their community and want to get others involved in those organizations. They are outgoing, helpful, and care about getting unengaged Jewish teens involved in the community. They enjoy planning small events or gatherings with friends. They want to develop their skills on peer to peer engagement and learn the best practices on relationship building.

How much time will it take to be in this Fellowship?

The fellowship will run from September to May. Each fellow will be responsible for running three events over the course of that time period. There will be a half day kickoff training workshop in mid-September along with additional shorter workshops every couple of months. There will also be one-on-one check-in calls throughout the fellowship.

What makes this fellowship unique?

This fellowship is a different engagement experience for Jewish teens. The teens will receive training on peer to peer engagement which will allow them to strengthen their relationship-building skills, understand the importance of face to face communication, and learn a new way of engaging their peers. This fellowship doesn’t involve a strenuous amount of hours, rather it allows the teens to create their own schedules strengthening their time management skills. Teens will develop a variety of skills throughout the fellowship and receive a stipend for all their hard work!

How Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact This Fellowship?

For in-person gatherings, we will follow the guidelines of the CDC and local authorities, as well as URJ guidelines. Regardless, virtual pop-up events can still take place, and fellows will receive stipends for these events. Fellows will receive training on how to engage their peers through both in-person and virtual events.

I’m ready to apply! What’s next?

There are a few steps to take:

Read the program details and FAQ above

Email jschwartzman@urj.org if you are interested if you are interested in the fellowship or would like to be notified when the application opens

Fill out online application (when applications open)

Set a reminder that in early fall the Kesher Kickoff will begin!

Applicants will be notified with their acceptance status by email.

Key Dates

Applications open: August 2021
Applications due: priority deadline is August 31st, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 15
Fall Training Workshop: October
Winter/Spring Training Workshops: TBD
Spring Celebration: TBD

Resources for Fellows

Our Partnership

The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) strengthens communities that transform the way people connect to Jewish life, building a more whole, just, and compassionate world. URJ Youth flagship programs in Atlanta include NFTY-SAR (Southern Area Region) and URJ Camp Coleman.

JumpSpark connects Atlanta's Jewish teens and those who impact them through collaboration with community partners and creation of original, top-quality programming. The ATL Kesher Fellowship is funded in part by JumpSpark.

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