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Charlie Render

Apr 07 2020
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Spark Note: CCC Activates Teens to Give Back

By JumpSpark

Over the last few weeks, the teens and adults at Creating Connected Communities have been busy helping the community. Even while stuck at home people have been cleaning out closets and reaching out with donations. Through all of these efforts, CCC has been able to donate GoGo squeeZ applesauce, books, snacks, bottled water, games, hand sanitizer, activities, toys, personal care products, puzzles, Play-Doh, and school supplies to people in need!

Overall more than $8,000 of supplies were donated to community partners, including the Atlanta Police Athletic League (PAL), Community Assistance Center, JF&CS Atlanta, and the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. It’s amazing that the toys and supplies our community had on-hand are now in the hands of children stuck at home without resources.

“We are honored and thankful that we were able to do a small part of the relief effort by bringing food and supplies to some of our partner agencies during this time. We are so amazed and energized by our incredible community and our teens who collected items for us to distribute, shared our efforts with their networks, and continue to hold items for us to pick up as soon as we are able.” – Tara Kornblum, CCC Program Director

Want to help out? Everyone can continue to sort books, Lego, new toys, and home goods and set them aside for Creating Connected Communities to get after the shelter in place is lifted. Unfortunately, due to stay-at-home orders throughout the state, CCC is no longer accepting donations at this time.

Want to learn more about CCC? Check out their website https://www.cccprojects.org/ or follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CCCprojects

Founded in 2010, Creating Connected Communities (CCC), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring life-enhancing programs to children in need by empowering teens to become engaged community leaders and volunteers.

In partnership with more than 60 Atlanta agencies, the 135+ Jewish teens in our Leadership Development Program plan and implement ten community programs for thousands of children and families in need. They learn valuable leadership skills such as fundraising, public speaking, program planning and more.

Through our programs, children receive thousands of gifts, meals, books and personal care items. They participate in outdoor festivals, carnivals, craft projects, DJ dance parties, and more with the help of hundreds of teen volunteers!

Apr 01 2020
Love0

Spark Note: The Wisdom of Doing Nothing

By JumpSpark

Sleep has always been my number one enemy. I viewed it as a personal crime against the way I was able to use my given time in this life. Why should I have to put everything on hold for 8 hours every single day? Didn’t seem efficient and I had places to go, big dreams to achieve. I lived for a decade with a “sleep when you’re dead” mantra running between my ears –  pounding coffee and demanding that I didn’t need to rest like other people. I worked multiple day and night jobs simultaneously from Sunday to Sunday with no Holy or unholy Sabbath to speak of. I thought I was in control, making the best of things. I thought I had cheated the system, but it turns out that the system exists so we cannot cheat ourselves. 

The past two weeks in quarantine have changed my busy bee mentality and forced me to make a change by taking me out of my “normal” and into this alternative reality, where I have all the time in the world. I am not constantly worried about just getting through the next big thing. Now, time spent sleeping, which used to make me feel guilty and unproductive, is actually making me a better version of myself. I have noticed greater mental and physical stamina, my appetite is back, and I have more control over my emotions. I am able to find inspiration to continue my songwriting more easily and I can see the bigger picture of my journey without anxiety. 

Using time wisely doesn’t mean you always have to be doing or making something. Sometimes the wisest thing to do is nothing at all.  

— Hannah Zale is Jewish professional by day and a rock star by night!

Hannah grew up in Warner Robins, a small town in middle Georgia, where she and her brother were the only Jewish children around. She is a recent graduate of The University of Georgia, where she earned degrees in both Social Media Theory and Music Business and is now putting her education to the ultimate test — zealously managing her career as an independent artist! She’s currently in four bands that tour around the country (ZALE, The Pussywillows, Millenniyum, and Chelsea Shag) and is also the Youth Director at Beth Shalom.

Hannah has served as In the City Camps (ITC) Summer Camp Music Specialist since 2015. In the fall of 2019, Hannah joined the ITC team full-time as the Community Outreach Coordinator, cultivating meaningful partnerships with other organizations, managing staff recruitment, and finding resources to support ITC’s mission and culture throughout the community.

Mar 20 2020
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Spark Note: JumpSpark Resources and Updates in This New Reality

By JumpSpark

We at JumpSpark are here to support our community in this time of uncertainty. Below you will find an update about our Spark Grants, Teen and Parent surveys, and Some Valuable Resources for this new reality.

JumpSpark is delaying Spark Grant decisions, reopening applications will reassess on May 15th

Due to the uncertainty of the future, JumpSpark is delaying Spark Grant decisions and will reassess on May 15th. This will allow us time to assess needs and make sure we are uses our funds in a way that speaks to our new reality. If you have an idea that speaks to this moment, can be operationalized at this time, and needs funds to get off the ground please reach out. As we all pivot JumpSpark has decided to reopen the grant application and are accepting new ideas for Spark Grants. We appreciate your flexibility and patience at this difficult time. Apply here: https://jumpsparkatl.org/spark-grants/

Amazing new resource from the Jewish Teen Funder Collaborative: https://www.newrealityresources.com/

This website aggregates the amazing content, resources and webinars into one place with a focus on youth professionals / those serving teens with clear categories. I hope this saves you all time so that you can spend your energy connecting deeply with the community you serve, and meeting local needs.

On the site you will find:

  1. A spreadsheet of social media content and sources you can lift / share out in a Google spreadsheet that will be frequently updated (also found HERE).
  2. Virtual program ideas and links to 4Front’s new curated content site
  3. A Haggadah for a virtual Seder compiled by Cincinnati
  4. Guides for educators
  5. Public webinars (and links to their recordings if you miss the times)
  6. Wellbeing tools, such as Jewish meditation how-to’s and spirituality resources
  7. General coronavirus updates

**Please note, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta has also built a site with both national and local resources: https://jewishatlanta.org/covid19-resources/  In addition, in an effort to best serve our community, Federation is leading the needs assessment and fundraising efforts for our community, you can learn more about the Jewish Emergency Response Fund here

JumpSpark is going virtual

We miss seeing all of you and would love to have you join us for our upcoming virtual learning activities. We will be offering more opportunities in the coming weeks.

  1. A Taste of Moving Traditions Webinar, March 30, 1-2, will be held over Zoom (Register here: http://movingtraditions.formstack.com/forms/tasteofmt)
  2. JumpSpark professional teen mental health first aid, April 28, 9-5, will be held over Zoom (more information coming)
  3. Intown Post-graduation Engagement for Parents Webinar, April 28 7-8:30pm (Navigating Parenthood event – more information coming)

BBYO On-Demand

JumpSpark has joined BBYO as a partner on their amazing new platform BBYO On-Demand: https://azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home If you, or your community are interested in hosting programming on the platform you can submit details here: https://azabbg.bbyo.org/on-demand/home. Please reach out if you have any questions.

JumpSpark is still running our teen and parent surveys

We have 200 teen responses and 150 parent responses so far! Thank you everyone for your efforts in making this happen. It is truly a community project that will yield data helpful to all of us.  The survey is scheduled to end on March 27th so please continue to share it out to your communities, especially since everyone is at home in front of a screen.

Teen survey: http://bit.ly/teensurveyatl

Parent survey: http://bit.ly/parentsurveyatl

Mar 06 2020
Love0

Spark Note: Educating Generation Z about Israel

By JumpSpark
Annie Fortnow, Engagement Manager

As JumpSpark considers its role in expanding teen Israel education in Atlanta, we find ourselves at the forefront of a changing approach to this topic for teens today. 

In December 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel with The Jewish Education Project (TJEP) and other Jewish Israel educators from cross-denominational and political perspectives to rethink how we educate Generation Z about Israel. Since today’s youth are increasingly progressive and questioning the conflicts within Israeli society, we need to adapt the traditional Israel trip to better meet teens’ understanding and connection with Israel through a multi-narrative approach that gives a voice to the different ethnic groups that make up the tapestry of Israel. 

What the Data Says

In TJEP’s comprehensive Gen Z report, data shows a clear generational shift in how kids see the Jew in today’s society – teens care about all people, but they are not tribalist. They are asking if being Jewish is good for global humanity, not just their people. The idea of Jewish peoplehood is much less prevalent among teens today than older adults. 

Other major concerns of teens include:

  • Tikkun Olam: teens responded that tikkun olam feels like “white privelege” to them and reinforces Jews as an oppressive white minority. They are looking for a more nuanced approach to volunteering that includes community building and working with communities to fight for social justice and equality in our society.
  • Israel Connection: teens have a positive relationship towards Israel and see it as important in some way. However, the less connected the teen is to the organized Jewish community, the less they felt Israel was important. The organized Jewish community feels Israel is central to Jewish identity in the US, but is Israel the best way to be reaching people on the margins?
Download the full report

Exploring the Multi-Narrative Approach

Our first encounter with a multi-narrative approach to Israel education was with the community of Israelis from Ethiopian descent. We had the opportunity to hear from three prominent Israelis from Ethiopian descent who all work with the community’s absorption into Israeli society in various ways. 

To frame the session, we discussed the importance of talking about race in Israel for teens today. As a generation growing up in the wake of police brutality towards black and brown folks and mass incarceration in the US, issues of race relations are on their minds. Through speaking with the community, we learned that in Israel, there are similar acts of police brutality and discrimination towards Israelis of Ethiopian descent. Although we cannot fully compare the issues in these two countries, sharing this narrative in Israel with teens could allow them to consider their role as Jews in Israel and the US in improving race relations and creating justice and equity for all. 

The next day, we embarked on a dual narrative tour of Bethlehem from both an Israeli and Palestinian perspective. We observed the Israeli West Bank barrier that, from the Israeli narrative, serves as a security barrier against terrorism, and, from the Palestinian side, services as a racial segregation wall. To hear both sides allowed us to better understand the nuance behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and, ultimately, make a more informed opinion about our own beliefs. As teens today are increasingly progressive and see Israel as an oppressor in this conflict more and more, we need to not only talk about the conflict with the teens but show both sides to allow them to create their own stance and a better understanding of the complexity behind the situation.  

Questioning and critiquing is a Jewish practice that can be seen throughout our literature and in our traditions today. While Israel travel and education can no doubt light the spark for further Jewish identity exploration, it also allows teens to engage in this Jewish practice of questioning and exploring the complexities behind a situation. To truly meet teens where they’re at, we need to address issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and racism from a multi-narrative approach to add nuance and complexity to a teen’s views of the land, people, and State of Israel. Only then can we help teens discover their own stance on Israel and support their plight for justice and equity in our world. ~ A.F.

Feb 18 2020
Love0

Announcing JumpSpark’s New Navigating Parenthood Coordinator

By JumpSpark

JumpSpark recognized early on that parents are an essential component to an engaged and healthy Jewish teen population.  In response, JumpSpark launched Navigating Parenthood in 2018. Over the past two years JumpSpark has hosted 16 Navigating Parenthood workshops, panels and films across Atlanta equipping almost 400 parents with the network and resources to raise thriving Jewish teens.

Introducing Amy

Amy Fox
Navigating Parenthood Coordinator
Email Amy

Now in 2020, Navigating Parenthood is entering an exciting new phase with the addition of Amy Fox as Navigating Parenthood Coordinator. Amy is no stranger to the challenges of parenting Jewish teens in Atlanta today.  She is the mother of boy/girl twins who graduated from The Epstein School and are currently in their junior year at Riverwood International Charter School.  She is also deeply rooted in the Atlanta Jewish community serving as a Wexner Heritage Fellow, Lion co-chair for Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy division, advisory board member of the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, member of the ACT (Agents of Change Training) Cohort for the Jewish Women’s Fund, and an alumna of the Frank Mission to Poland and Israel. Last summer she was able to connect with many of the parents in the community through her work as co-Chair of Administration for the 2019 JCC Atlanta Maccabi Games.

Learn more about Amy’s work as an ambassador for the Atlanta Jewish Community ›

Instead of starting with more Navigating Parenthood events, phase one of Amy’s part-time work will be to launch a listening campaign across the community to learn more about both parents needs and their challenges.

Reflecting on why her new position with JumpSpark is important, Amy shared, 

“As teen parents, for sure there can be rewarding moments, but these moments can be accompanied by the feeling of being isolated, ill-informed, and questioning one’s ability to support our kids and assist them along the road to becoming independent well-adjusted adults. One has the sense of being all alone in this endeavor, when, there are so many teen parents dealing with the exact same issues”

JumpSpark is invested in the parents in our community and wants to create a strong partnership to meet their needs and the needs of their teens.  Amy’s new role is full of potential to create the resources, programming and networks that are needed to do just that. 

Contact Amy

Are you the parent of Jewish teens in Atlanta? Amy would love to meet with you, hear your story, and bring you along on this journey. She can be contacted at AmyFox.ATLteen@gmail.com.

Feb 13 2020
Love0

Kesher Fellowship Trains Jewish Teens in Leadership

By JumpSpark

First published by the Atlanta Jewish Times ›

With the objective of transforming the way Jewish teens can engage each other, an exciting new program launched in Atlanta called the Atlanta Kesher Teen Engagement Fellowship.

With the objective of transforming the way Jewish teens can engage each other in the Jewish community, an exciting new program launched in Atlanta called the Atlanta Kesher Teen Engagement Fellowship. The program is run by the Union for Reform Judaism and funded in part by a JumpSpark grant through the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

The fellowship is based on the peer-to-peer engagement method that began in the Northeast and has been scaled to the Atlanta community. It emphasizes the impact Jewish teens can have on each other through face-to-face interaction.

“I think this program is a great example of having an inner circle of teens that are getting a huge amount of leadership training and mentorship and strengthening their own Jewish identities, and then impacting a much wider circle of teens throughout the community,” said Adam Griff, Kesher Teen Engagement Fellowship director. “They’re being empowered to co-create with their network these new events.”

The teens will develop social and leadership skills and receive mentoring from experts in peer-to-peer engagement. The program is designed to allow busy teens to participate by managing their own time and at the end, each fellow receives a $200 stipend.

“This model is unique in the Jewish teen landscape,” Bobby Harris, director of URJ Camp Coleman said in a press release. “The teen fellows are creating experiences that are fun and meaningful for them and their friends, instead of just trying to bring them to large-scale programming. Like the chavurah or ‘small circle’ model, this is about friends connecting to friends and building circles of peers living Jewish lives.”

The teens chosen through the application process range from 12 different high schools and six synagogues across metro Atlanta. The fellowship chose applicants who already have a strong Jewish identity and are involved and engaged in Jewish youth groups such as BBYO and NFTY or other high school clubs. “Not only do they represent a diverse range of Atlanta congregations, schools and neighborhoods, they are smart, passionate, and excited to be part of this endeavor,” Griff said in the release. “We know that building relationships is the key to increasing engagement. I feel confident that this group of teens will help us push the needle and reach teens that until now have stayed on the sidelines of Jewish life.”

The fellows are required to execute three pop-up events throughout the program that involve Jewish content, but the teens have some room to get creative. “This fellowship gives these teens the opportunity to think outside of the box; they are planning really unique programs for teens all around the metro Atlanta area,” said Jessie Schwartzman, Kesher Teen Fellowship engagement coordinator. She described one fellow who planned a Chanukah party at which the students made Chanukah cookies together. “We want their Jewish identity to translate on unengaged teens in Atlanta,” Schwartzman said. “We’re just really looking for ways to connect with teens on a different level.”

The program is having a positive impact on the teens involved, according to Schwartzman. “The fellows themselves who are part of this experience have really started to learn the value of leading a program – how to delegate tasks, what it means to share their Jewish story with others,” she said. “This type of training is not common in this generation; they’re so used to using their phones. [The fellows are] really learning the value of face-to-face communication.” This extends to a wider circle of Jewish teens who are being engaged by the fellows and growing in their Jewish connection.

The fellowship kickoff was Nov. 17. “I am excited to be a Kesher Fellow because I believe Jewish Atlanta is relying on today’s Jewish teens to ensure a strong Jewish Atlanta in the future,” Sophie Kieffer from Temple Sinai said in the release.

Schwartzman said that Atlanta is one of the few cities around the United States that’s participating in peer-to-peer training and they hope to expand their reach across the city. There are a growing number of organizations, such as OneTable, that are promoting this form of engagement with young adults, but it’s fairly new with teens, Griff said. “I think it’s exciting that Atlanta’s on the forefront of this.”

Jan 29 2020
Love0

Spark Note: Learn About Our New 2020 Grants!

By JumpSpark

Let us help you build the future for Jewish Atlanta you want to see.

Kelly Cohen, JumpSpark Director

Since 2019, JumpSpark has strategically invested over $300,000 in the Atlanta Jewish teen community through Spark Grants, launching nine new teen programs and supporting the growth and development of six existing programs. Through these efforts JumpSpark grantees have reached hundreds of Jewish teens in our community providing high-level educational and engagement experiences. See past Spark Grant recipients ›

This year JumpSpark is doubling our bet on the Atlanta Jewish community and plans to invest $600,000 in programs that make a difference in the lives of Jewish teens and those who impact them. Our 2020 grant cycle includes three new types of grants to give more opportunities to a variety of programs, organizations, and individuals to apply.

Spark R&D Grants

Past Spark Grant recipients

As an Innovation Initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, JumpSpark is committed to meeting the needs of teens today by supporting organizations to take risks and try something new. JumpSpark’s new Spark R&D Grants provide up to $25,000 to an organization or professional to research and develop new models of teen engagement and education. If the Atlanta Jewish community wants to meet the needs of teens today, the conditions must be created to allow organizations to take risks and try something new.

Drawing on the inspiration of Jewish Federation of North America’s FedLab, these grants ask grantees to “Discover, Define, Explore + Build and Plan + Act.” Funding can be used to support staffing, professional development and program creation and design. JumpSpark is specifically interested in funding new models in engagement, support, education and leadership development.

Teen Thriving Grants

JumpSpark’s new Teen Thriving Grants are a two-year initiative aimed at making an investment in the well-being and development of our Jewish teens. With anxiety and depression on the rise, and the world that teens are living in growing increasingly scary, our youth serving organizations must have the resources to be the first line of support for our teens.

These grants seek to answer the questions posed in the Gen Z Now Study done by the Jewish Education Project, which asks, “What would it mean for organizations to see teen well-being as central to their mandate, perhaps even the primary goal of their mission and how do we create a culture that helps those who work with teens become the trusted adults who teens need, working together to support teen flourishing? “

The Teen Thriving Grant will provide a full subsidy (travel and tuition) for one professional to attend the Jewish Education Project’s Thriving Retreat 2020 and additional grant funding up to $5,000 for Community Partners to build teen wellness support into their organizational structure. These funds can be used for additional professional development for teen serving staff, the inclusion of mental health professionals in the planning and running of teen events and/or direct programming for teens through speakers and workshops.

Navigating Parenthood Grants

As JumpSpark’s Navigating Parenthood Series moves into its 3rd year, the program continues to grow and thrive. With workshops, panels and films, Navigating Parenthood has equipped parents with the network and resources to raise thriving Jewish teens. JumpSpark’s new Navigating Parenthood grants are a two-year initiative to grow impact by providing funds for communities to bring speakers, workshops and support for parents in their home communities, which will help build a strong Jewish future through a networked and resourced parent community.

Parents are an essential component to an engaged and healthy Jewish teen population. The data shows that Jewish beliefs and practices are closely linked with family in the hearts and minds of teens. Being Jewish is not simply a religious or ethnic practice but also an expression of family bonds. Teens today enjoy spending time with their family and often look to their parents to help them make sense of the world.

Our Jewish community must learn from this data and recognize parent’s important role in the lives of teens and strive to meet their needs and address their challenges. Just as we must dedicate time and resources to the wellness of teens, we must do the same for parents and caregivers of teens in our community. Parenting teens today is hard, and parents are looking for supportive community and guidance.   

With funding up to $2,000 per Community Partner, a community could create one large event, a series of smaller events and classes or think innovatively about additional resources and events for parents of teens. JumpSpark staff is available to help develop these opportunities in partnership which will help build a strong Jewish future through a networked and resourced parent community.

JumpSpark connects the community and collaborates to create more defining moments for Jewish teens in Atlanta, and our Spark Grants provide funding and support for those with big ideas to invest in Atlanta’s Jewish teen community. We don’t simply stop with funding. Recipients of Spark Grants are those with a plan for community involvement and advancement with whom we build relationships and work together to make the biggest impact possible on Jewish teens and those in their sphere. – K.C.

APPLY FOR A GRANT
Jan 08 2020
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New Teen Engagement Fellowship Kicks Off in Atlanta

By JumpSpark

ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta Kesher Teen Engagement Fellowship, an exciting new peer- to- peer engagement opportunity for Jewish teens in grades 10-12 offered by the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), has officially launched in Atlanta. The 15 fellows participating in 2019-20 represent 12 high schools, 6 synagogues, and 11 zip codes across the metro Atlanta area.

Based on the successful URJ North East Teen Collective’s approach to teen engagement, the Atlanta Kesher Fellowship brings a different engagement experience to Atlanta’s Jewish teens. Tailored training on peer to peer engagement allows teens to strengthen their relationship building skills, understand the importance of face to face communication, and learn a new way of engaging their peers.

Funded in part by a JumpSpark grant through the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, this fellowship doesn’t involve a strenuous amount of hours, rather it is created for the busy teen and allows them the to create their own schedules strengthening time management skills. Teens will develop a variety of practical business, social, and leadership skills throughout the fellowship and receive expert mentoring and support to create meaningful Jewish engagement for their peers. At the end they receive a $200 stipend for all their hard work!

“This model is unique in the Jewish teen landscape,” says Bobby Harris, Director of URJ Camp Coleman. “The teen fellows are creating experiences that are fun and meaningful for them and their friends instead of just trying to bring them to large scale programming.  Like the chavurah or ‘small circle’ model, this is about friends connecting to friends and building circles of peers living Jewish lives.”

The fellows are tasked with planning three small events (3-10 people) throughout the school year. These events include things, like a Shabbat dinner, Havdalah hike, or a philanthropic father and son basketball game. The idea is to create small events relating to Judaism that have large impacts on the teens who aren’t as engaged in Jewish life in Atlanta. Creating more ways for teens to positively interact with Judaism will allow them to pave their own Jewish journey and lead to a greater impact on their lives.

At the inaugural fellowship on November 17th, the teens learned the importance behind the work they are doing, why face -to -face communication is beneficial, and the power of inclusivity. The fellows left the kickoff ready to take on Jewish Atlanta!

Sophie Kieffer (18) reflected after meeting her fellowship peers at the kickoff: “I am excited to be a Kesher Fellow because I believe Jewish Atlanta is relying on today’s Jewish teens to ensure a strong Jewish Atlanta in the future.”

The 2019-20 Kesher Fellows Include:
Lola Bessoff, Temple Beth Tikvah
Adam Boehm, Temple Beth Tikvah
Tali Cohn, Temple Sinai
Danielle Faulhaber, Temple Kehillat Chaim
Harrison Frank, Temple Emanu-El
Nicole Frysh, Temple Sinai
Katie Hurwitz, Temple Beth Tikvah
Sophie Kieffer, Temple Sinai
Simon Klee, Congregation Gesher L’Torah
Andrew Levingston, Temple Sinai
Tali Lipton, Temple Sinai
Lily Ragals, Temple Emanu-El
Sara Serrano
Deirdre Weissman, Temple Kol Emeth
Sophie Wilson, Temple Beth Tikvah

“Our 2019-2020 fellows are a remarkable group. Not only do they represent a diverse range of Atlanta congregations, schools, and neighborhoods, they are smart, passionate, and excited to be part of this endeavor. We know that building relationships is the key to increasing engagement. I feel confident that this group of teens will help us push the needle and reach teens that until now have stayed on the sidelines of Jewish life,” says Adam Griff, Atlanta Kesher Fellowship Director.

The Union for Reform Judaism’s youth programs instill a sense of joy, compassion, and pride in being Jewish while nurturing a young person’s innate desire to make a difference in the world. Central to the URJ’s strategy is collaboration with Reform congregations, other Jewish organizations and individuals who are committed to youth engagement.

Jan 07 2020
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Creating New Jewish Spaces in the Middle Schools of Atlanta

By JumpSpark

As an innovation initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, JumpSpark supports new projects in Atlanta that enhance Jewish engagement and build community among Jewish teens and preteens.

One new initiative launching in 2020 are Jewish Clubs at metro Atlanta middle schools. These pluralistic, non-denominational, and unaffiliated clubs give preteens a safe, low-barrier environment to hang out with other Jewish preteens at their school, fostering community and sense of Jewish values. Jewish clubs at many area high schools and a small number of middle schools – such as the Jewish Student Union, North Springs Charter School’s Jewish Culture Club, and the Jewish Federation’s grant to Chabad of North Fulton middle school clubs – have been very successful at creating welcoming spaces that Jewish teens and preteens gravitate towards each month and find lasting relationships with other Jewish youth.

To accelerate this success and create continuity for Jewish teens in Atlanta, JumpSpark is working with community parents and teens to launch even more clubs. With a helpful toolkit and a Spark Grant to support costs, JumpSpark is equipping families to create clubs in their schools.

Jewish middle school clubs meet once a month at a time that’s convenient for your community. Middle schoolers will gather over food and have social time to get to know each other. The preteens will also engage in a short, fun activity with Jewish content led by a local Jewish educator. 

Interested in a club at your teen’s school? Learn more below!

Your Role As a Parent

As a parent, your role will be to help sponsor the launch of a Jewish club within your teen’s middle school. JumpSpark will offer support on the direction and vision for the club in its first year and as a partner, will provide program planning, curriculum, and financial resources throughout the year. 

After the pilot year, JumpSpark will offer grants to parents taking on more of the club’s program planning of the club. JumpSpark will continue to support the conceptualization and execution of monthly club meetings. 

Steps to Success 

  1. Decide on a creative club name that fits with your school’s culture 
  2. Connect with Jewish teachers or teachers interested in supporting Jewish students to be official club sponsors 
  3. Meet with the principal or upper school administration to talk about the club objectives 
  4. Put together a list of communication mediums to use recruit and disperse info for parents and students 
  5. Run the first meeting 
  6. Watch your teen’s Jewish identity grow! 

What Parents Are Saying

“As a parent of two middle school kids, I see the value in a Jewish middle school club to instill in the kids their sense of community and appreciation for their cultural. While this does not have to be an exclusive club for only Jewish students, it does provide a sense of identity for kids and allows them to share their perspectives and experiences with their peer network.” – Ben Taube

“One great thing about our large public middle school is the true and vast diversity of the student body. In this environment, though, it can be difficult for my daughters to meet and foster friendships with other Jewish students. This club allows for Jewish students in different grades and from different elementary schools to meet and to explore their shared valued and beliefs. It also provides an opportunity for interested non-Jewish students to learn more about Judaism and to work on service projects together.” – Sydnei Terry Rubenstein

Questions? Interested in starting your own club? Contact Annie Fortnow, Engagement Manager, at annie.fortnow@jumpsparkatl.org or (847) 848-0860.

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