The Jewish Community Youth Foundation is a Jewish youth philanthropy program for teens in grades 8-12. Each teen contributes $120 which is matched by both the United Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks and the Ricky and Andrew J. Shechtel Philanthropic Fund. This results in a total giving amount of $360 per teen and a total group fund of $7,200 to distribute to different Jewish organizations.
Under the teaching and guidance of Jewish Family & Children’s Service, each age group learns about the principles of tikkun olam (repairing the world), tzedakah, and philanthropy, as well as other Jewish values and how they relate to their groups' philanthropic focus: Eighth Grade-Local Need Based, Ninth Grade-National Social Service, Tenth Grade-Jewish Art & Culture, Eleventh Grade-Politics, Outreach, & Advocacy, and Twelfth Grade-Israel.
Following actual site visits, each teen presents his or her findings and opinions to the group. . .and the debate over how best to allocate the group’s money begins!
The result is the application of weeks of intelligent thought and planning, as well as emotional exploration of Jewish needs far beyond each teen’s own world. The teens learn about caring and selflessness, and the power of their donation to one or more carefully researched causes within the local, national and international Jewish communities.
The Jewish Community Youth Foundation meets once a month from October-March on Sunday nights in the Princeton/Mercer area
To learn more about the Jewish Community Youth Foundation, contact Celeste Albert at 609-987-8100 or
celestea@jfcsonline.org