Jewish Teens
After-school sports. Play rehearsals. Hours of studying. Group chats that never stop buzzing. Hanging out with friends. The lives of our teens are full and busy.
For Jewish teens, these years are also a time of discovering who they are, what they value and where they belong. In recent years, it also means navigating the rise in antisemitism. Amid this excitement and pressure, finding meaningful opportunities to connect with Jewish life can be a challenge.
That’s why The Associated and its network of agencies are committed to supporting teens at every stage of their journey. We are creating opportunities for them to strengthen their Jewish identity and connect to the community, while also helping them develop the tools to manage the pressures of adolescence.
Here is how we are helping.
Exploring Jewish Identity
We want every teen to grow into a confident Jewish adult who feels proud of who they are. But there is no single path to building a strong Jewish identity.
That’s why The Associated invests in multiple ways for Jewish teens to pursue their personal Jewish journey.
Through 4Front Baltimore, our teen initiative managed by the JCC, we offer signature, small group programs for middle and high school students that develop leadership skills and strengthen Jewish connection. Whether they are changemakers launching social enterprises rooted in Jewish values, learning leadership skills by serving on the boards of Jewish organizations or developing lasting friendships with their Ashkelon peers in Israel, teens strengthen their Jewish connections and grow as leaders in ways that are personally meaningful to them.
We also support broader opportunities for Jewish teen engagement. The Associated provides funding for the Jewish Student Unions in local high schools and we support the Baltimore chapters of BBYO. Through these programs, teens are meeting new friends and engaging socially, while participating in activities that deepen their understanding of Jewish heritage, culture and values.
Supporting our Teens as They Confront Rising Antisemitism
At a time when antisemitism is affecting more Jewish students and families, we are investing in programs that allow teens and their parents to find safe spaces where they are heard. We also create platforms for creating allies through conversations and relationship building.
Through The Associated’s Center for Countering Antisemitism and Hate, our new Living Room series focuses on bringing together private school Jewish parents and their middle school children in their homes. These small groups engage in honest dialogue with their peers, discussing what it means to be Jewish during this period of rising antisemitism.
This year, we are launching the Center’s Student to Student initiative which brings Jewish teen ambassadors to local schools. Here they share Jewish traditions and culture with their non-Jewish peers, as they begin to dismantle stereotypes and prejudices.
Finally, the Social Justice Teen Fellowship, run through our agency, the Baltimore Jewish Council in partnership with the Elijah Cummings Youth Program, builds allies through greater understanding. The program brings together Jewish and Black teens who engage in conversation around antisemitism, racism and issues facing their world today.
Addressing Teen Mental Heath
Today’s teens continue to face enormous stressors from academic pressure to weeks filled with jam-packed extracurriculars, all in the name of college admission and future success. Add in the rise of antisemitism and uncertainties in the world, and it’s no surprise teen mental health concerns are rising.
Recognizing this pressure, The Associated is taking a proactive approach. Through our agency, Jewish Community Services, we offer extensive age-appropriate programming in classrooms. The preschool and lower school curriculum focuses on coping skills and risky behaviors to proactively address. Topics for teens include substance abuse, social media and stress management. Programs on healthy relationships and dating violence are also available through our agency, CHANA.
In addition, we offer a Peer Leadership Fellows program through 4Front. Teens build leadership skills while learning to identify signs of mental health struggles among their peers. When concerns arise, they are trained to connect their peers with trusted adults and resources.
Want to learn more? Go to Associated.org/teens.
A gift to our Annual Campaign helps fund these important programs. Go to associated.org/give to make your gift today.
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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.
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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.
Join Our Mailing List
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