Teens build our Jewish future
by Marsha Atkind, Manager of Philanthropic Initiatives

On a Sunday afternoon at the Cooperman Family JCC in West Orange, members of the MetroWest Teen Tzedakah Program were busy analyzing ancient Jewish texts. Why were these teens spending a Sunday this way? They were searching for guidance on philanthropic giving as it relates to current issues: hunger in Darfur, local special needs, environmental concerns and transportation for homebound seniors.

These teens, like all teens, are on the cusp of a world of confusion and opportunity. They know that the future is in their hands, but often worry about what kind of society they are inheriting and what path will lead to the world they would like to inhabit.

MetroWest’s Teen Tzedakah Project is a means of channeling this confusion and opportunity while creating the leaders of tomorrow. Started in the fall of 2005 with the goal of developing future Jewish leaders, the project helps teens learn the ins and outs of Jewish philanthropy, gain leadership skills, and develop an understanding of local and international agencies and how they meet community needs. Specifically, 18 teens, high school sophomores and juniors, have contributed $200 that he or she personally earned or raised to participate in the program. The money collected, with additional support from the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest and a private funder, will go to projects selected by the teens themselves after extensive study of the services and needs in this community. The teens allocated funds for grants in the spring of 2006 and 2007.

In April 2006, four teens from the program – Gadi Abramowitz, Jessica Bernstein, Ethan chaleff, and Jennifer Schechner – participated in the first-ever national teen philanthropy conference in Denver, Colo. Together with 100 other teens from across the country, they had the opportunity to further explore their Jewish values and relate them to philanthropic giving.

In its third year, the MetroWest Teen Tzedakah Program has been so highly successful and an additional 18 teens will be selected to participate next year. If your teenager would like to be one of them, contact Eliza Millman at (973) 929-2922 or . Underwriting for the program is needed. If you would like to provide financial support, contact the Jewish Community Foundation at (973) 929-3026 or .