The Jewish Community Youth Foundation is set to begin its 11th year with more than 160 eighth to 12th grade students participating in the project.
The program is designed for teens to learn about, experience and act upon Jewish values.
JCYF is administered by a partnership consisting of the Ricky and Andrew J. Shechtel Philanthropic Fund, Jewish Family & Children’s Service and the Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks.
Each year, participants are required to contribute $120, which is matched by the Shechtel Philanthropic Fund and the Federation.
Funds are pooled together and groups comprised of 20 participants are given $7,200 to allocate to worthy causes.
Students meet six times between October and March in the Princeton area to discuss Tzedakah, assess the kinds of programs and issues they wish to explore, invite specific agencies to apply for funding and arrange for site visits to those agencies.
By the end of the year, each group meets to discuss and decide how their funds will be distributed.
Since JCYF’s inception, the teen philanthropists have donated $463,745 to 53 different Jewish agencies.
This progressive curriculum begins with incoming eighth graders who focus on local Jewish agencies that provide assistance to those in need. As ninth graders, participants explore regional and national agencies, in 10th grade they investigate Jewish arts and culture, in 11th grade they focus on outreach and advocacy and as 12th graders they learn about philanthropy in Israel.
Registration for eighth through 10th graders is now in progress.
JCYF is one of 120 similar programs around the country that aims to develop a new generation of Jewish philanthropists.
More information is online at jfcsonline.org/jcyf.html or through Celeste Albert at (609) 987-8100 or celestea@jfcsonline.org.
