Youth & College Programs
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has provided young people with immersive Jewish experiences in North America and Israel for more than 75 years, including:
NFTY
路 Year-round youth group programming
Reform Youth Movement Grades 6 to 12 Year-round and Summer
路 Summer camps 路 Travel and study abroad programs in Israel 路 Social justice, advocacy and service learning programs
The world-renowned URJ Youth & College Programs enrich and transform lives by strengthening identity and knowledge, instilling Reform Jewish values and cultivating lifelong friendships within vibrant and fun Jewish communities.
NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) provides teens with a Reform Jewish community, inspiring learning through leadership development and mentorship. NFTY unites, supports and sustains more than 500 temple youth groups. Beyond the activities of local youth groups, NFTY sponsors more than 150 regional and North American events, as well as camp, service learning and Israel travel experiences during the summer. nfty.org NFTY Teen Institutes Grades 9 to 12 Intensive workshops and small group sessions on topics including songleading, Israeli dance and Jewish learning. nfty.org/teeninstitute
633 Third Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10017 Tel: 212.650.4070 youth@urj.org
Fax: 212.650.4130 urj.org/youth
NFTY Junior Youth Programs Grades 6 to 8 Programs designed to introduce pre-teens to youth group with social, worship and educational activities. nfty.org/junioryouth
Specialty camps
Summer Camps
URJ Camps Grades 2 to 12 Outstanding camps located in beautiful settings across North America offer amazing summers of fun, friendship and skill building. Our camps serve as model communities of Jewish living and learning with unparalleled role models. urjcamps.org URJ Camp Coleman GA URJ Crane Lake Camp MA URJ Eisner Camp MA URJ Camp George ONT URJ Goldman Union Camp-Institute IN URJ Greene Family Camp TX URJ Camp Harlam PA URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp MS URJ Camp Kalsman WA URJ Camp Newman CA URJ Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute WI
URJ Kutz Camp NY NFTY Leadership Experience Grades 10 to 12 Teen-only summer camp where participants create their own customized program that builds and enhances skills in leadership, social justice, creative arts and Jewish studies. At the center of the experience are intensive tracks, called majors, supplemented by minors, electives, creative worship and teen-specific programming. kutzcamp.org URJ 6 Points Sports Academy NC Grades 4 to 11 Jewish athletes participate in top-level sports training together with the beloved traditions of Reform Jewish camping. Two-week sessions offer intensive training in a chosen sport and two cross-conditioning electives. sports.urjcamps.org URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy MA Grades 6 to 10 The first Jewish specialty camp for science and technology, opening Summer 2014 in the Boston area. scitech.urjcamps.org
Programs for campers with special needs Camp Chazak at Eisner and Crane Lake MA Ages 8 to 14 A week-long Jewish camping experience for children with social and development delays. campchazak.org
Mitzvah Corps at Kutz Camp NY Ages 13 to 19 A “camp within a camp�-style immersion program that incorporates peer-topeer mentorships into a broader, more mainstream camp experience for teens on the autism spectrum. kutz.urjcamps.org/mc
Inclusion programs for youth and young adults with special needs are available at all URJ Camps. urjcamps.org/specialneeds
Israel Programs
NFTY in Israel Grades 9 to 12 Summer Unforgettable summer of immersive and experiential learning about Israel and Judaism. Teens hike stunning mountains, cool off in a desert oasis, ride a camel, sift through thousands of years of Jewish history on an archaeological dig and soak up the culture in vibrant Tel Aviv. nftyisrael.org NFTY High School in Israel – Eisendrath Israel Experience (NFTY-EIE) Grades 9 to 12 Fall, Spring or Summer Semester A fully accredited, academically competitive high school semester in Israel. Students are immersed in the language, culture and history of the Jewish people. With Israel as their classroom, participants’ Jewish history class comes to life during field trips that include a pilgrimage to Poland to study the Holocaust, a simulated Israel army training experience and a week-long hike across the country from sea to sea. nftyeie.org
Netzer Year – A Gap Year Program High School Graduates October to June A fun, challenging way for recent high school graduates to spend eight months in Israel with an exciting group of young people from around the world. The program involves extensive travel, intense leadership training, Hebrew and Jewish immersion studies and hands-on volunteer work. netzeryear.org URJ Kesher Taglit-Birthright Israel Ages 18 to 26 Winter (December to March) and Summer (May to September) A free, 10-day, first-time trip for young adults. A jam-packed itinerary includes visits to Israel’s most famous sites including the Dead Sea, Masada, Jerusalem’s Old City and Tel Aviv. Participants also experience off-the-beaten-path charm – bonfires on the beach, a taste of Israeli nightlife and an evening under the stars in the Negev Desert. gokesher.org
Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa Community Service & Co-existence Program Ages 20 to 29 5 or 10 months Live and study in Israel while volunteering in a Jaffa or South Tel Aviv neighborhood, affecting positive change and promoting co-existence among mixed populations in the community. Studies include a focus on Jewish identity, Israeli culture and Hebrew language. tikkunolamisrael.org Kibbutz Lotan Jewish Environmentalism Study Abroad Programs Ages 20 to 30 Semester, 5 month or 7 week options Unique opportunity for students to use and study practical ecology, understand today’s pressing environmental issues and create alternative solutions for the modern world. kibbutzlotan.com
Social Justice & Action Programs Religious Action Center L’Taken Social Justice Seminar Grades 10 to 11 Year-round Four-day seminar designed to expose students to a variety of public policy issues, explore the Jewish values surrounding these issues and teach effective advocacy skills. Throughout the experience, participants gain the knowledge and tools to pursue justice in Washington, DC while they prepare for and visit their state’s senators and representatives in Congress. rac.org/ltaken
Mitzvah Corps Grades 9 to 12 Year-round and Summer Hands-on social justice projects in a variety of regions and cultures in the Americas. An opportunity for teens to get their hands dirty and stretch their comfort zone — and discover the deep, lasting satisfaction of making a real difference in the lives of others. mitzvahcorps.org Religious Action Center Machon Kaplan Work/Study Internship College-age adults Summer Social justice summer internship based in Washington, DC. Student learn, through study and action, the interrelationship of Judaism and democratic ideals as well as the political interaction of the organized American Jewish community and the U.S. government. rac.org/mk
urj.org/youth