Teen Engagement
Needs
All aspects of teen engagement are being impacted by COVID-19. This includes any in person gatherings that had been planned currently and into the summer of 2020. Weekly in-person programming, trips to Israel and summer camps are just examples of where programming has been impacted.
Youth Serving Organizations (YSOs) are currently exploring different ways to provide supports online to teens in the short term, whilst they evaluate the next course of action for what is ahead.
Other challenges include:
- Revenue shortfall from anticipated decline in fundraising and fee-for-serve revenues. According to Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the current estimates are that fee-for-service revenue next year could be down $1.5M and fundraising could be down $6-8M in the coming year.
- Addressing mental health and wellbeing for teens experiencing isolation, anxiety, stress and more.
In July, JFNA reported on how BBYO, the largest nondenominational Jewish youth movement is faring:
BBYO enters FY2021 a leaner, more nimble organization that is benefitting from important learning over the past few months. BBYO OnDemand has become a critical digital complement to programming that will eventually take place in person, opening a huge engagement pipeline. Internal scenario planning has led to a three-phase approach to stabilizing BBYO financially and preparing it for an expected post-COVID growth in membership as teens seek out social connections and families seek out local, cost-effective engagement opportunities for their children. BBYO’s reputation as a nurturing, “safe” place for teens to grow as leaders and citizens is also expected to resonate with parents. Priorities over the next six months include: • Preparing for in-person programming through the development of policies and communications and the acquisition of PPE • Offering strong digital content to complement smaller, local, in-person gatherings • Focusing on a teen mental health and wellness initiative • Offering tutorial and enrichment programing, particularly around the arts (music, writing, visual arts) • Seeking out partnerships with Jewish institutions that are seeking to provide teen audiences with programming Major challenges, and the focus of BBYO’s scenario planning, include uncertainty about the speed at which gatherings (weekend conventions and summer programs) will resume and the economic impact that the pandemic is having on Jewish families with teens. Data has already been collected about the latter through a survey of BBYO parents (1,400 responses). If BBYO is unable to operate its camps and summer travel experiences in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions, the financial impact on the organization will be significant.
Responses
A number of opportunities have already been implemented to support teen engagement online and more resources are being offered. This space will continue to be updated regularly as more information and supports are explored. Some highlights include: the Jewish Teen Funders Network’s resource page, BBYO’s “on-demand” hub and the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funders Collaborative resource page.
On April 20, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) launched the more than $80 million Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund (JCRIF), supported by a seven foundations, including the Aviv Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, the Jim Joseph Foundation, Maimonides Fund, the Paul E. Singer Foundation, and the Wilf Family Foundation, which will operate in coordination with the JFNA. The invite-only program will be divided in two, with a loan program based at the Nonprofit Finance Fund, providing payroll and basic operational assistance for non-profits in the coming months.In July, JCRIF announced it had made $10 million in grants to more than 20 Jewish organizations, including the Institute for Experiential Jewish Education, Jewish Education Project, and the Tikvah Fund (for a program targeting teens), as well as $20 million in no-interest loans, with $20 million more in loans under consideration. More details about JCRIF, including a JFN webinar, here.
Resources
- All
- General Resources
- Recorded Webinars
- Resources for Funders
- Landing - From the Resource Hub
- News from Funders
- Reports from the Field - North America
- Reports from the Field - Israel
- Resources for Parents and Educators
- Resources for Nonprofits
- Upcoming Online Events and Webinars
- Reports from the Field - International
- CARES Act
More Information on JCRIF [Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund]’s Reset Grants
Description - Announcement from JCRIF
Source - JCRIF & eJewish Philanthropy
February 25
With $10 Million Grants, the Jewish Community’s Rescue Fund Eyes the Future
Description - News Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy/Jewish Insider
February 22
The New Israel Travel Alliance Helps Trip Providers Plan — and Wait
Description - News Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
February 18
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) Trainings
Date and time - Ongoing
Source - Jewish Teen Education & Engagement Funder Collaborative
Remote Learning and Engagement Series: Best Practices and Opportunities for Israel Engagement
Source - JFN webinar
February 3

Resilience and Mental Health: A Funders’ Discussion About Covid’s Impact
Source - JFN webinar
December 1
Jewish Philanthropists Have Increased Their Giving During the Pandemic — but Prioritizing Causes Has Never Been More Difficult
Description - News Article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
January 5

Strategies for Supporting Jewish Organizations in the New Normal
Source - JFN West convening
December 2020
Study Reveals COVID-19 Hardships on Palm Beach Jewish Community
Description - News Article
Source - South Florida Sun Sentinel
December 23
Facing the Future: Mapping the Marketplace of Jewish Education During Covid-19
Description - Report
Source - Consortium for Applied Studies in Jewish Education
November 2020
New Program Will Engage Thousands of Jewish College Students in Volunteer Service
Description - Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
November 12

Collaboration and Creativity in a Time of Crisis: An Update on the Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund
Source - JFN webinar
October 28

“Broke: The Game.” What Would You Do?
Source - JFN/Natl Affinity Group on Jewish Poverty webinar
October 22
Teen Travel to Israel – We Need New Directions in a Post-Covid World
Description - Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
October 20
New Help for the 20,000 Jewish Communal Professionals Who Lost Jobs During Pandemic
Description - News Article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
October 8
Among Jews, the Young and Highly Educated Bear COVID’s Emotional and Economic Toll
Description - Op-Ed from Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
Source - The Forward
Amid Layoffs and Funder Bailouts, the Jewish Nonprofit World Is Fearing 2021
Description - News Article
Source - Jewish Insider
September 9
Emotion Before Content: Evidence-Based Recommendations for Designing Virtual Jewish Engagement for Young People
Description - Research study/report
Source - Schusterman Foundation and Jim Joseph Foundation
August 2020
What’s Going on in Jewish Education? Answers from Leaders in the Field
Description - Report
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
August 13
How are Jewish Teens and Young Adults Coping Through this Pandemic?
Description - Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
August 18
As Colleges Go Virtual, Students Go to Israel
Description - News Article
Source - NY Jewish Week
July 21

Next Year (We Hope!) in Jerusalem: How the Israel Experience Field Has Responded to Covid
Source - JFN webinar
July 23
Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund (JCRIF) Awards $10 Million to 20+ Jewish Organizations
Description - Announcement
Source - Jewish Community Response & Impact Fund
July 20
Jewish Nonprofits Launch Nationwide Volunteer Drive to Respond to Pandemic, Social-Justice Needs
Description - News Article
Source - Chronicle of Philanthropy
July 6
The Coronavirus Is Killing Off American Jewish Institutional Life
Description - Article
Source - Tablet
June 7
What Covid Is Teaching Us About Jewish Education
Description - Op-Ed
Source - New York Jewish Week
June 29
For Young Adults with Disabilities the Loss of Specialized Birthright Trips is Particularly Poignant
Description - Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
June 25
For the Few Jewish Camps That Are Opening Despite Risks, Finding Willing Families Hasn’t Been Hard
Description - News Article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
June 24

Service for a Strong Future
Date and time - Tuesday, June 23
1:30-2:30 p.m. Eastern
Source - JFN webinar
June 23

Outside the Tzedakah Box: Conversation with Sharna Goldseker
Description - Podcast
Source - Jewish Teen Funders Network
June 22
New Jewish Service Alliance Launches “Serve the Moment” with Plans for 100,000 Acts of Jewish Service
Description - Press Release/Announcemen
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
June 18
Amid Pandemic, These Young Jews and their Elderly Friends Are Finding New Ways to Connect
Description - Article (Sponsored by JFNA)
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
June 8
Covid-19 Can’t Stop These East Bay Jewish Teen Fundraisers
Description - News article
Source - The Jewish News of Northern California
June 4
Include Us in the Conversation: COVID-19 and Teen Mental Health
Description - Article
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
June 4
A ‘Super Fund’ Aims to Keep Jewish Nonprofit World From Sinking
Description - News article
Source - New York Jewish Week
June 2
Teen Engagement and the Pandemic: Crisis and Opportunity
Description - Op-Ed
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
May 27
In the Post-Covid Crisis Universe: Israel Opportunities Await
Description - Op-Ed
Source - eJewish Philanthropy
May 27
As Colleges Go Virtual, Students Instead Are Heading to Israel on Gap Year Programs
Description - News article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
May 21
As Pandemic Set In, Orthodox Union Furloughed 125 Staffers — a Quarter of its Workforce
Description - News article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
May 19
Conservative Jewish Youth Group USY Cancels Summer Travel Programs Due to COVID-19
Description - News article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
May 14
Jewish Teen Funders Network Youth Ambassadors Reflect on the COVID-19 Crisis
Description - Blog post
Source - Jewish Teen Funders Network
The Biggest Jewish Coronavirus Relief Fund Will Soon Start Giving Out Loans
Description - News article
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
May 12
A Teen Support Guide to Navigating Coronavirus
Description - Article
Source - Jewish Boston Teens
March 13
For Jewish Teens Struggling in the Coronavirus Era, Jewish Groups Extend a Lifeline
Description - News Article (sponsored by JFNA)
Source - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
May 4
Collective Compassion
Description - Teen Resources for Mental Health Awareness Month
Source - Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative

Amplify How You Give with Liz Fisher
Description - Podcast episode
Source - Jewish Teen Funders Network
April 24
Granting Ceremonies, Year-End Celebrations & Graduations
Source - JTFN Webinar
April 22
Addressing Crisis: Resources for Jewish Teen Philanthropy
Source - Jewish Teen Funders Network
New Reality Resources
Description - Curated resources
Source - Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funders Collaborative
Nonprofit Funding Proposals