Moving Traditions to bring together Jewish teen activists from across the US to make a difference
December 2025 – At a time when Jewish teens are facing a dual burden – both the challenges that come with adolescence heightened by rising antisemitism, Moving Traditions is proud to announce that more teens than ever have been accepted into its teen trip and fellowship programs grounded in social action. A total of 84 participants from across the United States make up the 2025-26 cohorts of its three immersive teen programs: the Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship, Kumi: Foundation, and jGirls+ Magazine Editorial and Photography Staff.
This year’s cohorts represent a diverse cross-section of Jewish teen activists, writers, photographers, and changemakers who are committed to creating positive impact in their communities and beyond. These programs are part of Moving Traditions’ suite of initiatives that support thousands of Jewish youth each year.
Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship
43 Total Participants: 38 Fellows, 6 Teen Leaders, & 5 Senior Teen Leaders
Moving Traditions’ Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship is a distinctive opportunity for young Jewish feminists to learn how to effectively speak their minds and create the change they want to see in the world. Now in its eighth year, the Fellowship is welcoming 43 teen activists to participate in four regional cohorts.
Open to Jewish 9th-12th grade girls, trans, and nonbinary teens nationwide, this year-long fellowship brings teens together online and in person to learn about Judaism, feminism and activism. The fellows meet monthly to build community while learning about the building blocks core to social change. They use their knowledge, while working with an adult mentor, to create a locally based Passion Project that makes change in their community.
Past participants in Kol Koleinu have created capstone projects on a broad range of social issues, including body image, voting rights, the need for gender equality within their schools, menstrual justice, and inclusive sex education.
“Year after year, these incredible Kol Koleinu Fellows blow me away with their passion and drive to create change in their communities and the world at large,” said Paige GoldMarche, Director of Kol Koleinu. “These young activists represent our best response to hard times: a continued commitment to change the world for the better.”
jGirls+ Magazine Teen Staff
23 Total Participants: 17 Editors & 6 Photographers
jGirls+ Magazine provides a platform for Jewish teen girls, trans, and nonbinary youth to explore identity, creativity, and community through their writing and photography. The 2025-26 Editorial and Photography Staff works collaboratively throughout the year to produce content that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of Jewish teens today.
“This year’s teen editors and photographers have already started to build a strong feminist community that’s poised to amplify youth voice,” says Elizabeth Mandel, founder of jGirls+ Magazine and Moving Traditions’ VP of Feminist Programs. “jGirls+ Magazine is reaching more people now that we are part of the Moving Traditions’ suite of programs – and I can’t wait to get more eyes on the inspiring work of these young authors, artists, and editors who have so much to say.”
The magazine serves as both a creative outlet and a leadership development opportunity, where teens develop professional skills in writing, editing, photography, and digital media while building meaningful connections with peers from across the country.
Though recruitment for teen staff has concluded for the year, jGirls+ Magazine accepts content submissions from teen writers all year long. Teens are encouraged to review the submission guidelines on the website.
Kumi: Foundation
18 Participants
Kumi is a unique opportunity for Jewish teens (10th-12th graders) to build the skills and experience needed to understand and interrupt racism, antisemitism, and manifestations of gender bias. This teen leadership experience creates a living laboratory for exploring justice and equity from a Jewish lens.
Now in its fourth cohort, this fall we held Kumi: Foundation in November. Teens came together from across the country in our Jews of Color Empowerment Cohort and Anti-Racist Allies Cohort to build community in a 4-day retreat, coupled with virtual sessions before and after to continue the learning.
Participants dove into discussions and learning designed to help prepare them to build of more inclusive communities and movements for justice as Jews, in their high schools, in college and beyond. Through their experience in Kumi: Foundation, participants explore their connection to their own Jewish identity and build the skills to turn their values into action.
One unique aspect of Kumi is its intentional community-building through two tracks: Jews of Color Empowerment and Anti-Racist Allies. In keeping with racial justice best practices, these two tracks learn both together and separately over the course of the experience to provide intentional and targeted support of their learning.
“It was so enriching to meet and learn with this inspiring and dynamic next cohort of Kumi teens,” says Rabbi Tamara Cohen, Chief of Program Strategy for Moving Traditions. “The created a lot of joy and laughter together but they also worked really hard doing things that many communities of adults haven’t figured out how to do. I believe these teens have the power to change their communities – and our troubled world – in real and lasting ways.”
About Moving Traditions
Moving Traditions is a national nonprofit that emboldens Jewish youth to thrive through the pursuit of personal wellbeing (shleimut), caring relationships (hesed), and a Jewish and feminist vision of equity and justice (tzedek). Our suite of programs includes Moving Traditions B-Mitzvah Family Education Program for preteens and parents; Teen Groups including Rosh Hodesh, Shevet, and Tzelem; Kulam curriculum for Hebrew High Schools; and teen leadership opportunities including the Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship and Kumi. Through CultureShift, Moving Traditions trains professionals who work with Jewish teens at camp and elsewhere about how to navigate gender, healthy boundaries, and more. Since it was established in 2005, Moving Traditions has emboldened more than 40,000 preteens and teens by partnering with more than 650 Jewish institutions across North America. Learn more at www.movingtraditions.org.