Program Descriptions
jGirls+ Magazine
The jGirls+ Magazine Teen Staff is a group of young Jewish feminists (10th-12th graders) who produce an online literary magazine by and for their peers. Serving as a jGirls+ editor or photographer is both an exciting leadership development opportunity and a hands-on creative position.
jGirls+ editors and photographers apply their perspective, vision, and creativity to shape how the world listens to Jewish girls and nonbinary teens. Throughout the school year, editors meet virtually to read, discuss, and edit teen-created content for jGirls+ Magazine. Photographers then pair these pieces with photographs for publication on our site. Editors receive training on topics related to editing, leadership, and identity, while staff photographers receive artistic training from professional photographers.
Kol Koleinu
The Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship is a distinctive opportunity for young Jewish feminists in 9th-12th grade to build intergenerational and peer-to-peer relationships, to learn how to effectively speak their minds and build their activism toolbox to create change in their community.
This year-long fellowship invites young Jewish women, trans teens, and non-binary teens to learn how to apply a Jewish feminist lens to the world, ask powerful questions, deepen their knowledge about social change, and amplify their voices to share their beliefs and express a call to action. Finally, Fellows hone their skills by creating a tangible Capstone project.
Kumi: Foundation
Kumi is a unique opportunity for Jewish teens in 10th-12th grade to interrupt racism, antisemitism, and other manifestations of oppression. This teen leadership experience imparts knowledge and skills for exploring justice and equity from a Jewish lens.
Kumi is a one-semester retreat-based experience where teens of all genders from across the country come together to learn and build a Jewish justice community. In keeping with racial justice best-practices, the program includes two affinity spaces, Jews of Color Empowerment and Anti-Racist Allies, that learn together and separately over the course of the experience to provide intentional and targeted support of their learning.
*Jews of Color is an imperfect umbrella term that refers to Jewish people who also identify as people of color in an American race context.
Interested in Applying?
Applications for jGirls+ Magazine are open now! Kol Koleinu and Kumi applications will open on March 17.
Program Comparison
Program Focus
Kol Koleinu
Amplifying teen voices through the intersections of feminism, activism, and Judaism
Kumi
Interrupting racism, sexism, antisemitism, and other forms of oppression
jGirls+
Applying your perspective, vision, and creativity to shape how the world sees and listens to Jewish girls, young women, and nonbinary teens.
Eligibility
Kol Koleinu
In 9th-12th grade during the 2024-25 school year
Jewish female, trans, and non-binary teens
Kumi
In 10th-12th grade during the 2024-25 school year
Jewish teens of all genders
jGirls+
10th-12th grade during the upcoming school year
Jewish girls and gender-expansive teens
Type of Experience
Kol Koleinu
- School year program, August 2025 – April 2026
- National program with regional cohorts accepting 50-60 participants
- Hybrid experience with monthly virtual meetings, regional and national in-person retreats
- Matched with an adult mentor with relevant experience
- Culminates with the completion of a locally based Capstone project
Kumi
- Fall semester, August 2025 – December 2025
- National program accepting 20-30 participants
- Hybrid experience with monthly virtual meetings and a 4-day national in-person retreat
- Includes two parallel tracks: Jews of Color and anti-racist allies
- Alumni become eligible for Kumi: Exploration
jGirls+
- School year program, August 2025 – April 2026
- National program accepting 10 new editors and up to 5 new photographers to join returning staff
- All teen staff: Hybrid experience with a 4-day in-person retreat.
Editors: 2 virtual department meetings per week and 2 virtual all-staff meetings per month.
Photographers: Occasional department meetings, 1 workshop per month - Work in a pre-professional environment with peers with an array of backgrounds, experiences, and opinions
- Edit an online literary magazine that publishes new work every week.
Time Commitment
Kol Koleinu
Mentor meetings between October – April
August — Family orientation (2 hr)
Sept. – March — Monthly virtual cohort meetings (2 hrs)
Sept. – March — Monthly community calls (1 hr)
Preparation for calls and Capstone project
Kumi
August — Family Orientation (2 hrs)
Sept. and Oct. — Virtual Community of Practice Sessions (2 hrs each)
December — Post-Retreat Reflection Session (2 hrs)
jGirls+
August — New staff orientation (2 hrs)
September – May —
Editors: Monthly editorial board meetings (2 hrs)
Monthly workshops with expert educators on a variety of topics related to editing, leadership, and identity
Twice-weekly department meetings to discuss and edit pieces
Photographers: Monthly workshops with professional photographers
Editors and Photographers: Ongoing independent work necessary for the production of the magazine (1 hr/week)
In-Person Experience
Kol Koleinu
October 17-19, 2025 — Regional cohort retreat
April 17-19, 2026 — National retreat outside of Chicago, IL
Kumi
November — 4 Day Foundation Retreat in Chicago area
jGirls+
Labor Day weekend — In-Person Retreat
Opportunities
Kol Koleinu
Alumni are eligible to apply for our Kol Koleinu Teen Leader program
Kumi
Alumni are eligible to apply for a Kumi: Exploration trip each spring
jGirls+
Teen staff in good standing are eligible to continue up until graduation and can apply to be department heads.
Not sure which program is right for you?
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