Learn more about the Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship.
Apply for Kol Koleinu
Applications for the 2025-26 cycle will open on March 17, 2025. Sign up to get notified when applications open for the next cohort.
Eligibility
You are eligible to apply for the Kol Koleinu fellowship if:
- You identify as Jewish, a feminist, and either female, nonbinary or trans. Kol Koleinu is open to teens of all (and no) Jewish denominations and affiliations.
- You will be in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- You are committed to developing your Jewish feminist knowledge and activist skills.
- You are regularly available on our scheduled evenings: one Sunday a month at 6:30-8:30 p.m. Eastern, Central, or Pacific time and one Sunday a month at 7 – 8 p.m. Eastern, Central, or Pacific time (times may vary slightly for different time zones and regional cohorts; see meeting dates below).
- You can commit at least 3 hours per month outside of monthly fellowship calls.
- You want to learn, facilitate, grow and be part of a supportive, fun, meaningful, kind community.
- Note: availability for the two retreats is required. We will provide an excused absence letter by request.
Length of Term
The position is for one academic year, starting in September and continuing through April. Participants will meet virtually via online calls and messaging, with the exception of in-person retreats, as described below.
Fellows will apply their knowledge, skills, and perspectives to teach one another and influence their local community and beyond.
To this end, fellows are responsible for:
- Attending the monthly meetings (as detailed below)
- Attending two retreats: one in the fall (October 17-19, 2025) and another in the spring (April 17-19, 2026)
- Working in pairs with an assigned mentor to create and implement a Capstone, an activism project that impacts your local community.
- Facilitating a part of a monthly call based on around community building and education.
- Being fully present, active and involved.
Monthly Time Commitment
Participation requires an average commitment of about 7 hours per month (this includes the two-hour monthly virtual meetings and one-hour Teen Leader-led sessions which will involve learning together and mid-month bonding). The monthly time commitment might increase by a couple of hours between December and March as you develop your Capstone project.
2025 – 26 Schedule
| Date | Approximate Times | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, September 7 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. ET 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. PT | Kol Koleinu Family & Fellow Orientation |
| Sunday, September 14 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Opening Cohort Gathering (West, Midwest, Northeast) |
| Sunday, September 21 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Opening Cohort Gathering (East Coast) |
| Sunday, September 28 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| October 17-19 | In person | Fall Cohort retreats |
| Sunday, November 2 | 4:15 – 5 p.m. ET 1:15 – 2 p.m. PT | Mentor Match Day (45 minutes) |
| Sunday, November 2 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| Sunday, November 9 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Cohort Gathering |
| Sunday, December 7 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| Sunday, December 14 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Cohort Gathering |
| Sunday, January 11 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Cohort Gathering |
| Sunday, January 25 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| Sunday, February 8 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Cohort Gathering |
| Sunday, February 22 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| Sunday, March 8 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Cohort Gathering |
| Sunday, March 22 | 7 – 8 p.m. | 1 hour Teen Leader led session |
| April 17-19 | In person | Spring Retreat (all cohorts together) |
| Sunday, April 26 | 7 – 8:30 p. m. ET 4 – 5:30 p.m. PT | Closing Celebration |
Family & Fellow Orientation: Sunday, September 7, 2025
Kol Koleinu is a school-year-long commitment that requires full participation on Zoom gatherings, in-person retreats, gathering preparation, Capstone projects and mentor meetings. We expect Fellows to take responsibility throughout the year AND we want families/parents to understand the commitment. Each fellow and one parent/guardian must attend this call and will learn about the flow of the year, the expectations, and the beautiful community building that we will be creating from September through April.
Virtual Meetings
Our monthly virtual meetings on Zoom are designed to allow participants to connect easily without taking time for travel. Our meetings will allow for meaningful conversation and interactive activities. You must be available to participate in a two-hour video-based meeting led by your cohort leader, and a one-hour video-based meeting led by your teen leaders. We understand that you may have to miss meetings occasionally. However, please note that if you have another regular commitment that conflicts with this time, you are not eligible for a fellowship position.
Cost
The program registration fee for Kol Koleinu is $750.
No one has ever or will ever be turned away because of cost, and no one is asked to produce any financial documents. You can pay at one time or over two pay periods, one in May 2025 and one in August 2025.
This price includes:
- Valuable leadership and activism experience within a community of young feminists.
- Mentorship by a hand-selected mentor.
- Room and board for two in-person gatherings. A limited number of retreat travel stipends are available.
Please email us with any questions. We will happily work with you to ensure that price is not a barrier to participation. Stipends will be available for travel for those who require this. All other costs (lodging, food, etc.) will be covered by Moving Traditions.
Help us invest in Kol Koleinu Fellows
Moving Traditions is investing $4,500 in every Kol Koleinu Fellow or in other words, Kol Koleinu costs Moving Traditions approximately $4,500 per participant. This includes the cost of two in-person retreats, staff time, curriculum development, and mentor support. We’re committed to creating a more equitable program, and we need your help to ensure that every young person has the transformational experience of Kol Koleinu, regardless of ability to pay.
Next Steps
Please prepare responses to the following four essay questions before beginning your application. Answer these questions to the best of your ability. We want to know more about your leadership skills, background, experiences, and feminist interests.
In keeping with our values of wellbeing, justice, and caring connections, we recognize that different teens may express themselves better in different formats.
Participants may choose between two options to answer the following application questions: written or recorded (video or audio file). Please note that you will be asked the same questions in either format. You will be asked to paste your responses or upload your media file into the application form.
Applications are open. The answers to each question, if written, should be approximately 150-200 words (about 1 paragraph). Don’t worry if it is a bit longer or shorter.
Kol Koleinu Fellowship Application Essay Questions (for first-time fellows)
- Why are you interested in being a part of the Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship? What do you hope to gain from Kol Koleinu? What skills do you hope to develop and/or improve upon? What will you bring to Kol Koleinu? Please tell us about personal strengths and/or leadership skills.
- Tell us more about where you are on your Jewish, activist, and/or feminist journey. What has led you here? What are you most passionate about?
- Within Kol Koleinu, fellows will develop a short-term Capstone project. What are 1-2 issues in your local community around which you would like to create change?
- Tell us about a time you collaborated and/or created something with a team. What did you learn?
Teen Leader Application Essay Questions (for fellows interested in returning for a 2nd year in a leadership position)
- What does the role of Teen Leader mean to you?
- What will make you an excellent Kol Koleinu Teen Leader? Please tell us about personal strengths and leadership skills that will positively influence the 25-26 cohort.
- Teen Leaders take on additional responsibilities within our monthly fellowship gatherings and at monthly Teen Leader led evenings, support the new first year fellows, and help the Kol Koleinu staff improve and enhance the fellowship. What types of programs would you like to plan? How would you add value to the fellowship?
- What is your availability from June 9 to August 15 for a Teen Leader Virtual Training? Please be as specific as possible with your availability so that we can plan accordingly.
- What is your availability from August 17 to August 29 for a Teen Leader Orientation?