Kol Koleinu Application Process

Learn more about the Koleinu Feminist Fellowship.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for the Kol Koleinu fellowship if:

• You identify as Jewish, a feminist, and female and genderqueer. Kol Koleinu is open to teens of all (and no) Jewish denominations and affiliations.   
• You will be in 9^th, 10^th , 11^th , or 12^th  grade for the 2026-2027 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 (October and April) 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 and another in the spring  
• Working in pairs with an assigned mentor to create and implement a Passion Project, an activism project that impacts your local community.   
• 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 Passion Project.  

2026 – 27 KK Gatherings and Retreat Schedule

Dates	Approximate Times	Details
Sunday, August 30	6:30 – 8:30 p.m. ET  3:30 – 5:30 p.m. PT	Kol Koleinu Family & Fellow Orientation
Tuesday, September 15	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Opening Cohort Gathering
October 9-11 (Eastern cohorts)  OR   October 23-25 (Central and Western cohorts)	In person	Fall Cohort Retreats
Sunday, November 8	7:15 – 8:00 p.m. ET  4:15– 5:00 p.m. PT	Fellow- Mentor Match Day (45 minutes)
Sunday, November 8	East Coast cohorts  6:15-7:15p ET Central and West Coast 5:15-6p PT	1 hour Teen Leader led session
Sunday, November 15	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Cohort Gathering
Sunday, December 13	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Cohort Gathering
Sunday, January 10	7 – 8 p.m.	1 hour Teen Leader led session
Sunday, January 24	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Cohort Gathering
Sunday, February 7	7 – 8 p.m.	1 hour Teen Leader led session
Sunday, February 21	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Cohort Gathering
Sunday, March 7	6:30 – 8:30 p.m.	Cohort Gathering
Sunday, March 14	7 – 8 p.m.	1 hour Teen Leader led session
April 2-4, 2027	In person	Spring Retreat Outside of Chicago
Sunday, April 18	7 – 8:30 p. m. ET  4 – 5:30 p.m. PT	Closing Celebration

*If you’re unable to attend the retreat, you will not be able to participate in Kol Koleinu this year. Cohorts are separated by regions: Eastern- Eastern time zone. Central/Western- Central, Mountain, Pacific time zones.

Family & Fellow Orientation: Sunday, August 30, 2026

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 2026 and one in August 2026.  

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

Applications open on March 2nd, 2026. Click the link below for a reminder.