Kansas City students participate in National Jewish Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C.

Eighteen high school students from the Jewish Community Relations Bureau | American Jewish Committee (JCRB|AJC) Kansas City’s Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) cohort recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Susan & Bart Lewis Family Leaders for Tomorrow Advocacy Summit.

The summit is a national leadership program that equips Jewish teens with the knowledge and skills to advocate for the Jewish people and Israel.

Held in early February, the three-day summit brought together student leaders from across the country for an immersive experience focused on civic engagement, Jewish identity and advocacy. The Kansas City delegation joined peers from other communities in workshops, discussions and policy briefings designed to prepare the next generation of Jewish leaders.

Throughout the summit, students heard from prominent speakers and policy experts, including former White House speechwriter and author Sarah Hurwitz and American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch. Sessions explored topics such as confronting antisemitism, strengthening interfaith relationships, Jewish values in public life and effective advocacy in today’s political landscape.

Students also participated in “DC Field Labs,” visiting leading institutions and engaging directly with experts in diplomacy, history and policy. These visits included discussions on Jewish leadership on campus at American University, conversations on global diplomacy at the Embassy of Argentina, policy briefings at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, reflections on Holocaust education at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and meetings with diplomats at the Embassy of Israel.

The summit culminated with Capitol Hill advocacy meetings, where the Kansas City cohort had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and a member of his staff. During the meeting, students shared their perspectives on issues affecting the Jewish community and asked questions about public policy and leadership.

In addition to the educational programming, the summit is intended to foster connections among Jewish teens from across the country. Students participated in group reflections, networking sessions and a nighttime monuments tour, sharing experiences with peers who are similarly committed to Jewish advocacy and leadership.

“I’m really grateful for everything I learned and experienced throughout the program,” said one Kansas City student participant. “My favorite part was getting to meet with leaders and see how advocacy actually works in real life — it made everything we learn during LFT sessions feel much more real and impactful. I also really enjoyed connecting with other students and hearing different perspectives.”

LFT is the flagship high school advocacy program of the American Jewish Committee that works to empower students to speak up for Israel, combat antisemitism and engage confidently in civic life. The participation of the Kansas City cohort was made possible through the Dave and Carol Porter Fund for Advocacy at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Applications for next year’s LFT cohort will open soon for incoming high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Anyone interested should contact Rachel Kaseff at .

See the Spotlight page for more pictures of LFT students in Washington.