The Jewish Community Relations Bureau | American Jewish Committee (JCRB|AJC) is now accepting applications from rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors for the 2024-2025 Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) cohort, beginning in the fall of 2024.
LFT students will meet monthly on Sundays for interactive, student-centered sessions to learn about and unpack the most pressing issues affecting today’s Jewish teens. The LFT program works to educate young Jewish students to become informed, prepared and effective advocates for themselves, the Jewish community and Israel. It aims to instill in teens the knowledge, confidence and passion to serve as positive changemakers among their peers, in their communities and beyond.
In the upcoming cohort, students will discuss a variety of topics, including understanding and combating antisemitism in a post-Oct. 7 world; studying the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; identifying challenges and opportunities facing global Jewry; and learning strategic advocacy and coalition building skills.
Leaders for Tomorrow has a lasting impact on students like Max Goldstein, a graduate of the LFT 2023-2024 cohort.
Goldstein said that the program “helped inform me about a lot of the history about Israel and Palestine and what the conflict really means. It has also helped me to know more ways and tactics for informing other people and educating them. There have been some people in my life that have been antisemitic and that have hurt my feelings, and now I can confidently respond.”
Over the past five years, nearly 100 Kansas City students have participated in the LFT program, helping them develop a strong Jewish identity and training them as advocates for Israel and voices against antisemitism.
“LFT has helped me learn about new topics relating to Israel that I would not have learned [otherwise],” said Elia Elli, another 2023-24 LFT cohort member. “LFT also has done a good job of inspiring me to want to learn more because they present the information in a way that is not boring, and I don’t feel like I am being lectured at.”
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however we urge interested students to apply quickly, before the cohort becomes full. Participants will be selected based on their application and a phone interview. There is no cost to participate.
Applications are available at ajconline.wufoo.com/forms/q1wqabei1au4816. Questions can be directed to JCRB|AJC Director of Education and Programs Sarah Markowitz Schreiber at .
