Our Teen Hanukkah Celebration shined so brightly Thank you to our wonderful teen community, our staff, youth group partners (USY, BBYO Connecticut Valley Region, NUTSY, JSU, NCSY); our synagogue partners(Beth El Temple, West Hartford, CT, Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation, Congregation Beth Israel, Young Israel of West Hartford, Beth David Synagogue, The Emanuel Synagogue, Temple Sinai);Continue reading Teen Hanukkah Celebration 2023 Shined So Brightly
This past Sunday, JTConnect teens came together to make more than 325 pumpkin pies for families in need in the Greater Hartford area. Teens also heard from Marilyn Rosetti, president and CEO of The Open Hearth Organization, about the realities of homelessness in the Greater Hartford area and the important work her organization does forContinue reading JTConnect Holds Biggest Teen Mitzvah Yet
JTConnect is excited to welcome our new Program Coordinator, Debra Raviv! Debbie is a West Hartford native who went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree from Syracuse University as well as a Culinary Arts Degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. She and her husband have owned several businesses in the Greater Hartford areaContinue reading JTConnect Announces New Program Coordinator!
This past Sunday, Teens learned about hygiene poverty and the importance Judaism places on human dignity, Kevod HaBeriyot. Dignity Grows lead us through an activity that challenged students to prioritize basic necessities with a very small budget. This activity illustrated the reality that many thousands of individuals and families have to choose between feeding theirContinue reading Dignity Grows Pre-Packing Party Education Session
Our Summer of Service (SOS) Program is a weeklong social action campoffering teens (7th-10th graders) the chance to explore need in the world and our local community, develop key leadership skills and build relationships, and take a deep dive into understanding the causes and organizations they were volunteering with each day. Every morning we ranContinue reading 2nd Annual SOS Program Was A Success!
TEENS RAISE MONEY FOR SHARSHERET On Saturday, February 20th, over 100 teens and community members came together virtually through JTConnect’s Pink Shabbat to raise awareness for breast cancer and raise money for Sharsheret (pronounced shar-sheh-ret), a nonprofit organization with the goal of supporting Jewish women diagnosed with breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Pink Shabbat raisedContinue reading Teens Raise Money for Sharsheret
Late last year, JTConnect partnered with Jewish Family Services to create an Innovation Challenge, calling on teens in grades 8-12 to reimagine how Tara’s Closet could better serve the community in the time of coronavirus. Tara’s Closet comprises a dual mission: to provide free clothing to JFS clients in a confidential and dignified manner, and to raiseContinue reading Local Teen Recognized by JFS For Innovative Solution
In honor of MLK Day, teens worked with Dignity Grows to package 150+ totes with much needed hygiene products for men and women. Dignity Grows™ provides menstrual products and hygiene supplies to neighbors in need so that they can fully participate in their daily activities. Teens met with Dignity Grows professionals and learned about the different issuesContinue reading Teens Pack over 150 Dignity Totes
Mazal Tov to our first cohort of JTConnect Teen Engagement Fellows! These teens have stepped up to be leaders among their peers to reimagine programming for Jewish teens in Greater Hartford by planning, executing and leading different programs.
This year we are excited to launch a Teen Engagement Fellows program aimed at training and empowering teens to be leaders in JTConnect and beyond. Fellows will reimagine programming for Jewish teens in greater Hartford, planning, executing and leading different programs for their peers. Our fellows will work on programs such as the Pumpkin Pie Bake, PinkContinue reading Apply now to be a part of our first cohort of Engagement Fellows!
