There is nothing more inspiring than seeing teens grow into empowered and capable young change makers who are poised to become the next Jewish leaders of our time.

JTConnect’s Teen Leadership Philanthropy Institute is a transformative opportunity for participants to serve as active board members and make grants together. Teens build valuable connections to the world around them and to each other. They take on big issues, learn how to step up to talk about the causes they care about, and to step back to make space for other students to find their voices. This model for Jewish youth philanthropy is steeped in Jewish values, leadership development, and relationship building. TLPI gives our community the opportunity to do something truly remarkable – teens build skills that set them apart from their peers in the college application process and prepare them to be leaders post-high school.

JTConnect’s TLPI Programs Engage Teens…

  • TLPI is an opportunity for teens to raise thousands of dollars for community agencies and make decisions about directing meaningful amounts of money to causes they care about.
  • Students learn leadership and practical business skills: consensus based decision making, community organizing, and advocacy for issues that concern them. 
  • Teens are exposed to Jewish communal priorities and Jewish agencies serving communities in need. 
  • Participants become Jewish leaders with knowledge of consensus, team work, and community organizing. 
  • TLPI inspires a generation by connecting teen’s skills to their passion to repair the world through a Jewish lens. 
Register for TLPI
  • TLPI is offered at (3) synagogue sites- Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation in Simsbury, and The Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford.
  • TLPI@CBI, TLPI@FVJC, and TLPI@Emanuel each meet 1x per month on Sundays, making this deep learning experience accessible to even the busiest of teenagers.
  • Tuition is $550 to register for JTConnect, which gives students access to all of our programs and events including our TLPI programs.
  • Financial Assistance available. Students do not need to be members of a synagogue to participate in JTConnect’s TLPI programs.

The Teen Leadership and Philanthropy Institute is supported by the Jewish Community Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford.