Call for Teens
Gesher LeKesher is currently accepting applications from 11th and 12th grade teens (as of the 2023-2024 school year) to participate in this Jewish peer leadership program. As Gesher “Madrichim” (Peer Leaders), teens lead a group of 7th – 9th grade “Talmidim” (Learners) in outreaches addressing trending topics from a Jewish perspective including friendships, the impact of social media, peer pressure, prejudice, and anti-Semitism on campus.
This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills which can be used in college and beyond while meeting and working with other Jewish 11th and 12th grade teens in the Greater Princeton Mercer Bucks area. Last year’s Peer Leaders represented 10 area high schools.
Gesher LeKesher meets six hours each month: two Monday Night Trainings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and an additional Outreach time either Monday or Wednesday Night. Gesher LeKesher is partially sponsored by The Jewish of Federation Princeton Mercer Bucks. For more information, please visit www.jfcsonline.org/gesher-lekesher.
The Jewish Community Youth Foundation is celebrating its twenty first year giving back to local, national and global non-profits. The program brings together teens in grades 8 through 12 from the Mercer & Bucks Counties area. The Jewish Community Youth Foundation is a project of Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County and the Ricky and Andrew J. Shechtel Philanthropic Fund. The program is designed to have teens learn about, experience, and act upon Jewish values.
The Jewish Community Youth Foundation is nationally-recognized and serves as a model for teen philanthropy programs around the country. Each teen philanthropist donates their own money which gets matched and pooled with money they fundraise during the program. Students meet to discuss Tzedakah and explore needs and the non-profit organizations who address them. At year-end, each group decides how their dollars will be donated. Since the Jewish Community Youth Foundation’s inception, the teen philanthropists have donated more than $1,000,000 to 70 different Jewish recipient agencies. The program offers teens the opportunity to develop leadership and presentation skills.
Registration is now open for all participants in 8th through 10th grades, and returning participants in 11th and 12th grades. Space is limited. For more information, visit www.jfcsonline.org/jcyf.
Community service hours available for both programs. Contact Celeste Albert at 609-987-8100 x210 or CelesteA@jfcsonline.org with any questions.
Call for Films
Filmmakers ages 14-25 are invited to submit short films for consideration for screening at the 2023 Princeton Student Film Festival. Entries should be no longer than 20 minutes and must be submitted by June 15. There is no fee to enter.
Launched in 2003, the Princeton Student Film Festival provides the opportunity for young filmmakers, both beginners and advanced, to screen their work to a broad audience and receive feedback. Selected films include a variety of genres and styles and are intended for a teen and adult audience.
Films selected as part of the festival will be shown to a general audience in the library’s Community Room on Wednesday, August 2. Filmmakers and their cast and crews are invited to participate in Q&A sessions following the screenings. The selected films are eligible to be included on the library’s Eventive platform for a limited time on dates to be determined.
Films must be submitted by completing the entry form available at princetonlibrary.org/psff. Additional information about the festival and selection process is available at princetonlibrary.org/psff.
