Jun 8, 2016

Jewish Teen Life Thriving in Former Soviet Union

Despite the hardships of growing up in the war-torn areas of the former Soviet Union, teens in cities across the region are coming together to celebrate their Judaism. Federation’s overseas partner agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), has prioritized supporting Jewish teen life around the world. Collaborating with Federation-supported BBYO, the largest, pluralistic, Jewish teen movement, JDC created the Active Jewish Teens Network (AJT), an inclusive peer group that enables teens to explore and engage in Jewish community and form their Jewish identities. Approximately 3,000 teens from 55 cities across Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Kazakhstan participate in AJT.