Last month, Jewish Federations convened community leaders from across North America in the Student to Student (STS) program, which teaches Jewish teens to be interfaith ambassadors in their communities. The program’s fourth annual Coordinators’ Conference in St. Louis included both veteran and new representatives from among 38 partner communities across the United States and Canada. 

“There is no better antidote to rising antisemitism than meeting Jews who are proud of their heritage and identities, which is why this program is more important now than ever before,” said Rabbi Andrew Terkel, CEO of Be the Narrative. “We know this program increases interfaith understanding and fights antisemitism at its roots. It’s thrilling that the program has now expanded to nearly 40 communities and continues to grow.”

Since its origins in 1992 as an initiative of the JCRC of St. Louis with six participants, Student to Student has helped thousands of Jewish teens become leaders in their local communities by promoting cross-cultural interaction and understanding.   In the 2023-2024 school year alone, 497 Jewish teen participants shared their Jewish identities and heritage with 17,000 non-Jewish students, helping build bridges between communities. 

With 13 new communities added in the past year, STS continues to grow, reaching Jewish teens in their local areas. At a time of rising antisemitism, especially in K-12 schools, STS programs are vital to inspiring Jewish teen leaders to proudly own and share their Jewish identity. Not only do student coordinators become more empowered in their own Jewishness, they gain the confidence to present their cultural heritage with others.

It also has positive implications for their mental health. A Jewish Federations BeWell study found that teens who consider being Jewish important reported higher levels of overall well-being.

Keynote speakers at the St. Louis conference included Evan Bernstein, Jewish Federations’ Vice President of Community Relations, and Lauren Steinberg, Managing Director of Campus and K-12 Engagement and Strategic Initiatives. 

“Jewish Federations in every locale are leaning into their stronger community relations ties to fight antisemitism in the K-12 space,” said Lauren Steinberg. “Empowering Jewish teens to become interfaith ambassadors in their communities is an important piece of that strategy, breaking down cultural barriers and dispelling stereotypes”

To learn more about how to get involved with Student to Student, visit our website or contact your local Jewish Federation.