JUF : Springboard : Let’s Get Together

WAITLIST OPEN

Let’s Get Together: An Interfaith Journey Toward Justice

Let’s Get Together for an immersive experience of learning, healing, relationship building and social justice.

Join a group of young people armed with strong bonds of friendship, with a deep sense of shared purpose, and with the leadership skills which will allow them to be change-agents in their communities. The trip will run to Washington DC, and the goal is that students will return to Chicago, changed.African-American students of all religions, & Jewish students of all ethnicities (including African American Jewish students), will bond with their peers in exploring how much the African American and Jewish communities have in common both historically and in our day. Both sets of students will have personal relationships and experiences which will shape them into the sort of concerned citizens who feel a mutual responsibility for each other’s welfare. The next time a black teenager is hurt, we hope our Jewish participants call their friends and ask how they can help. The next time a synagogue is vandalized, or violence erupts in Israel we hope our African American participants call their friends and ask how they can help.

Program Highlights

National Museum of African American History
National Holocaust Museum
Social Action Project
Advocacy at the Capitol

Email: Springboard@juf.org
Location: Washington DC
Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th
Dates: April 3rd-6th
Cost: $250 for first time participants; $350 for second time participants; and $450 for third or more time participants (scholarships available to those who need)
Focus: Social Justice, Travel, Partnership

FAQ

Q: Will all students applying to this trip be accepted?

A: Let's Get Together is a selective group of Jewish students (of all races) and African-American students (of all religions), chosen because of their openness and curiosity, interest in learning about others, and commitment to the process. All students will be asked to submit a short video as well as a letter from a mentor recommending them for the trip. Applicants will be chosen based on merits by a selection composed of trip leaders.

Q: What are the expectations and opportunities outside of the trip itself?

A: Let's Get Together is not a one-time trip experience, but rather an ongoing opportunity for students and families to break down barriers of segregation and create meaningful relationships with each other and with each other's communities. Students and families will be expected to attend two orientation events prior to the trip and at least three afterwards. These will be opportunities to bond as a group, learn more about the Jewish community and the African-American community, and to join together in advocating for a brighter and more unified future.

Q: How much does this program cost?

A: All Springboard School Break programs are highly subsidized, and scholarships are available to any student who needs it. No student will be turned away from Let's Get Together for financial reasons.

If you are a first time Springboard School Break participant, the cost is $250. If this is your second Springboard School Break program, $350. If this will be your third (or more) Springboard School Break program, $450. Please contact Springboard if you need financial assistance.

Q: Who are the chaperones?

A: There will be 5 chaperones from the participating organizations

Q: Who will be recruited from each community?

A: 15 African American teens of all religions and 15 Jewish teens of all ethnicities