(Courtesy of DOROT) Rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in New York City and Westchester are invited to apply to DOROT’s 2021 Jewish Summer Teen Internship Program, a unique intergenerational experience that brings together a diverse group of teens and older adults for four weeks of fun, friendship, skill-building and service.

The three sessions for Jewish teens run from June 28 to July 22 in Manhattan and July 27 to August 17 in Brooklyn and the Bronx. They will be held remotely for the second consecutive year.

“I am beyond excited to welcome a new cohort of DOROT summer teen interns in 2021! From DOROT classics like Discussion Group and Legacy Projects to new activities like Brain Games and Book Club, I can’t wait to see all the ways that our teen interns help us innovate as they take on leadership roles in our community.”

—Jacob Kaplan-Lipkin, facilitator of intergenerational teen programs

DOROT is the Hebrew word for “generations.” The Upper West Side-based nonprofit has been bringing generations together for more than 45 years to alleviate social isolation among older adults.

Together with their older adult counterparts, teen interns create art and documentary film projects, lead discussions on current events, produce radio shows and do so much more—while earning 100+ community service hours. They will also explore social justice and Jewish communal connections through volunteering and participate in a weekly intergenerational class via Zoom, “Jewish Perspectives on Important Issues in the News.”

“This internship helped me rediscover what I enjoy doing most: helping others. It also helped take my mind off the pandemic and recenter my values.”

—Jessica, teen intern, 2020

To extend its reach to teens and older adults in Brooklyn and Riverdale, DOROT has partnered with The Riverdale Y in upper Manhattan and The Shorefront Y in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. The program at the Shorefront Y is a Russian-English program. Teens do not need to be fluent in Russian, but should be able to have some level of comprehension in conversational Russian.

To learn more about DOROT’s Jewish Summer Teen internship program or to apply for the program, please visit www.dorotusa.org/summerteenapp.

DOROT’s Jewish Summer Teen Internship Program is jointly funded by UJA-Federation of New York and the Jim Joseph Foundation. The Jewish Education Project serves as lead operator of the Initiative.

This program welcomes teens who identify as Jewish, or who have a parent or grandparent who identifies as Jewish.