Teen philanthropists debate how to make a difference

By Jenn Director Knudsen

article created on: 2009-04-01T00:00:00

Mati Agam, clad in a short-sleeve AZA T-shirt, recently stood up in front of a dozen Oregon Jewish Community Youth Foundation peers, explaining during an allocations committee meeting why a portion of the group’s $2,500 dollars should go to the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.

Agam, 15, a Beaverton High School sophomore and Congregation Beth Israel member, was charged with attending a Melton event to learn about the non-profit and its needs. He then had to decide how much from OJCYF’s pot should be allotted to further pluralistic, adult Jewish education here in town.

“I attended a Kiddush event on a Saturday night. I didn’t want to be there,” he said candidly during his presentation in a Rose Schnitzer Manor conference room.

“But,” he quickly added, “I had a great time.” So great, in fact, he argued $500 of OJCYF’s funds should go to Melton’s coffers. (When the group later cast its final votes, $100 went to Melton.)

FOUNDATION LAUNCHED IN 2003

A bat mitzvah project of Julia Weiss’, now a Pitzer College freshman, OJCYF in 2003 had 20 students in the nascent teen philanthropy program. OJCYF is under the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation’s umbrella; John Moss, OJCF’s executive director, is OJCYF’s adult advisor.

The OJCYF now is in its sixth year with nearly 30 teens, ages 14 to 18, from high schools and synagogues all over town, including some unaffiliated Jewish teenagers.

It’s by now cliché to say teens these days are very scheduled and busy folks. Regardless, the idea behind and the camaraderie they gain from OJCYF keeps the high schoolers coming back and recruiting new members each year, says Julie Diamond, OJCF’s development director and former OJCYF adult advisor.

“There are a lot of reasons why it’s attractive for them to stay with it,” she said, including its social aspect and bolstering of leadership, speaking and teamwork skills.

Not to mention OJCYF involvement affords an inside peek at services offered by myriad local Jewish and secular non-profits.

And their financial needs—needs teens can help meet with money they toil to raise and argue to allocate, which the group does three times each year. One meeting allocates funds to Jewish groups, one to secular and a third round considers grants to Jewish or non-Jewish groups that apply for funding for specific projects.

OJCYF’s biggest fundraiser is its annual benefit dinner; this year’s, Catalyst to Caring, is co-chaired by Dana Bacharach and Alyssa Hersh. It will be held April 19, at 5 p.m., at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center (to which OJCYF just awarded $200).

Organizations that have benefited in the past from OJCYF’s largesse include Jewish Family and Child Service, Raphael House, the Oregon Humane Society, B’nai B’rith Camp, the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, the Jewish Review and the Cascade AIDS Project.

“They’re doing the real work of philanthropy,” Diamond said of OJCYF teens. “This is not pretend or role-playing; this is for real.”

To the tune of $47,500 in 2008, she said. OJCYF teens hope to reach if not surpass that this year, despite the grim economy.

A key lesson the teens learn time and again—now more than ever—is, “There’s an infinite need but finite resources,” as fourth-year OJCYFer Katie Dobscha put it.

She continued, “Even a high school student can make an impact.” As she did, successfully persuading her cohorts last year to give $400 to Sisters of the Road Cafe that helps the homeless and impoverished.

A required site visit meant Dobscha saw first-hand the people Sisters of the Road Cafe assists and how its work is done. “And I felt pretty passionate about that organization after being there,” said the 18-year-old Lincoln High School senior and CBI member.INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ADDED

Moss said each year he wants to enrich the OJCYF program and thus its teens’ experiences. For example, the OJCYF this year offered an internship option to its seniors.

Overseen by Mike Tannenbaum, the eight-week internship programs offer hands-on experience at selected non-profits.

“It’s another level of learning and understanding about these organizations than just raising money for them,” said Tannenbaum, a long-time OJCYF staff volunteer and principal of Arts and Technology High School in Beaverton.

Volunteering as a Raphael House ambassador, Bacharach has spoken at Jackson Middle School about healthy and unhealthy relationships and what middle schoolers can do if they—or a friend—are in a physically abusive relationship. Bacharach’s family attends both congregations Shaarie Torah and Kesser Israel.

Jessica Elkan, Raphael House’s director of development, said OJCYF’s total allocation through 2008 of $6,000 is the single reason her ambassador program exists. Raphael House provides shelter for women and their children escaping domestic violence.

“Because of them, we now have this fantastic program,” Elkan said of OJCYF.

Moss sees youth philanthropy through OJCYF as meeting two significant goals: In the immediate term, the teens meet their social needs, while longer term, their work ensures Jewish continuity, as they navigate the years between b’nai mitzvah and Hillel.

Rachel Brock, a freshman at Oregon Episcopal School, said while her family sometimes attends Beit Haverim/SMJC, she never was very involved Jewishly—until joining OJCYF this year.

“It’s a great way for me to meet other Jewish teens, as well as help out the Jewish community,” Brock, 15, said. At the recent allocations meeting she persuaded her peers to donate $150 to B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.

Will she remain an OJCYFer next year? Said Brock: “Oh, definitely.”

For more information, call John Moss or Julie Diamond at 503-248-9328.