Social Innovation Fellowship NYC Innovation Trip Recap by Isabel Lunken, Program Coordinator
Last month, 28 teens from the Social Innovation Fellowship (SIF) traveled to New York City for a two-day immersive learning experience designed to bring Jewish values, innovation, and entrepreneurship to life beyond the walls of the JCC of Greater Baltimore. The trip intentionally bridged the theory teens engage with throughout the year and the lived reality of building ideas, communities, and businesses rooted in purpose.
From the beginning, the trip was grounded in a core Jewish text that anchors SIF learning throughout the year: Pirkei Avot 1:14: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Across New York City, teens encountered this text as a call to action. They explored entrepreneurship as both personal and communal, requiring initiative and creativity alongside responsibility to others.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
While SIF workshops typically focus on design thinking, social enterprise, and user-centered problem solving, New York City became a living classroom. Teens met Jewish entrepreneurs with diverse paths, explored organizations through a social responsibility lens, and witnessed innovation unfolding in real time.
Equally important, the trip functioned as a Jewish communal experience. Traveling together created space for independence, growth, and deeper relationships. Outside of Baltimore, teens navigated new environments, leaned on one another, and began to see themselves as capable leaders within a broader Jewish world.
Creative Confidence in Action
One of the first major learning moments took place at Creatively Wild Art Studio in Brooklyn. Creativity has been a central theme of the SIF curriculum this year, and this experience allowed teens to move from discussion to practice.
Teens created mixed-media pieces representing how they hope to show up as changemakers. With no strict instructions or right outcomes, the focus was on experimentation, self-expression, and risk-taking. Many teens who had previously described themselves as “not creative” dove in fully. Reflections later revealed how deeply the experience landed, with teens naming creativity as a vital life skill for leadership and entrepreneurship.
As one teen shared, “Creativity and creative confidence are important in business. Everyone is creative in some way, and we need to learn how to funnel that into our ventures.”
Meeting Jewish Entrepreneurs and Seeing Possibility
The heart of the trip came on Monday morning at the Jewish Education Project, where teens met with Jewish entrepreneurs and leaders including Stephanie Butnick, Jacky Teplitzky, Moses Millman, and Ben Wolf. What began with a bit of quiet curiosity quickly transformed into deep, engaged conversation as teens realized they were being invited into honest, personal stories.
Following the panel, teens broke into small groups, creating space for more intimate and meaningful dialogue. In these settings, teens moved beyond surface-level questions and began digging into real experiences and challenges. They asked Moses Millman about starting a business while still in college and navigating professional spaces where he is often the youngest person in the room. Teens reflected on what it means to lead before feeling fully ready and how confidence can be built through experience rather than waiting for perfection.
In another group, teens engaged Stephanie Butnick in thoughtful feedback on a SIF team’s idea centered on Jewish women and mentorship. The conversation explored how substance, storytelling, and community-building work together to create something impactful and sustainable. Teens saw firsthand how ideas evolve through dialogue, iteration, and listening to others. As one teen shared, “A conversation during the trip that inspired me was when we were in our small groups talking with the entrepreneurs about their experiences and tips for our ideas.”
Jewish values were explicitly named throughout these conversations. Ben Wolff shared how the Jewish value of Emuna, often translated as faith, guides his work. He spoke about leaning into trust in G-d, grounding himself in what truly matters, and allowing values to shape decision-making even in moments of uncertainty. Jacky Teplitzky reflected on how, since October 7, her commitment to working in and for the Jewish community has only deepened. She emphasized the importance of showing up consistently, giving time and resources, and understanding communal responsibility as a long-term commitment rather than a momentary response.
Stephanie Butnick shared how her career has evolved in a post October 7 world, emphasizing the importance of Jewish joy, connection, and storytelling. She spoke about how her business, Golda, emerged from a desire to create light in a time of darkness, offering teens a powerful example of how entrepreneurship can be responsive, values-driven, and deeply human.
Across the panel and small group conversations, mentors named the role of Jewish community, mentorship, and mindset as foundational to their work. Teens heard repeatedly that leadership is not about racing to the top, but about building relationships, creating access, and bringing others along.
Teen reflections captured this shift clearly. One shared, “I have learned that a huge part of entrepreneurship is the connections you make and how you can use Jewish values to grow by using an abundance mindset and bringing those around you up with you.” Another reflected, “Something I learned today from the panel is the importance of networking and making connections with people who have more experience than you.”
The energy from these conversations carried through the rest of the day, fueling curiosity, confidence, and motivation. Teens left not only inspired by what is possible, but with a clearer understanding of how Jewish values can actively shape leadership, entrepreneurship, and the choices they make moving forward.
New York City as a Jewish Classroom
Beyond formal programming, the city itself played a powerful role in learning. From walking through Crown Heights during a weekend of Jewish communal life to engaging neighbors on a Jewish food tour, teens experienced Judaism as lived, diverse, and deeply rooted in place across NYC.
Teens moved between vastly different environments and reflected on how space, community, and design shape human behavior. Navigating the city in small groups built independence, awareness, and trust. Many shared how meaningful it felt to be somewhere familiar yet fundamentally different from home, helping them imagine how far their own ideas and futures might reach.
Teen Voice and Takeaways
“Day 1 was about creative confidence. Day 2 was about inspiration and motivation.”
“Some takeaways were collaboration, taking risks, and making the most fun out of a situation.”
“This experience helped me see the connection between Jewish values, creativity and social innovation when we were on the food tour. Seeing the different innovative stops and the backstory to all the restaurants really helped me see the bigger picture.”
“I enjoyed getting closer with people and hearing from entrepreneurs who helped me better understand SIF and social innovation.”
“The NYC trip has motivated me to keep working around problems and that when working with a group communication really is the key to success.”
Impact Beyond the Trip
Since returning home, the impact of the NYC experience continues to show up in SIF workshops. Teens now share a common language around creative confidence, mentorship, and entrepreneurial mindset. There is a noticeable shift in how they present themselves, prepare for mentor conversations, and support one another within their teams.
As part of SIF, each team is paired with a mentor. Having heard directly from Jewish entrepreneurs about the value of mentorship and community, teens are engaging in this aspect of the program with greater intention and confidence. Be on the lookout for more information about our incredible mentors!
Most importantly, the trip strengthened trust and community among the group. Immersive experiences like this bring learning and relationships together in ways that are difficult to replicate. Teens returned more connected, more confident, and more willing to step into discomfort as a pathway to growth.
This NYC experience affirmed that when Jewish teens are given opportunities to see values in action, meet leaders who reflect their identities, and imagine future versions of themselves, they rise to the moment. SIF will continue building on this foundation throughout the year, empowering teens to create ventures grounded in Jewish values and driven by purpose.
