Writing opportunity for local high school students

Fresh Ink for Teens, a supplement for teen writers and artists that has been published by The New York Jewish Week, NJJN’s sister publication, for more than 18 years, will be establishing a New Jersey-oriented version, according to Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ.

Fresh Ink for Teens is soliciting original writing and artwork from high school-aged students, both affiliated and unaffiliated members of the Jewish community, who live in the Greater MetroWest catchment area.

“This is good for the Jewish community. We are always looking for new ways to engage Jewish teens in meaningful and important activities that help them develop their Jewish identity,” said Kim Hirsh, director of philanthropic initiatives for the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ.

The N.J. expansion of Fresh Ink was established by a grant from the Herb and Milly Iris Youth and Family Philanthropy Endowment, which is based at the federation. The family has supported “teen initiatives” for a long time, Hirsh said.

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It follows in the footsteps of federation’s now-defunct “Nu” magazine that was geared toward the interests of Jewish teens, she said.

Fresh Ink is designed as a platform on which young leaders in the community can express themselves and share their experiences within a Jewish context. It covers such topics as politics, Israel, sports, Jewish history and culture, foreign and domestic affairs, cultural movements, and issues specific to the writers’ schools. Recent topics have included modern anti-Semitism, the Women’s March, the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, and the BDS movement.

Fresh Ink features contributions by a regular group of some 20 young men and women, supplemented by another 20 who contribute occasionally, from several U.S. states and foreign countries.

First published as a printed supplement to The Jewish Week, Fresh Ink now appears exclusively online, with several new articles, essays, poems, and drawings added every week.

The Greater MetroWest federation arranged funding for the new version, which will feature its logo on the Fresh Ink website (freshinkforteens.com).

Fresh Ink, under the auspices of the Jewish Week Media Group, continues to be supported by the Norman E. Alexander Family Foundation fund. Alexander was a founder of The Jewish Week who had a special interest in educating and inspiring young people.

Fresh Ink, which has won several awards from the American Jewish Press Association, will arrange periodic student meetings in Manhattan and New Jersey with prominent journalists and thought leaders in the Jewish community.

Federation will distribute promotional material to students, teachers, schools, and youth leaders for the new Fresh Ink. It will also alert members of the Fresh Ink team about upcoming events to cover in the Greater MetroWest area. Future plans also include creation of a Greater MetroWest Student Editorial Board.

For questions, contact Fresh Ink for Teens editor Lily Weinberg at lily@jewishweek.org.

Steve Lipman is a staff writer at The New York Jewish Week, NJJN’s sister publication.