'It’s awesome to be Jewish’: Groundbreaking program instills Jewish pride in American teens

AKLA, a free five-week fellowship launched in Los Angeles in 2022, aims to instill Jewish pride in 12- to 15-year-old American teens through immersive experiences in medicine, technology, culture, and innovation. Co-founder Jeff Polak stated the program's inspiration came from a desire to offer more engaging Jewish education beyond traditional b'nei mitzvah programs, focusing on Jewish ingenuity and global contributions. The program, which has expanded to Chicago and Dallas, connects participants with Jewish achievements, such as visits to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Warner Bros. Studios, highlighting Jewish impact on various fields. Polak emphasized, "What it is, in essence, is a pivot of thought process of it’s awesome to be Jewish." Amid rising antisemitism, AKLA seeks to empower teens with a positive understanding of their heritage, providing a "spark" to address contemporary challenges from a different perspective.