Full Program Details
Everything you need to know
before you register
The weekend
A long weekend, built with purpose
Three days filled with training sessions, workshops, and seminars — alongside Kabbalat Shabbat, a fire ceremony, pool and lake activities, sports, and the kind of unstructured time that ends up being anything but. The conversations that happen at the waterfront are as intentional as the ones in the session room.
Faculty
Who you'll learn from
Our speakers aren't here to lecture. They're here to start conversations you'll be having for years.
Keynote Speaker
Col. Richard Kemp (Ret.)
One of Israel's most credible international defenders.
Colonel Richard Kemp is a Club Z Board Member who served 30 years in the British Army, commanding troops in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, where he led all British forces. He spent years heading the international terrorism intelligence team at the British Prime Minister's Office and chaired the COBRA intelligence group during the 2005 London bombings. Since retiring, Col. Kemp has become one of the world's most prominent public defenders of Israel's right to self-defense, testifying before the United Nations and speaking across six continents. His perspective on Zionism isn't theoretical — it's built from a lifetime of watching how democracies wage war and why the IDF gets held to a standard no other army faces.
Zionism · LeadershipSpeaker
Destiny Albritton
A Black Christian Zionist with over 1 million followers who shows up for the Jewish people.
Destiny Albritton is the Senior Director of Next Gen at Christians United for Israel, where she works to ensure the next generation of Christian support for Israel is strong. Named one of 18 American Zionist Women You Should Know by Hadassah in 2024 and one of the Top 25 Young "ViZionaries" for 2023 by the Jerusalem Post, Destiny joins CUFI after serving as National Outreach Director at the Israel on Campus Coalition. She has led advocacy missions to Israel for Christians United for Israel, the Jewish National Fund, and the ICC's Geller International Fellowship, including missions to Israel and the United Arab Emirates. With over 1 million TikTok followers and 100,000 YouTube subscribers, she is the former host of the Beyond Campus podcast and current host of the Israel Collective podcast.
Zionism · LeadershipSpeaker
Karys Rhea
A political commentator and author taking on antisemitism from the right — with receipts.
Karys Rhea is an American political commentator and former producer at the Epoch Times and Newsmax. A writing fellow with the Middle East Forum, delegate for Israel365 Action, rising leader at the Global Liberty Institute, and recording artist on Baste Distribution, she is currently writing a book about how right-wing identitarianism is undermining President Trump's vision, fracturing the MAGA movement, and jeopardizing the soul of America — out in 2026 on Wicked Son Publishing.
Identity · LeadershipSpeaker
Ryan Bellerose
A Métis indigenous rights activist who sees Jews as a people — and says so loudly.
Ryan Bellerose is a Métis indigenous rights advocate from Paddle Prairie, Alberta, whose father co-authored the Métis Settlements Act of 1989. Ryan became a prominent Zionist not through Jewish education, but through his own people's history — he recognized in the Jewish story a mirror of the Métis experience: a people expelled from their ancestral homeland, forced to wander, and fighting to return. He founded Calgary United with Israel and has spoken at universities, synagogues, and Jewish communities across North America. At The Rising, Ryan will reframe what it means for Jews to be an indigenous people — and why that framing changes the conversation entirely.
Zionism · IdentityReady to register?
Early Bird pricing closes June 15th — and this gathering stays small by design.
Register NowTravel & Logistics
Getting there and what to expect
Travel & Arrivals
Teens fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO). Families are responsible for booking travel that aligns with Club Z's published shuttle schedule; shuttle availability is limited and cannot accommodate individual flight timing. Club Z staff will be present at the airport during arrival windows, but teens who miss their assigned shuttle due to flight delays or late bookings will need to arrange alternative transportation at the family's expense.
Families who prefer to drive are welcome to do so. The venue address will be provided once registration is confirmed.
Please travel with carry-on luggage only. The venue provides linens and one towel per person. Detailed shuttle times and flight booking guidance will be provided upon registration confirmation.
Accommodations
The Rising is held at a summer camp facility in Central Florida with a lake on site. Teens are housed in dorm-style bunkhouses — a separate building for boys and a separate building for girls. Club Z alumni (current college and graduate students) sleep in the bunkhouses alongside participants and are present throughout the weekend.
Meals & Dietary
All meals are included from Friday dinner through Monday breakfast. The Rising serves kosher-style food — no pork, no seafood, and no mixing of meat and dairy. Please note any dietary needs during registration and we will do our best to accommodate them.
Staff & Supervision
The Rising is not a party weekend. We're looking for teens who show up on time, take responsibility for where they need to be, and don't need to be tracked down. Club Z staff and alumni are present throughout — in sessions, at meals, and in the bunkhouses overnight — not to police the room, but because they're part of the gathering. If you're the kind of teen who needs constant supervision, this isn't the right weekend for you.
Venue
The venue address is not disclosed publicly. For security purposes, full venue details are shared only after your registration conversation with Club Z staff is complete and your spot is confirmed.
We will also host two Zoom calls for parents before the event. Dates will be shared after registration is confirmed.
Pricing
Registration fees
All tiers include the same full program — the only difference is when you register.
Everything included
Early Bird
Register by June 15, 2026
Open
June 16 – July 15, 2026
Last Call
July 16 – August 15, 2026
Space permitting
Registration
How it works
Register and pay
Complete the registration form at clubz.org/the-rising/register. Your registration fee is paid in full at the time of registration and locks in your pricing tier. Registration closes August 15, 2026.
Have a brief conversation with Club Z
Within two weeks of receiving your registration, a Club Z staff member will reach out to schedule a short conversation with your teen — about 15–20 minutes. This isn't an interview — it's how we make sure The Rising is the right fit and that your teen is set up to get the most out of the weekend. If it turns out it's not the right match, we'll refund your registration in full.
Receive your confirmation and next steps
Once the conversation is complete and your spot is confirmed, you'll receive the venue address, recommended flights, a packing list, shuttle sign-up instructions, and information about the two parent Zoom calls we'll host before the event.
The Rising begins before you arrive
Registered participants will receive a short pre-event reading list and a few reflection prompts in the weeks leading up to the gathering. This isn't homework — it's how the conversations go deeper from the very first hour.
Book your flights and come ready
Plan your flights based on our recommended flight guidance. Travel with carry-on luggage only. Show up ready to engage — with the speakers, with the material, and with the 99 other teens in the room.
Refund Policy
One simple policy
If, after the brief conversation with Club Z staff, we determine together that The Rising isn't the right fit for your teen, your registration fee will be refunded in full — no questions asked.
Outside of that circumstance, registration fees are non-refundable. We keep this gathering intentionally small, and every confirmed spot represents a real commitment — from us and from you.
Questions about your specific situation? Reach us at finance@clubz.org and we'll do our best to work with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you ask — we probably have the answer
Who it's for & what to expect
Who is The Rising for?
The Rising is for Jewish teens in grades 9–12 and rising college freshmen who are ready to go deeper on their Jewish identity, Israel, and what it means to lead from that place. Participants must be at least 14 years old by the start of the event. You don't need a specific background or level of observance. You do need to be willing to engage — with the material, with the speakers, and with the other teens in the room.
Is this a religious event?
The Rising is Jewish, not denominational. We welcome participants from every background — Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, cultural, and everything in between — with no expectation of prior practice or belief.
We mark Shabbat with Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday evening, and all food is kosher-style (not certified or supervised). The Rising is not a shomer Shabbat environment: programming runs through the weekend and all participants are expected to attend. There are no Shabbat services. Teens who personally observe Shabbat are welcome, and if we have ten or more same-gendered observant teens, we will bunk them together — but we cannot guarantee an observant environment.
All participants are phone-free for the weekend. Phones are collected at arrival, turned off, and returned Monday morning at breakfast.
What if my teen is more introverted?
Introverts thrive at The Rising — but this isn't a passive experience. We expect every participant to show up, engage, and share. The format makes that easier: small groups, structured conversations, and a room full of teens who came ready to be real. You don't have to be the loudest person in the room. You do have to be present in it.
What's the political perspective of the programming?
The Rising is Zionist — we believe in the Jewish people's right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland and we don't present that as a debate. At the same time, we are not affiliated with any political party and we welcome teens across the political spectrum. The focus is on Jewish identity, the case for Israel, and leadership — not partisan politics.
Do I have to be part of Club Z to attend?
No. The Rising is open to any Jewish teen in grades 9–12 or rising college freshman — no Club Z membership or affiliation required. If you're ready to show up, you're welcome here.
Travel, cost & logistics
How do shuttles work — arrival and departure?
Club Z runs scheduled shuttles between MCO and the venue on arrival and departure days. Shuttle windows and flight booking guidance are shared after registration is confirmed. Families are responsible for booking flights that align with the published schedule. Teens who miss their shuttle due to late bookings or delays will need to arrange alternative transportation at the family's expense — Club Z staff will assist in coordinating.
Can parents drop off instead of using the shuttle?
Yes. Families who prefer to drive or arrange their own transportation are welcome to do so. The venue address and arrival window are shared after registration is confirmed.
Is financial assistance available?
Yes. Thanks to our donors, the registration fee is already significantly subsidized — the true cost of the weekend is $1,299 per participant. If even the subsidized rate presents a hardship, reach out to us confidentially at finance@clubz.org before registering.
What's included in the registration fee?
Everything: all program sessions, speaker access, workshops, all meals from Friday dinner through Monday breakfast, on-site housing for all nights, shuttle from MCO, and all event materials and swag. The only costs not included are your flights and personal spending money.
Why carry-on luggage only?
It keeps the group moving efficiently through the airport and onto the shuttle. The venue provides linens and one towel per person — you don't need to pack those. A full packing list is sent after your spot is confirmed.
Safety & supervision
Who is supervising the teens?
The Rising is not a party weekend. We're looking for teens who show up on time, take responsibility for where they need to be, and don't need to be tracked down. Club Z staff and alumni are present throughout — in sessions, at meals, and in the bunkhouses overnight — not to police the room, but because they're part of the gathering. If your teen needs constant supervision, this isn't the right weekend for them.
Can my teen request a specific roommate?
Yes — roommate requests can be noted during registration and we will do our best to accommodate them. Bunkhouses sleep 9–15 teens, so your teen will be sharing space with a full group, not just one or two people.
What if my teen gets sick during the event?
We have an RN on staff and an infirmary set up at the venue throughout the weekend. Parents will be contacted and kept informed if their teen is unwell.
Can parents attend any part of the event?
No — The Rising is a teen experience. Parents are not present at the venue. Designated volunteers who have been vetted by Club Z may participate in a staff capacity.
Can parents contact their teen during the event?
Like summer camp, The Rising is a phone-free experience. Phones are collected at arrival, turned off, and returned Monday morning at breakfast. We do this intentionally — the connections that happen when screens are put away are the ones that last. Parents can reach Club Z staff directly at any time, and we will share photos daily in a designated WhatsApp group so families can see what their teen is up to.
What if my teen has a medical need or condition?
Please share all medications during registration — we have an RN on staff throughout the weekend. We strongly prefer that teens arrive healthy and ready to fully engage. For specific medical questions, contact us at masha@clubz.org.
Are dietary restrictions accommodated?
All food is kosher-style — no pork, no seafood, no mixing of meat and dairy. We do our best to accommodate dietary needs collected during registration. For complex allergies or restrictions, please contact us before registering.
Still have questions?
My question isn't answered here.
Reach us at masha@clubz.org. We respond within 1–2 business days. If you're wondering whether this is the right fit for your teen, just say so — we're happy to get on a quick call.
Can I talk to someone from Club Z before registering?
Absolutely. Email us and ask for a call. We want families to feel confident before committing.
When are the parent Zoom calls?
We will host two Zoom calls for parents before the event. Dates will be shared with all registered families after your spot is confirmed.
September 4–7, 2026 · Central Florida
Find your people.
Come home stronger.
100 teens. Three pillars. One weekend that stays with you. Early Bird pricing closes June 15th.
Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian award-winning writer, peace activist, and political analyst specializing in governance, geopolitics, and defense policy in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. She has been globally recognized for her leading role as a civil rights activist in the Arab Spring revolutions of 2010-2011 and for her uncommon stance as an Arab Muslim intellectual in support of Israel’s war against Hamas in 2023.
Colonel Richard Kemp was a British infantry commander who spent most of his life combating terrorism and insurgency in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and Northern Ireland, where he was wounded in a terrorist attack. His name appeared on an Al Qaida kill list in 2013.
Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese/German activist advocating for peace with Israel. Rawan previously served on the executive committee at PeaceComms and as a speaker at SharakaNGO. Currently, she is studying Islamic and Jewish Studies at Heidelberg University and is the founder of ArabsAsk. Additionally, Osman serves as the Chairwoman of PostOctober7 e. V.
Shahar Azani is a veteran Israeli diplomat, passionate advocate for Israel and a frequent contributor to various media outlets focusing on Israel, Jewish issues and the Middle East.
Shabbos Kestenbaum is a student activist and the lead plaintiff against Harvard University, alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism. He is a regular contributor on national media, has testified in front of the United States Congress multiple times, and lectures internationally on Jewish communal issues.