About Kol Yisroel
Civic education for high school students
Review: Draft copy for client reviewKol Yisroel teaches high school students how government works, then brings them to meet the people who run it.
Most students know who the president is. Far fewer know who represents them in Albany, what a county executive does, or how a bill becomes law in New York. Those are the offices that decide on school funding, transportation, and safety in our neighborhoods.
We work with yeshivas and high schools to close that gap. Elected officials visit classrooms. Students travel to the State Capitol, sit down with legislators, and ask their own questions. Eligible students register to vote, or pre-register at 16, before they leave.
What we do
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Classroom visits
Elected officials come to high school classrooms and answer students’ questions about their jobs and how decisions get made.
See classroom visits -
Albany trips
Students travel to the New York State Capitol and meet senators and Assembly members in their offices.
See albany trips -
Voter registration
We help eligible students register to vote. In New York, 16 and 17 year olds can pre-register, so they are ready to vote when they turn 18.
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Student leadership
Students prepare questions, speak with officials directly, and learn how to stay involved after the trip is over.
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Community events
Back-to-school giveaways and other outreach that put us in touch with families across the community.
See community events
Our founder
Sam Hartstein
Sam Hartstein grew up in Brooklyn and lives in Rockland County with his wife and children. He founded Kol Yisroel in January 2026.
Before Kol Yisroel, Sam started B’sefer Chayim after a friend’s family lost a relative who had no life insurance. Within three months it was a full campaign, run by everyday people sharing their own stories.
Kol Yisroel came from the same idea: when people show up, things change. In its first legislative session, Kol Yisroel organized eleven educational trips to Albany and registered more than 250 new voters.
