Teen Priority: Globalize the Movement

Posted on 08/12/2011 @ 03:49 PM

One of the teen priorities for the 2011 - 2012 year is to continue the globalization of BBYO, bringing Jewish teens from around the world closer together. With BBYO on an exciting path for expansion, this past International Convention saw teens from more than 11 countries from as far as Argentina, Serbia, Ireland, England, Bulgaria, and Israel. Additionally, through a partnership with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), BBYO has placed four alumni in positions around the world as JDC Service Corps Fellows who work to bring a BBYO experience to local communities.

Watch a video on the current four JDC Service Corp Fellowship below:

Before passing the motion below to expand BBYO's global reach to Ukraine and Latvia, BBYO skyped in an Albanian teen named Besos, who participates in the BBYO programs in Bulgaria and Serbia. Teens asked questions live and we videotaped Besos discussing what being Jewish means to him which you can watch below:

Then, August Execs participants passed the official motion below. Stay tuned throughout the weekend as we'll continue to pass official business as it finishes.

BBYO/JDC Overseas Partnership Expansion Recognition Act: Ukraine and Latvia

Maker: 87th Grand Board of the Aleph Zadik Aleph & 67th International Board of the B’nai B’rith Girls Second: Austin Goodman (Michigan), Sarah Minion (South Jersey), Harper Weissburg (Eastern: North Carolina), Yitzi Peetluk (Cotton States)

Whereas BBYO is the leading global Jewish pluralistic youth movement; and

Whereas BBYO has affiliates and membership communities around the world; and

Whereas relationships amidst leaders, initiative collaboration and meaningful communication are increasingly frequent, productive, unifying, and effective; and

Whereas the presence of BBYO teens from beyond the United States and Canada are increasingly active participants at BBYO international programs and summer experiences; and

Whereas the world is increasingly ‘smaller’, the current membership is a more global-centric generation than ever before, and more Jewish communities abroad are seeking affiliation with BBYO; and

Whereas there is a long standing history of decades of depth-oriented relationships, shared experiences, international atmosphere at summer programs; and

Whereas the international aspect of BBYO has always been and remains to be one of the most unique attributes of our organization; and

Whereas the JDC is a powerful force for maintaining and building Jewish communities around the world; and

Whereas, our modern day relationship with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) has progressed since 2006 and BBYO has become a central teen partner agency for the JDC;

Be it hereby proclaimed that based on the organizational partnership developed and formalized by the JDC and BBYO, we celebrate the four existing BBYO communities that will participate in the JDC/BBYO fellowship program (Israel, Turkey, Serbia, and Argentina); and

Be it further recommended that we proudly welcome Latvia and Ukraine into the BBYO family as official global affiliate countries as a result of the JDC/BBYO partnership; and

Be it further recommended that the 2011-2012 Global Ambassadors Network add two ambassadors to help grow and support the Jewish teen experience and BBYO affiliates in Ukraine and Latvia.

We're very excited for this exciting expansion of the BBYO community!