2012 in Review

Posted on 01/09/2013 @ 10:00 AM

Logan Miller, 88th International Grand Aleph Godol

Sarah Minion, 68th International N'siah

Last February, as we stood before almost 900 of our peers, we committed ourselves to devoting the next year of our lives to working for the Jewish people and building a strong Jewish future. Elected at BBYO’s annual International Convention 2012 to serve as BBYO’s International Presidents, we are proud to be serving the world’s largest pluralistic Jewish teen movement, engaging and empowering nearly 40,000 Jewish teens around the globe.

As Presidents, we collaborate with teens and community members across North America, Europe, South America, South Africa, the Middle East, Australia and Israel; we manage an International Board of our peers, work with the teen presidents in BBYO’s regions and councils, serve on the BBYO International Board of Directors, connect with the teen leadership of our fellow Jewish youth movements, NFTY, USY, NCSY and Young Judaea and travel to all of BBYO’s communities to support BBYO and the Jewish people. Our mission is to provide more Jewish teens with more meaningful Jewish experiences, and we execute programming and develop curricula to aid the development of Jewish teen leaders, promote the building of Jewish identities and strengthen the teen voice in the Jewish community.

After our inauguration in August, we spent the next five months visiting dozens of Jewish communities worldwide. Although the Jewish teens we met along the way have different accents, come from very different Jewish communities and face different challenges in their everyday lives, they all have one thing in common: BBYO has played an integral role in defining their Jewish identities.

This year, we have had the opportunity to participate in some remarkable experiences because of BBYO.

In September, we saw record-breaking BBYO back-to-school events, with some communities engaging over 500 Jewish teens at any given event. As membership numbers continue to grow, it is inspiring to see that more Jewish teens are deciding to become involved with Jewish life.

In October, we were a part of BBYO’s largest delegation to the AIPAC Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit. We were able to learn even more about how we could be involved with local support for Israel and how to effectively advocate for the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Leading up to the 2012 US Presidential Election, BBYO hosted “Voice Your Vote,” an Issue Summit on the Presidential Election and civic responsibility. Nearly 100 teens traveled to Ohio to learn about the most relevant issues and explore both candidates’ party platforms. On Election Day, participants helped “get out the vote” for the candidate of their choice by canvassing in Ohio communities. The teens working on the Romney Ryan campaign even got to meet Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and Vice-Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan at a campaign site. With our peers, we not only learned about the democratic process, but were also active members of our national community by exercising our rights as citizens through a pluralistic Jewish lens.

In November, BBYO teens acted as advocates, putting into action what we learned at High School Summit, as our minds and hearts turned to Israel. When she was under constant threat of attack BBYO teens launched “Speak UP Week” – five days dedicated to building awareness and sharing advocacy tools to support Israel. In addition to contacting their representatives in Congress, teens took to Facebook and Twitter to #SpeakUPforIsrael. We are so proud of the momentum garnered across the Movement especially during a pivotal time for our homeland.

In December and the beginning of January, we had the opportunity to visit some of our European chapters in England, France, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia and Bulgaria. We have seen first-hand the impact BBYO has on Jewish teens on the other side of the world. Sometimes it is hard for the average Jewish teenager growing up in North America to grasp how different Jewish life is for teens in countries where they cannot walk around with a Magen David around their necks or wear a BBYO t-shirt for fear of anti-Semitism. It has been eye opening for us. Later this year, we will return to Europe leading North America’s largest March of the Living delegation, and gather with hundreds of BBYO teens from around the world in Israel to celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday.

We are lucky to be serving on BBYO’s most international of International Boards, with members from three countries: the United States, Canada and England. The connection and bond with the global Jewish community extends beyond our board: teens in Chicago are lighting the menorah with teens in the Ukraine; BBYO chapters in Texas have brother chapters in Ireland; we went on our own international tour.

Now that we have returned from Europe, we will continue to visit chapters across North America. We will meet teens to hear their innovative ideas about how to engage in meaningful community service, talented voices that will change the way we sing and lead Shabbat and participate in chapter programming that strengthens Jewish brotherhood and sisterhood. This experience, the vastness of our travels and the many amazing and inspiring Jewish teen leaders we have met along the way will culminate for us at BBYO’s International Convention 2013 - the largest in our history. Almost 2,000 Jewish teens will attend, representing 500 chapters and 18 countries from around the world.

While we have had this amazing experience this year, there has been no shortage of remarkable accomplishments by Jewish teens across the world in 2012. Through our travels and meetings it is clear that the pride young Jews across the world are feeling for Israel and their Jewish identity is constantly growing, and that the future of our People is bright. We are honored that we’ve gotten to experience this at the grassroots level around the world, and cannot wait to see where 2013 takes us.

Chapter Visits in New England Region

Posted on 11/15/2012 @ 11:03 AM

Sarah Minion, 68th International N'siah

After spending the holidays at home and enjoying a very sweet new year with my family, I was more than ready to get on the road again and visit more regions and chapters. First stop on the list: the one and only New England Region! I hopped aboard a six-hour train to Providence, Rhode Island, where I was met by Regional N’siah Lindsay Goodman and Regional S’ganit Julie Harlam. Because NER did not have a convention that weekend, I got to spend a lot of time getting to know all of the amazing NER chapters! First, we joined JAL BBG # for pizza, which was especially exciting for me because I got to reunite with Adrienne Frank, one of my CLTC 7 participants and JAL’s chapter S’ganit. The pizza was great, but what was even better was hearing about their extremely successful MIT kidnapping event and seeing all of the excitement they have for the next few months in their chapter.

The next morning, NER Program Director Casey Topol and I spent the day working together and learning all about New England Region! In the afternoon, we met with Sophie Harlam, NER’s BBYO Connect Chair and worked together to plan a really awesome BBYO Connect kickoff program. That night, I joined the Regional Board for Shabbat and a board sleepover -- thank you S’gan Ben Harpel for bringing mashed cauliflower (just kidding, as the adventurous eater that I am, I didn’t even try it, but still…). The board worked tirelessly to plan Chapter Board Leadership Overnight which, from the planning, sounds like it’s going to be really fun and informative. I loved getting to bond with the BBG board and listen to Casey’s crazy life stories (while she was brushing her teeth).

The next morning, we woke up for a very fun day ahead with LeOlum BBG. Regional N’siah Lindsay Goodman, Regional S’ganit Julie Harlam, and Regional MIT Mom Andrea Wollinsky are all in LeOlum, so I had heard a great deal about how awesome it was going to be. We met everyone at the farm (farms in Rhode Island? I know a weird concept...) for a day of festive Fall activities starting with a hayride. LeOlum’s brother chapter (and RAG Jason Harlam’s) David Hochner AZA joined us so it was double as fun! After the hayride, we got lost in the corn maze, picked pumpkins and snacked on the most beautiful candy apples.

The farm was fun, and we took our newly picked pumpkins and headed back to chapter Mazkirah Becca Silverman’s house to decorate them to donate them to a local hospital and for a chapter board meeting. Between the cake pops and downloading Instagram (follow me - sarah_minion !!!), I had such a great time hanging out with LeOlum! But our night was far from ending. We ventured to a bowling alley for an intense night of bowling! After a great day with LeOlum, Lindsay and I went home to look through old N’siah files, and found some hilarious inspirational quote books and other useful resources. Before leaving NER, I met with the fabulous ladies of Veredim BBG to discuss programming. Overall, I had so much fun on my visit to NER, and I can’t wait to see all of the amazing people I met at IC!

Top Ten Favorite Moments from my NER visit (in no particular order):

Posted on 11/14/2012 @ 11:03 AM

Sarah Minion, 68th International N'siah

10. Casey’s toothbrush stories
9. Planning brotherhood
8. Getting lost in the maze with LeOlum BBG
7. Getting a strike in bowling (not sure if that actually happened)
6. 20% tip?
5. The instagram food incident
4. Playing psychiatrist with Lindsay’s family
3.Candy apples!
2. Inspirational quotes in the N’siah files
1. Meeting all of the really nice Alephs and BBGs of NER

Interview with a Member:Julie Harlam, LeOlum BBG #2457!

Posted on 11/14/2012 @ 11:03 AM

Sarah Minion, 68th International N'siah

Every visit, I will be featuring some of the members I meet in that region, and will be asking them to answer various questions! From Cotton States, check out Julie Harlam from LeOlum BBG #2457!

Name: Julie Harlam
Chapter: LeOlum BBG #2457
Region: New England Region
What do you love about your chapter? I love how outgoing and fun LeOlum is, but at the same time I love the support system that we have created for our BBG sisters.
Favorite BBG cheer? Shnuggling!
Have you been to any BBYO summer programs?No, I wish!
What’s the most interesting fact about yourself? I love mermaids!
What are you most excited about this year in BBYO? It is a tie between International Convention and March of the Living!

Chapter Visits in Cotton States Region

Posted on 10/24/2012 @ 12:03 PM

Sarah Minion, 68th International N'siah

From Houston, I headed to the great Cotton States Region for an awesome week in Nashville and Memphis, and to attend the Circle of Life Kallah. In Nashville, I went straight from the airport to the JCC to participate in interviewing the new Nashville JCC/BBYO staff person. Congratulations to Sheri, you will do a great job! Anyway, I had the pleasure of staying with the fabulous Regional N’siah Ariel Yazdian for the first two bonding-filled nights, and I got to meet her chapter, Music City BBG #1764 for some tasty Mexican food at Moe’s, It was great getting to meet some of the girls before convention and chat with the board!

After several days of much preparation, it was finally time for convention! It’s a tradition for the International N’siah to attend Cotton States’ Kallah every year, and I had heard that last year’s was so much fun so I was really looking forward to a great weekend. Well, it completely surpassed all of my expectations! The coordinators, Eden Siskind and Brian Greenbaum did a fantastic job and I’m so happy I got to start my convention year with that visit. With everything from a Jewish rap battle to an awesome Stand UP program about physical disabilities and everything in between, we had a lot of fun exploring our Judaism and creating a CSR community. Coordinator Eden Siskind of Daniel Pearl BBG #2522 said, "After attending CSR Regional Kallah in 2011, I was so inspired to coordinate Regional Kallah 2012 and try to make it even more amazing than the year before! Throughout an incredible weekend revolving around the Circle of Life, I couldn't have imagined it getting any better. Cotton States truly gained so much from all the programming and it was a great way to start off the year for our region!" And she’s right! Thanks for a great convention!

After Kallah, I headed back to Nashville with the rest of the Regional Board for Steering, an overnight at which the board re-prioritizes and sets goals for the remainder of their term. The Cotton States Regional Board is SO MUCH FUN. I had such a hilarious time hanging out with them, and also learned so much about their region. I can’t wait to see them accomplish all of their goals, like reaching 600 members by December and donating $5,000 to I$F. Check out the video they made at Steering filmed by yours truly! After a very productive Steering, I accompanied half of the board back to Memphis for the rest of the week.

While in Memphis, I really had a jam-packed week! I had the privilege of staying with Cara Levi, CSR’s regional MIT Mom, who rocks. During the day, Memphis Program Director Kevin Falik and I hung out so much I started hearing his voice in my head instead of my own... creepy I know. Just kidding, Kevin rocks. We met with Memphis Federation and FAN leaders to discuss BBYO’s movement priorities and the exciting things going on in Memphis BBYO. I especially enjoyed listening to their stories of their involvement with BBYO and the Jewish community, and they gave me lots of valuable advice. Over the course of the week I had the opportunity to meet with River City BBG #2054’s and Daniel Pearl BBG’s chapter boards, and they both have such awesome things planned for the upcoming months and lots of spirit. One night, all of Memphis BBYO enjoyed fro-yo and hung out (check out the beautiful photos of Kevin) and I had so much fun getting to know all my awesome new friends from Kallah even better. Finally on my last night in Memphis, I attended an Okeon AZA #1204 freshman intake event with Cara, who’s their sweetheart. They had over 20 freshmen there, which was incredible and I loved getting to meet all of the alephs and watching one of them do these insane card tricks all night. On my last day in Memphis, I joined Kevin and Becka Handler, my Kallah madricha and hands-down coolest person ever for a delicious lunch feast (with fried pickles, my new favorite, yum) and to reflect on the amazing week. I was sad to say good-bye because I really did love every day I spent in Cotton States. I can’t wait to see the amazing things they do in the coming months and to see everyone again at IC!