BBYO Mobilizes Thousands of Jewish Teens for Global Shabbat 2025, Honoring "One People, One Heart"

December 12–13, Worldwide — This weekend, thousands of Jewish teens across more than 60 countries will gather for BBYO Global Shabbat 2025, the Movement’s largest annual Shabbat celebration. Featuring hundreds of teen-led services, programs, and community experiences, Global Shabbat unites young Jews around the world for a shared moment of reflection, joy, and connection.

This year’s theme, Am Echad, Lev Echad: One People, One Heart, centers on the values of unity and belonging that pulse through the global Jewish community. Teens have embraced the theme as a call to celebrate the shared heartbeat of Jewish peoplehood — across languages, cultures, and borders — through meaningful Shabbat rituals, creative programming, and community gatherings.

“Global Shabbat is one of the most powerful expressions of what it means to be a global Movement,” said Jess Zimmerman, Senior Manager, Jewish Enrichment. “This year, our theme reminds us that no matter where we live or how we practice, we are one people with one heart. Our teens have built programs that honor our diversity while celebrating everything we share.”

Across BBYO’s worldwide network, teen leaders partnered with staff, alumni, and community partners to create hundreds of unique Global Shabbat experiences, from intimate chapter dinners to large-scale regional gatherings. Thanks to BBYO’s Global Shabbat Innovation Fund, each community also received resources to elevate programming that reflect their culture, creativity, and teen-driven vision.

Global Shabbat 2025 highlights include: 

• Uruguay: A musical Shabbat festival bringing together more than 500 teens to learn new melodies and celebrate Jewish identity through song.
• Moldova: “Shabbats Around the World,” featuring experiential stations exploring Israel, the U.S., France, and Moldova, culminating in an art installation titled “One Light — Many Flames.”
• Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Georgia: A two-day family Shabbaton blending ritual, creative workshops, nature experiences, and values discussions exploring what it means to be a Jewish teen today.
• Australia: Partnerships with UJEB and synagogues in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra helping teens weave alumni, parents, and community members into an elevated Shabbat experience.
• Kansas City: A Glow-themed Hanukkah Global Shabbat and Havdalah in partnership with CTeen, JSU, and NCSY, held at one of the community’s newest venues and expected to draw significant local interest.
• Mexico: Teens will welcome Yoel the Jewish Coach for a keynote and interactive workshop, “From Hiding to Batman,” exploring resilience, identity, and Jewish visibility.
• Delta Region: Chapters will host “Bring a Non-Jewish Friend Shabbat,” using elevated ritual and programming to promote learning and inter-faith understanding.

These gatherings are joined by newly emerging or growing BBYO communities — including programs in Tokyo, Taipei, Uganda, Moldova, and the UAE — highlighting the continued global expansion of the Movement and the remarkable diversity of Jewish teens worldwide.

Global Shabbat continues to be driven by BBYO’s teen Sh’lichim (Vice Presidents of Jewish Enrichment) and a committee of coordinators representing communities across the world. Together, they curate resources, program guides, and inspiration for teens to build meaningful experiences in their own voices and traditions.

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About BBYO

BBYO is the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. For more than 100 years, BBYO’s purpose has been to unleash the power of youth. BBYO’s leadership programs — the Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) and the B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG) — provide identity-enriching and leadership-building experiences for hundreds of thousands of alumni who are now prominent leaders in business, politics, academia, the arts, and Jewish life.

BBYO today reaches teens in 60+ countries, offering year-round activities, immersive summer experiences, and inspiring travel programs that help teens explore leadership, service, civic engagement, Israel education, and Jewish values.

For more information, visit BBYO.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.