Dear Parents,

We just entered the Hebrew month of Cheshvan—a month that is marked by no holidays or any special celebrations or mitzvot (and potentially a sigh of relief as we attempt to resume normal calendars). While a month without holidays may—on the surface—appear sad, it’s a beautiful time for reflection, for turning those Rosh Hashanah resolutions into actions and gathering with your communities and create moments of Jewish pride and joy.  

This is exactly what our teens around the world are doing as we approach the fall convention season. From services that showcase our commitments to pluralism to creative and thoughtful late-night programming, our teens are learning, leading, and celebrating together. The teens in Lake Ontario Region will be hosting their second annual Bnei Mitzvah celebration where many teens are working with their Jewish Educator to read Torah for the first time. We are thrilled to have BBYO song leaders at the Asia Pacific Regional Convention and the Maccabi Tzair Israel Seminar who will be using Jewish music to infuse tradition, joy, and celebration into these conventions. Regions around North America are welcoming guest speakers who are podcasters, social entrepreneurs, dance and culture specialists, artists, and more. These speakers will help our teens see Judaism through multiple lenses and explore how Jewish identity, values, and creativity intersect with the broader world around them.   

Even without formal holidays, Cheshvan invites us to fill our own calendars with meaning. Across the globe, BBYO teens are doing just that—creating, celebrating, and leading with pride. May we all be inspired by our teens and may their energy and spirit continue to spark pride and encourage all of us to bring a little more joy into the months ahead.

Rachel Dingman
Senior Director of Jewish Enrichment

Save the Date for #givingBBYOday on December 2, 2025 | A highlight of our year, #givingBBYOday is an exciting event that unites the entire BBYO community—teens, parents, alumni, advisors, staff, and friends—to rally support for our local regions. Taking place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving as part of the global Giving Tuesday campaign, we’ll join together to raise more than $1,000,000 for BBYO in a single day, ensuring that more Jewish teens can find their place to belong. Create your own fundraising page here or bookmark your region’s fundraising page here, and be sure to add the date for #givingBBYOday to your calendar!

BBYO Summer 2026 | A BBYO Summer combines unforgettable experiences with lasting friendships, inspiring teens to explore, lead, and grow... and we want your teen to be part of it all. From leadership programs to travel adventures and meaningful Jewish experiences, there’s something for everyone. Take advantage of our Early Bird rates before they end after November 24 to lock in your spot and save. Spaces fill quickly, so register today and give your teen a summer they’ll never forget!
 
Regional Highlights | Following a month of incredible Fall Kickoff events, regions across the Order are now heading into an exciting convention season. From the third annual Asia Pacific Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, to ELTI (European Leadership Training Institute) in Krakow, Poland, regions across the globe are joining together to connect, grow as leaders, and deepen their Jewish experiences while making lasting memories. Visit our BBYO Near You page to find local events, and keep an eye out for updates from your regional staff about upcoming conventions and ways your teen can get involved!

Did you know that The Shofar, the international newsletter for AZA and BBG, is chock-full of reflections, analyses, and other amazing content from our teen writers? Today we're highlighting an especially remarkable piece from Sadie Herz of Nassau Suffolk Region, who reflects on how the events of October 7, 2023 impacted her—and what things are like two years later.

"When I look in the mirror now, I see fear, but I also see pride. Fear that my identity makes me unsafe. Pride that it makes me unbreakable. Pride that I am still standing here today, wearing my rusting necklace, my curls, my Jewish face, my Jewish soul, and saying to a world that tries to erase us, we are still here, and we will never leave." 

Drew Fidler, LCSW-C, is the Senior Director of the BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness, where she helps ensure that BBYO and other youth-serving organizations are places where teens can thrive through best practices in health and wellness. Email your burning questions to Drew and she’ll select questions to answer in future Parent Pulse issues.

Dear Drew: I’ve noticed that my teenage son has significantly less energy in the colder months—we live in an area with harsh winters. Any advice on how to keep him more even keeled and engaged? —Larry P.  

Dear Larry: Coming out of World Mental Health Day in October, we want to think about and consider how the winter months can directly impact teen mental health and wellness. There isn’t the ability to get outside, the early dark can impact our mood, some people feel more tired, and end-of-semester stress begins to creep in.  

November is the perfect month to help teens try something new—practicing gratitude can help teens build resilience, improve self-esteem, enhance empathy, and even support better sleep. When we make time to reflect on what we’re thankful for, we strengthen our own well-being and that of our community. Help your teen to combat those winter doldrums by beginning a gratitude practice: start a gratitude journal, send cards to friends and family, name three things a day that you are grateful for, make a gratitude turkey and add a daily feather. Maybe the gratitude is for yourself and the practices are taking time to exercise, meditate, take on an art project, or get together with friends. 

Encourage your teen to make this a family affair or do it with friends. Help them to build a daily practice and routine that helps to develop their coping skills and can get them through the tough moments.  

Today we're sharing a reflection from Hannah May of Delta Region on her experience with the Summer Leadership journey many of our teens take throughout their time in BBYO.

I never got to go to summer camp as a kid, so when a sophomore from my region told me CLTC was the best two weeks of her life, I ran to sign up. Attending CLTC 1 meant stepping outside of my comfort zone. I am a naturally shy person, and being from Tennessee, I was not particularly confident with my Jewish identity. Looking back, I am so grateful to my freshman self for making the jump. BBYO became a constant of my high school summers, creating a global community I can rely on. I arrived at CLTC 1 to an orange sky from the Canadian wildfires; I was absolutely terrified to make new friends and had no idea what was to come. Luckily, I found the Jewish and Israel programming was accessible and easy to understand. It was an incredibly friendly atmosphere, and I never felt judged or embarrassed. I got to know every single person on my CLTC, and three years later, I still call my CLTC friends every week. ILTC, the more global version of CLTC, focuses on leading thriving regions and shaping the broader international movement. Most of the friends I made weren’t American, and I came away from ILTC with so many new perspectives and ways of thinking. The following summer, I was supposed to go on ILSI, but the trip got rerouted to Europe. ILSI in Europe ended up being one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. The program, consisting primarily of rising seniors, focuses more on life skills and thinking critically about what it means to be Jewish today. My family has Hungarian heritage, so spending so much time in Eastern Europe, and particularly at Szarvas camp, was life-changing. I can’t imagine the person I would be without BBYO Summer. I am no longer the quiet, shy person I was when I arrived at CLTC, and I’ve gained an understanding of my Judaism I couldn’t have gotten any other way.

BBYO Latin America: Strengthening Our Global Jewish Community

BBYO’s global community continues to grow stronger than ever, with thriving chapters now active in more than 60 countries and engaging 70,000 Jewish teens annually. Across the world, young people are connecting through shared values, leadership opportunities, and a commitment to shaping a vibrant Jewish future.

Nowhere is that momentum more visible than in Latin America. What began in 2013 with a single chapter in Argentina has flourished into more than 24 active chapters engaging over 500 teens weekly across nine countries and 20 cities, including Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, Panama, El Salvador, Colombia, Cuba, and the Caribbean.

In August, BBYO celebrated that progress through Ma’aseh (מעשה), the Latin America Gathering for Action, held in Buenos Aires. The multi-day summit brought together professionals and community leaders from across the region to strengthen collaboration, build strategy, and celebrate how far the movement has come.

As BBYO Latin America continues to expand, it stands as a powerful example of BBYO’s enduring mission to connect Jewish teens worldwide through leadership, community, and pride in who they are. The region plans to expand into more than 15 countries by 2026 and launch the first BBYO Latin America Summer Camp, further establishing it as a hub for Jewish teen leadership and connection.

BBYO’s growth across Latin America highlights the movement’s lasting impact, ensuring that Jewish teens everywhere can find belonging and community that transcends borders.