on-the-road

On The Road-May 2018

14,500+ Take Part in International Day of Service

This spring, our brothers and sisters around the world planned and took part in meaningful service projects in their communities as a part of J-Serve, the International Day of Jewish Youth Service. To date, #JSERVE2018 has reached more than 14,500 teens in 184 communities spanning 27 countries—and more projects are scheduled to continue throughout the month of May! Together, Jewish teens are partnering with local service organizations to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. They are beautifying local parks, creating children's libraries, spending time at retirement homes learning about the Jewish history of their cities with senior residents, and so much more.

Make sure to follow the official hashtag #JSERVE2018 and Like the J-Serve Facebook page to stay up on all the latest updates, and don’t forget to post photos from your local events to share your impact with the world!

Experiencing Chile through Ambassadors to Latin America

Immersing yourself in an unknown culture surrounded by new faces speaking a foreign language can be one of the most eye-opening and impactful experiences a person can have. In March, five BBYO members and I (it’s Ron!) experienced this first-hand as we traveled to Santiago and Mantagua, Chile for Maccabi Tzair Latin American Confederation’s Continental Seminar (“the Seminar” for short) as a part of BBYO’s Ambassadors to Latin America program. We had the privilege of exploring Santiago’s Jewish community, visiting a local Jewish museum and synagogue, and eating dinner with Jewish firemen from the volunteer fire station, “Bomba Israel.” After touring Santiago, we made our way to the Seminar, joined by peers from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, and the United States for meaningful Israel education, interactive games, and an experience like none other. We shared our different Jewish experiences with our Latin American friends, and opened our minds to the cultures and stories of Jews in a place unlike our own. The six of us came away from the experience with new friends and a new perspective on what it means to be an Ambassador for the global Jewish community.

Check out photos from the Ambassador’s trip to Latin America here.

Taking Action for School Safety

At every pivotal moment in history, young people have led society’s advancement and championed social change. This March, hundreds of Alephs and BBGs joined across the country to advocate for our right to go to school without fear for our safety during the March for Our Lives. Together, we learned, prayed, marched, and lobbied, and by showing up and speaking out, we set out to build an olam chesed—a world built from kindness. We found our Brother Alephs and Sister BBGs at the forefront of their city’s marches speaking to their peers and spreading the message that students anywhere and everywhere have the right to go to school safely. In addition, in Washington, D.C., more than 550 teens, parents, and community members gathered for an inspiring Kabbalat Shabbat service at Shabbat for Our Lives, the evening before the March. Since then, hundreds of BBYO teens have been to their local government offices to lobby, and facilitated programs in their chapters to educate their peers.

Check out what our members have been up to on our Safe Schools Website.

Advocating for Israel at the AIPAC Policy Conference

This spring, 17 teens attended AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington D.C. as part of the BBYO delegation. During the Conference, we heard from some of the biggest influencers and activists focused on the Israeli-American relationship. Through listening to these powerful voices, attending breakout sessions, and sharing our ideas and points of view, we broadened our perspective on and relationship with the Jewish State. BBYO teens were at the forefront of the teen voice, asking questions and exploring as much as possible to come away with more knowledge and confidence in advocating for Israel. The experience provided motivation for BBYO’s Israel-focused teens, who have come away more prepared to bring their expertise to their own communities and around the world.

Welcome to the 2018-2019 International Board!

Please join us in welcoming the incoming I-Board! At International Convention (IC) in Orlando this year, BBYO teen leaders elected the 94th and 74th Grand and International Boards. And, following IC, two new positions, Gizbor and Gizborit, nominated to steward the Movement’s treasury, were chartered and nominated to join the I-Board, making these 12 teens our Movement’s next leaders. The 94th and 74th boards are already hard at work preparing for what we know is going to be a game-changing year, from IC 2019 in Denver to celebrating BBG’s 75th anniversary! We wish you the best of luck, 94/74 we can’t wait to see what you’ll do.