On the Road-NOVEMBER 2018

Now, a few months into this year, we’ve been on the road and have loved meeting teens from all over the world. Here’s a look at what BBYO members have been up to as they kicked off a great school year as well as a few things we’re looking forward to as the weather gets colder.

And, as we look back on everything this fall, we can’t help but get excited for next summer, too. Don’t forget, summer early bird registration ends November 19—make sure you're a part of our best summer ever!

#StrongerThanHate

Within an hour of the fatal shooting that took place at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the entire BBYO community rallied together. Everyone was focused on the safety of those in the community and the question that we heard from so many was “what can we do to help?”

What happened on the morning of Saturday, October 27 marks a dark moment in American Jewish history. But what happened in the afternoon, evening, and days to follow demonstrates the might, love, and compassion of the Jewish people. After ensuring the safety of our brothers and sisters in Keystone Mountain Region (KMR), BBYO teens did what we do best: we mobilized at every level. Teens texted friends and strangers their sincerest condolences. Every Instagram Story shared the sentiment “stronger than hate.” A movement even originated in BBYO's Nassau Suffolk Region (NSR) to wear blue on October 29. A movement so strong that it made its way to the Jewish studies class that I (Noga) sat in on in Mexico City, where numerous students intentionally wore blue. This is the power of BBYO: we hurt when members of our community hurt, and we respond to tragedy with a resounding call to action.

To learn more about how BBYO mobilized to support Pittsburgh, read the statement published by the International Board and watch this video put together by members in New York.

 

Starting the Year in the ‘Wild West’

Imagine a warehouse full of fenced off storage spaces, cardboard boxes, and random pieces of furniture. Well, that’s what the venue of New England Region’s (NER) awesome Fall Kickoff looked like on the morning of the anticipated event. But in just a few hours, and with the hard work of teen leaders and the wonderful staff, the site was transformed into the Wild West; bales of hay, corn stalks, and twinkle lights set the stage for an unforgettable Fall Kickoff, designed to launch the new year for Jewish teens from across New England…BBYO style! Teens attended a sold-out event, ready to dance the night away with old and new friends alike. We both attended NER’s Fall Kickoff, and it was both exciting and special to spend time in my (Mason) home region amidst a record turnout.

We loved meeting more than 150 teens from NER and hearing about their passion for BBYO—I met an Aleph from a brand new chapter in Brookline and was so excited to hear that he signed up for membership, Fall Kickoff, and International Convention all in the same day! With members like him in NER, we left the event feeling inspired and energized for all the memories yet to be made in BBYO across the Order this programming year.

Check out what happened at other epic Fall Kickoff experiences in communities all across the country and around the world—including Gold Coast Region, Greater Atlanta Region, North Florida Region, and BBYO Balkans (to name just a few!).

 

Giving Back this Thanksgiving

We’re both looking forward to Thanksgiving (we’ll be in our hometowns this year) and to actually "giving thanks." We’re not just giving thanks for our family and friends but for all of BBYO and the incredible community we have the opportunity to be a part of. This year already, we’ve traveled to so many cities in the U.S. and in just the last couple of weeks, we each went on our first international trip, Noga to Mexico and Mason to Ukraine (more to come on our travels in the next edition!). Seeing every community’s customs and commitment to BBYO has truly been inspiring.

After Thanksgiving, we’re excited to participate in #givingBBYOday, a part of the worldwide day of giving back, #GivingTuesday, on Tuesday, November 27. Along with so many Alephs and BBGs, we plan to give back to BBYO by making a donation or being a volunteer fundraiser. We hope you’ll join us on this exciting day and help us reach our goal of raising $300,000 on November 27.

Want to learn more? Visit www.bbyo.org/givingbbyoday to sign up to be an Ambassador or make a donation.

 

It’s Our Turn—International Convention 2019

Each year, thousands of Jewish teens come together in February at BBYO’s International Convention to celebrate the strength and magnitude of our Movement. Five months prior, teens around the world join together—in trendy restaurants, familiar JCCs, venues adorned with thematic Denver decorations—to celebrate the launch of Convention registration. Yes. We’re that excited about International Convention. I (this is Noga!) launched the opening of IC 2019 registration with Greater Atlanta Region; we celebrated with a food truck (yum), fake snow (for Denver), a carrot-eating contest (their regional mascot is a bunny), dancing, and an energetic countdown to 8pm EST (when registration opened). What I experienced in Atlanta, and the anticipation for IC shared by members from across the Order, illustrated how much we’re looking forward to making Jewish history yet again in February—we had nearly 3,000 teens register in only 24 hours. I cannot wait to come together as a Movement in just a few months.

Check out everything about International Convention here. And, if you’re a BBG alum, make sure to register to join us at IC to celebrate 75 years of B’nai B’rith Girls!