ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022
BBYO is the Jewish community’s largest pluralistic youth movement, engaging thousands of teens in values-based leadership development and delivering fun, meaningful, and affordable experiences that inspire a lasting connection to the Jewish people.
Dear Friends,
For tens of thousands of Jewish teens across the globe, BBYO is central to the ways in which they celebrate the joys of adolescence while gaining a deeper understanding of their Jewish heritage and connections. This year in particular saw BBYO’s role in developing young leaders to take on the challenges facing society as more important and relevant than ever before.
BBYO welcomed over 6,100 new members in the 2021-2022 school year while expanding to new communities in the Czech Republic, Japan, Morocco, Romania, and Uganda. The year began with teens finding creative ways to keep connected and engage with their Judaism through chapter events, regional conventions, leadership trainings, and Shabbat experiences with their peers. Even as they continued to navigate the ups and downs of the pandemic, their dedication and determination to build their chapters and contribute to their communities was unmatched.
February brought about a moment thousands of teens had been anticipating for two almost years—the return to an in-person BBYO International Convention. The Jewish community’s first global conference since the pandemic began brought together over 2,400 Jewish teens representing 40 countries in Baltimore, Maryland for an unforgettable reunion and epic celebration of the strength and resiliency of our community. Over five days, attendees heard from an incredible lineup of talent, including the Senior Rabbi of Central Synagogue Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, NFL player AJ Dillon, and Marvel actor Simu Liu among hundreds of others. Together, participants engaged in hands-on service and learning opportunities, leadership development experiences, and Jewish ritual moments. Above all else, they simply rejoiced in being together.
For the first time since 2019, this summer saw teens traveling to destinations around the world including the Americas, Germany, Italy, Poland, and beyond—including a record-breaking 876 teens visiting Israel. BBYO leadership programs including CLTC, ILTC, International Kallah, and ILSI were in full force as well, with hundreds of teens participating in multiple weeks of intensive training, learning, exploration, and community building. More than ever, these teens will be counted on to lead the post-pandemic revitalization that is taking place across the International Order.
The report below gives just a few “snapshots” of the excitement and inspiration felt by teens across our Movement—in an exciting, pivotal, and powerful year that shaped the future of our Movement and will strengthen our community for generations. On behalf of thousands of teen members across 725 communities and 60 countries (and counting!), thank you for your generous support for BBYO—and for making all of this possible.
REFLECTIONS FROM BBYO’S LEADERSHIP
Matthew Grossman
Chief Executive Officer
Ruth Suzman
Board Chair
Jared Wilen
97th Grand Aleph Godol
Emma Zentner
77th Anita M. Perlman International N'siah
HIGHLIGHTS OF AN INCREDIBLE YEAR
As we expanded our reach and welcomed thousands of new members around the world this year, BBYO continued to provide a critical support system, powerful platform for advocacy, and deep and lasting friendships and connection between teens in 60 countries and 725 communities worldwide.
This past year saw growth not only in membership, but in global reach, program engagement, and a redoubling of efforts to engage, empower, and inspire more than 35,000 Jewish teens. Below are some of the key initiatives and meaningful moments that shaped our year.
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SEPTEMBER
From dances to carnivals and paint parties, Fall Kickoff events helped launch the year with fun and unique programming for teens across the Movement. In BBYO Northern Region East, 500 teens ventured to Six Flags America amusement park to welcome new members to the community and set the tone for a thrilling year.
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NOVEMBER
On #givingBBYOday, a part of Giving Tuesday, BBYO teens, advisors, alumni, parents, and staff joined together to rally support for their communities—with nearly 1,000 volunteers raising more than $500,000 from 4,095 donors. For the first time in 2021, #givingBBYOday expanded to include fundraising events outside of North America.
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DECEMBER
With the theme of “Yad b’Yad: Hand in Hand,” Global Shabbat, BBYO’s biggest Shabbat experience of the year, united thousands of Alephs and BBGs across the world as they welcomed advocates, elected officials, educators, Holocaust survivors, and business leaders to join their communities for a shared Shabbat celebration.
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FEBRUARY
In 2022, teens reunited for the first in-person BBYO International Convention in two years—with nearly 2,500 teens from around the world packing the halls of the Baltimore Convention Center. Over five days, teens celebrated the strength and resiliency of our Movement and deepened connections across our global community—bringing joy to the lives of thousands of teens and laying the groundwork for our continued growth.
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APRIL
In the spring, BBYO members worldwide joined together for J-Serve: The International Day of Jewish Youth Service, with dozens of chapters and regions working to provide relief for their counterparts in Ukraine. At J-Serve, teens across the globe packed, shipped, and distributed care packages, and raised funds to support families in Ukraine as part of BBYO’s “Teens United for Ukraine” initiative.
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JUNE
From trips to Israel, to treks across Europe, to leadership programs at BBYO summer camps in Pennsylvania, teens made unforgettable memories this summer on domestic and international travel and leadership experiences—including 876 teens travelling to Israel thanks to the generous support of RootOne travel vouchers, seeded by the Marcus Foundation and powered by the Jewish Education Project.
CELEBRATING THE IMPACT OF OUR MOVEMENT
Across the Movement, Alephs and BBGs found creative ways this year to celebrate and elevate the tenets that have guided us for nearly a century—inclusivity, tradition, Jewish identity, and active leadership.
Launched in September 2021 with generous funding from BBYO alumni Lewis and Sandy Schneider, the For Every Jewish Teen campaign expanded BBYO’s impact and reach on Jewish teens living in small, rural, and unique communities throughout the United States, ensuring that the opportunity to participate in Jewish life, regardless of geography, is afforded to all Jewish teens everywhere.
With more than 400 teens and 75 staff, this year saw the largest-ever Global Ambassadors Week, a convening of BBYO members from around the world taking place in Baltimore prior to BBYO International Convention. Teens representing Germany, Morocco, Switzerland, and 37 other countries came together to strengthen connections, bond with their peers, and explore the IC host community.
BBYO launched a formal partnership this year with JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, a program of the JCC Association of North America that serves the religious needs of Jewish military personnel, their families, and patients in VA hospitals. In collaboration with JWB, BBYO is providing free membership for their teens around the world—helping Jewish teens in military families to connect with peers and find community in BBYO wherever they go.
In December, teens in Shanghai and Tokyo organized a joint virtual latke-making program in celebration of Hanukkah. Teens worked together to make latkes and then connected with their counterparts via Zoom to enjoy the meal and share in the holiday joy across borders.
This summer at BBYO camps and programs, over 20 teens chose to become B’nei Mitzvot, chanting from the Torah and preparing a reflection to share with their peers with the support of a caring and trained Jewish educator. Many of these teens did not have the opportunity to participate in this milestone during the pandemic or wanted to celebrate and take ownership of their Jewish journey with their camp community.
Alongside President Joe Biden, over 1,000 teens, staff, and friends of BBYO participated in the Opening Ceremonies of the International Maccabiah in Jerusalem this summer—the largest Jewish sports gathering and third-largest sporting event in the world.
In BBYO Northern Region East: Baltimore Council, for the first time, 70 teens organized a fully teen-led Shabbat service at their region’s Spring Convention—with Alephs and BBGs reading from the Torah, distributing roles in the service amongst their peers, and learning to lead each section with the support of Jewish educators.
Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, BBYO members partnered with chef José Andrés Central World Kitchen to facilitate the delivery of more than 125 Passover kits to families in Ukraine and the surrounding areas—ensuring they were able to observe the holiday and practice traditions even as their lives were disrupted by the outbreak of crisis.
Following the horrific hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas last January, BBYO North Texas Oklahoma Region brought teens together with a licensed social worker within 24 hours and organized a teen-led Havdalah. Together teens shared their emotions and reflections, sang songs, and sought support and strength in community.
In Argentina, as part of BBYO Global Shabbat, 110 BBYO teens came together for a meaningful Shabbat program, followed by a deep dive into climate change and environmentalism with educators from local organization Manos Verdes. At the end of the program, teens pledged together to do their part for the planet, and were each gifted a small plant to remind them of their shared commitment.
This spring in BBYO Lake Ontario Region, teens participated in Leadership Labs organized by older BBYO members, gaining the tools and training to strengthen their chapters and grow as leaders.
BBYO’s Center for Adolescent Wellness (CAW) continues to shape and lead our community’s efforts to address teen mental health, especially as anxiety, stress, and depression surges among adolescents. This year, BBYO-CAW implemented a new partnership with the JCC Association of North America to provide training and support to five JCCs across the country, guiding them in creating safe environments where young people can thrive.
“Being in a military family, I move frequently. Now, I have a global network of Jewish friends from BBYO, and I know that wherever I go, I will have a BBYO chapter to join (or help establish!) to find Jewish friends. BBYO is the one constant in my life. It is the one stable Jewish influence and environment I’m proud to be a part of.”
– Ezzy R., BBYO Rocky Mountain Region
BUILDING A VIBRANT TEEN COMMUNITY
This year, Alephs and BBGs took charge in leading their own unique Jewish experiences at the local, national, and international levels, expanding the reach of our Movement and building connections with peers around the world.
At BBYO Connecticut Valley Region’s Kallah regional convention this spring, teens heard from Brooke Baevsky, an award-winning chef focused on Jewish food; Helen Levitt, daughter of a Holocaust survivor who shared her mother’s story; and Matthew Nouriel, an Iranian and Jewish activist dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ rights and combatting antisemitism.
At the first-ever European Leadership Training Institute (ELTI) this year, 100 BBYO teens and 36 staff members from 22 countries gathered in Germany to celebrate their growth, share new ideas, and build relationships across BBYO communities in Europe.
In May, BBYO teen Max Perry invited Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann, who he had met through BBYO, to visit and speak at eight public high schools throughout his native Kentucky region. Max even persuaded Sami to stay with his family while he travelled around the Tri-State area sharing his story with hundreds of teens who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to meet a Holocaust survivor.
“BBYO is my comfort zone. I know the friendships I have made will last a lifetime. Whether it’s a compassionate staff member or my summer friend who lives 1,000 miles away, BBYO has given me a support system and network unlike any other.”
– Daniella K., BBYO Greater Jersey Hudson River Region
REUNITED IN BALTIMORE: IC 2022
The first event of its size and scale in the Jewish community since the beginning of the pandemic, IC 2022 demonstrated the power and resiliency of our Movement while positively impacting the lives of thousands of teens worldwide. Excited simply to be together in person again, participants engaged in five days of world-class program experiences, service opportunities, and sessions with incredible speakers—celebrating the strength of our community alongside their peers from 40 countries and 667 communities across the globe.
For the first time, IC 2022 included delegations from Australia, Morocco, and South Africa, reflecting the full diversity of the BBYO Movement—including delegations of over 50 teens each from Argentina, Germany, and Spain.
A highlight of the IC experience, LEADS Day empowered teens to explore critical social challenges ranging from environmentalism to mental health, food insecurity, and antisemitism—including more than 50 service and learning opportunities across the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area.
IC 2022 SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS
RABBI ANGELA BUCHDAHL
Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue
SIMU LIU
Actor and Writer
MIKE POSNER
Grammy-Nominated Singer & Songwriter
YOTAM POLITZER
CEO, IsraAID
AJ DILLON
Running Back, Green Day Packers
At BBYO International Convention, teens have the opportunity to hear from a diverse array of speakers, exploring topics such as environmentalism, Israel advocacy, human rights, food insecurity, and gender equality. Hundreds of global leaders, educators, activists, and prominent guests join teens throughout the weekend, sharing their personal stories and insights on the plenary stage and meeting with teens in small group sessions that dive deeper into the issues facing teens today. Below are some of the inspiring speakers who joined us at IC in 2022.
EVE BARLOW
Pop Culture Journalist
INSPIRING TEENS, EMPOWERING LEADERS
From Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC), an introductory leadership development experience for 9th and 10th graders, to International Kallah, to travel to Israel and more than a dozen other countries, BBYO provided 1,965 teens a place this summer where they could find their voice, discover new tools to make an impact in their communities, and build lifelong friendships and leadership skills.
At Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC), a summer-long Speaker Series provided teens the opportunity to hear from an array of artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Teens explored topics including environmentalism, holiday traditions, and the history of the Diaspora through food—working with Jewish artist Moully to create a new spray paint design for the doors to the amphitheater, where the camp community gathers for Shabbat; and participating in a poetry workshop with Black Jewish entrepreneur Aaron Samuels.
At International Leadership Training Conference (ILTC), teens planned and organized BBYO Thon, a workshop exploring ways for young people to raise money for critical causes and organizations important to them. In just 90 minutes, teens raised more than $5,000 for the JDC’s Campaign for Crisis Relief to provide support to their counterparts in Ukraine.
Now in its fourth year, Israel Seminar, a two-day immersive dive into Israel at International Kallah, offered a space for teens to ask questions and hear authentic perspectives from an array of experts and voices. Speakers this year included Ami Eden, Executive Editor of 70 Faces Media; Carmiel Frutkoff, Founder of Pluralusalem; and Michael Solomonov, renowned chef and restaurateur.
With a return to destinations across Europe, Israel, North America and Latin America, teens combined elements of active touring, community service, and meaningful Jewish experiences in more than a dozen countries with BBYO Passport this summer. In total, our travel programs welcomed teens from 39 American states, 5 Canadian provinces, and 15 other countries, creating a uniquely enriching community.
“Going to CLTC this summer and learning all about BBYO gave me skills I didn't even know I needed to run a chapter or other activities in my regular life. In addition to meeting amazing new friends all across the country, I learned so much about myself and how I can contribute to the lives of others.”
– Josh B., Mid-America Region: North Star Council
BBYO IN THE NEWS
Throughout the year, BBYO events and milestones are frequently covered by members of the media across the world. Below are highlights of this coverage in various print and digital publications.
