BBYO has given me so much. I tried to define it on my college applications as a fraternity, lifelong friendships, a Jewish youth teen movement, and a leadership program but really, it’s so much more. For me BBYO is everything – it transcends a “normal” high school extracurricular activity. Through my AZA brothers, leadership experiences and lasting camp connections, BBYO has given me the skills to thrive.
I’m getting ready to join my third BBYO summer experience, International Leadership Training Conference (ILTC). After attending Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC) where I learned how to be a leader, and International Kallah where I focused on being a Jewish leader and discovering who I am as a Jew, I knew that I had to go to ILTC. I’m looking forward to 19 days at Perlman Camp, to learning to lead on a larger scale and sharing my passion for BBYO even more than I do today.
I have gained so much from my summer experiences with BBYO. Beyond the ability to lead, CLTC gave me an international network of Jewish friends – friends that could be my roommate in college, and may one day even help me find a job. Aside from this network, CLTC showed me that BBYO’s commitment to brotherhood and sisterhood goes beyond just my chapter and is nurtured in every chapter around the world. Kallah gave me the space to explore Judaism and define and establish the Jew I want to be. Every summer experience at BBYO has shown me the tangible benefits of being an Aleph.
My public speaking ability, my networking and leadership skills, my passion for Judaism have all been shaped and nurtured by BBYO. These skills are benefits to my life that I just can’t get in high school. It’s the resources and learnings that BBYO gives me that have shaped my high school experience and my future.
Micah is one of nearly 20,000 BBYO members who has more opportunities to grow as a leader thanks to supporters like you. An anonymous donor pledged to match all gifts up to $50,000 between now and June 30. This week your gift will go twice as far, helping make our network of Jewish teens a richer place. Will you help share these experiences with more Jewish teens?