One thing that connects Alephs and BBGs around the order is our love for Shuk. Whether it is an item your giz made and you grabbed at convention, or passed down during lives from an older mentor, every piece shows to the world you are part of the BBYO and has a story. This allows our community to be strong and connected through something as simple as a shirt or hat.

Before I joined BBYO, I learned about it through teens who were helping out at my Sunday school, wearing BBYO apparel. I would ask them about the meaning of different words and learned about the different chapters and traditions BBYO had to offer. These conversations both educated me on BBYO and made me excited to join once I was able to in eighth grade. 

Once I joined BBYO, my closet was never empty. From random shirts and sweatshirts to sweatpants and pajamas, I was able to wear a piece of BBYO clothing every day if I wanted to! I was obsessed with BBYO (and as my dad said, “drank the BBYO juice”) and spent way too much money at convention shuk on items to add to the ever-growing BBYO collection I am creating.

The connection of BBYO clothing became clear to me once I went to high school. I wore a BBYO t-shirt to school one day and didn’t think anything about it until a girl asked me if I was in BBYO. I ended up talking to her, immediately connected with her, and learned about her chapter. She is now one of my closest BBYO friends, and this friendship, which I treasure so much, began with a BBYO shirt. 

Keeping our community strong is extremely important. A simple way to do this is just to wear some BBYO clothing. Who knows? You might make a new friend out of it!