AITs, or Alephs in Training, are, in my opinion, one of the most important parts of your BBYO chapter. My chapter, Dynasty #0827, is home to a shrinking membership count, and as the recently elected Godol, I have taken it upon myself to fix that problem.

So I took some time to reflect on how we can increase our membership, and it struck me: AITs and their first encounters with BBYO are extremely important. When Alephs have a strong first connection with us, they will want to come back. Last year, we had a rocky year with AITs, and now we only have a small number of active second-year members.

So how do we fix this problem? Step 1: Start at the root of the problem. Make sure you have AITs to begin with. Go around your Jewish day school or visit your synagogue. All that matters is that you talk to people. Making connections with future members is extremely important. If they remember your chapter as something they want to join, odds are you've just recruited them and potentially their friends.

Step 2: Make those memories. To start my chapter's year off strong, we held an AIT-only event where new members got to have dinner with just the board. It was only our second program of the year, but they had a great opportunity to meet us and see what the order is all about. So now that we have those positive first memories secured, what's next?

Step 3: Communicate. This step is just as important as steps one and two. It is up to the Godol and the rest of your board to ensure that new members stay in the loop. Reaching out privately and in group chats to our new members is extremely important if you want them to show up. If you find that an AIT isn't interested or is hard to reach, a trick I've found helpful is reaching out to their parents. Parents often play an important role in introducing their children to BBYO, so hearing that there is an event where they can connect with fellow Jewish youth may encourage them to attend.

With all that said and done, you should have yourself a well-rounded group of AITs. But how do you know if you're succeeding? Look at what your new members do next. We recently announced our next program, and without even being nudged, one of our AITs, Ryan, immediately signed up. This is, in part, thanks to my Vice Godol, Zev. During our AIT program, he made the time to speak with Ryan as though they'd known each other forever. Thanks to those genuine interactions, Ryan has already shown enthusiasm for BBYO and is excited to attend more programs.

At the end of the day, building a successful chapter isn't just about recruiting new members. It's about creating an environment where they feel welcomed, included, and excited to return. So, to all the Godols and chapter board members out there, I encourage you to ask yourselves one question: Are you just recruiting new members, or are you giving them a reason to stay?