Hiii again!!! I’m back with fresh stories, big updates, and so much excitement from my most recent travels! It’s been a little while, and I have SO much to share! My latest adventures around the United States have been packed with more laughs than I can count, new connections, long-awaited reunions, and fun at every stop. I’m so excited to finally fill you in.

At the beginning of October, I finished up my Satellite Cities Tour in Boise, Idaho. This experience was one of a kind and will always hold a special place in my heart. The Jewish community in Boise is small but so strong and close-knit. It was incredibly meaningful to spend Havdalah and Simchat Torah with them. Although there are only a few Jewish teens in this area, they feel so connected to the greater movement of BBYO. They are eager to try new experiences and meet people from different communities. Their curiosity inspired me to approach every community I visit with an open mind and a real eagerness to learn from traditions different from my own.

When traveling home from Boise, I experienced a six-hour layover at the airport. But it was totally worth it because I was heading to Baltimore for an IC Site Visit with the Grand Aleph Godol and International S’ganim. Stepping into the IC Convention Center, bare of branding, was honestly such a surreal experience. The excitement was bubbling in every person as they imagined the space coming to life in February. We talked through ways to elevate the IC experience through programming, speakers, and, of course, food. Start counting down now, because IC 2027 is going to be bigger, louder, and better than ever!

And if you didn’t know already, Baltimore is my hometown!! So after the IC Site Visit, it was so nice to spend time with my family and local community before heading back on the road. 😊

After a few days at home, I hopped on a plane to Dallas for CI (Community Impact) Con!!! CI Con is a staff conference that brings together all the Community Impact staff, or teen-facing staff. Chances are, I definitely saw your regional director there. This conference was an amazing opportunity for me to engage with staff and hear their points of view and the challenges they may be facing in their communities. We also hosted three teens in the Dallas area who are not involved in BBYO to talk about what made them uninterested in participating in BBYO. It was very interesting to hear what they had to say, but also to understand what drew them to other opportunities for Jewish teens in the area. Their honesty gave us a lot to think about, and I left CI Con more motivated than ever to make sure every Jewish teen feels like BBYO has a place for them.

Next, I traveled to Chicago to attend the BBYO Board of Directors meeting. It was a valuable opportunity to engage with the dedicated leaders who invest their time and energy into shaping the future of our Movement. I shared insights from my travels and offered a teen perspective on the future of IC and how we can reach more Jewish teens. It was especially meaningful to see how much the board values teen voices and how seriously they consider our ideas. While in Chicago, I also had the opportunity to visit Chai Tov BBG for their BBG Bootcamp. The energy in the room was incredible, and it was inspiring to see the chapter’s traditions in action. Experiences like this remind me how important it is to have a teen voice at the table in every boardroom and that our thoughts and ideas really shape where the Movement goes next.

My next stop was Eastern Region, where I spent time visiting three different communities. I began with two days in Charleston, South Carolina, where I joined the chapter for dinner and had the chance to connect with teens over a meal and hear about what makes their chapter so special. From there, I traveled to Asheville, North Carolina, for their chapter overnight, including Shabbat-Chi, led by the two chapter S’ganim. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience the close-knit spirit of the community and build meaningful relationships with its members. I concluded my visit in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I attended a presidents' dinner with chapter leaders to discuss their goals, successes, and challenges, followed by a chapter program. Visiting multiple communities within one region gave me a deeper understanding of how each chapter brings its own unique identity to BBYO while remaining connected to something greater. I left Eastern Region feeling a strong sense of connection to the members there and excited to see how they grow next.

After Eastern Region, I traveled by bus for the first time, making the trip from Charlotte to Atlanta for the Movement Experiences (ME) Retreat. At ME Retreat, Adi and I had the opportunity to engage with staff from the Movement Experiences team, which includes International Convention, Camp Leadership, Passport, Teen Leadership, Jewish Enrichment, and Customer Service. During the retreat, Adi and I led three impactful sessions. The first focused on telling the BBYO story, including how to understand your audience and the importance of knowing BBYO’s numbers. The second explored the art of working with teens, emphasizing how staff can partner with teens rather than doing everything for them or stepping back entirely. For our final session, we invited BBYO teens from Atlanta to share their perspectives on real challenges staff face, such as navigating friend groups on Passport trips and phone policies at Camp Leadership programs. Hearing staff and teens engage in such honest conversations was incredibly rewarding, and I left ME Retreat confident that these ideas will help shape even stronger experiences for teens across the Movement.

I am coming to you LIVE from Dallas for a week with North Texas Oklahoma Region (NTO) before heading to Oklahoma for Tulsa Kallah!! I can’t wait to spend time with the teens here, learn what makes their communities so special, and soak up every moment along the way. Looking back on these past few weeks, I’m so grateful for every person who welcomed me, shared their stories, and reminded me why this Movement means so much to so many. Thank you for following along on my journey, and keep an eye out, because I might be heading to your community next! Until next time!!!