I open Instagram, and the first thing I see is a post from another chapter's most recent event. Twenty-five to thirty BBGs sit together, huge smiles on their faces as they eat donuts and decorate BBYO memory boxes. 

Selfishly, my first thought is always, “Why can’t we do that?” Of course, I'm genuinely happy to see other chapters succeed. Seeing chapters thrive throughout the order is one of the best parts of BBYO. But when so much work goes into planning an event and we still struggle to get people to show up, it's hard not to wonder what we're doing wrong. 

Having served in multiple board positions and currently serving as N’siah, I've learned how much goes into creating a chapter that people want to be part of. But I've also started to question whether attendance is the best way to measure how “successful” we truly are. 

It's easy to count the number of people in a room. It's harder to measure whether someone felt included in a conversation, made a new friend, or left an event feeling more connected to their Jewish community. Those experiences don't show up in an attendance report, but they're part of what makes BBYO meaningful. 

Yes, numbers matter. Attendance helps chapters grow, brings new people into the order, and creates opportunities for members to connect. But getting people to attend an event is only one part of building a chapter. The other part is creating an environment where people want to keep coming back, where new members feel welcome, and where friendships extend beyond the events themselves. 

I think it's easy for chapter leaders to get caught up in the comparison game. We want to feel not just that our hard work is paying off, but also that we are making a mark on the community that we care so deeply about. However, what we tend to forget is that every chapter is unique, and a successful chapter doesn't have to look exactly like the one with the big events. What matters is whether we're creating something meaningful for the people who are a part of it. 

Yes, I still want my chapter to grow, but I want more people to love our events, get involved, and find the same sense of community that makes BBYO such an integral part of my own life. But I also want to recognize that numerical growth isn't the only sign of progress; sometimes, success is found in the connections we build, the members who find their place, and the community that continues to grow beyond what we can count. 

Quality over quantity doesn't mean that attendance doesn't matter. It means remembering that numbers alone can't tell us everything about a chapter. Because ultimately, the goal isn't simply to fill a room. It's to build a community worth being part of.