BBYO - eNews
January/February 2006
Issue 14
MIX-AND-MATCH THE PERFECT ISRAEL
EXPERIENCE
Welcome to the combined January/February issue of the BBYO e-News. If you have
information to share or comments about the BBYO e-News, please e-mail
[email protected].
BBYO, Inc. News
BBYO TAKES LARGEST-EVER INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO ATLANTA
Join hundreds of teens in Israel this summer
for an experience you will never forget. BBYO's
Passport to Israel program offers something for
everyone. Choose from four trip options and a
variety of departure dates. Visit
www.passport2israel.org to watch a video and
get more information.
Six hundred of the world's leading Jewish
communal thinkers – all under the age
of 18 – are gathering in the Atlanta
area, February 16-20, for BBYO's largest
International Convention (IC) in its 80+year history. After 50 years of hosting IC
in Pennsylvania, BBYO, is taking IC on
the road, moving cities each year,
stopping first in Atlanta. IC, the venue in
which BBYO's new international teen
leaders will be elected, provides an opportunity for teens to plan for their Jewish
future, address critical issues impacting their homeland of Israel, and make lifelong
Jewish friends from all over the world. READ MORE...
PLAY BASKETBALL AND SOCCER IN ISRAEL
BBYO is offering a
unique opportunity for
basketball and soccer
enthusiasts to receive
professional sports
training, tour Israel
and compete with
Israeli teams this
summer. Visit
www.passport2israel.org to learn more about
Israel Sports Clinic.
ARE YOU SIGNED UP FOR A BBYO SUMMER
EXPERIENCE?
BBYO HOSTS ATLANTA ALUMNI EVENT; SPECIAL CONCERT FEATURING THE
LEEVEES FOR THE ATLANTA JEWISH COMMUNITY
In conjunction with International Convention, Atlanta
Council BBYO is hosting an Alumni Reception for
Atlanta-area Jewish community members who
participated in AZA or BBG as teens. Following the
reception, BBYO is inviting the entire Atlanta Jewish
community to attend IC Opening Ceremonies and a
special concert by The LeeVees, featuring Adam
Gardner of Guster and Dave Schneider of the
Zambonis. The alumni event, being chaired by Michael
Laufer, will also include a special presentation from
Lynn Schusterman, chair of the BBYO, Inc. board of
directors.
"This event is an incredibly unique opportunity for the Atlanta Jewish community,"
said Kelly Brown, BBYO Atlanta Council Director. "BBYO alumni will have a chance to
reconnect to the organization that made such a positive impact in their lives;
community members can enjoy an exciting Jewish rock concert; and they can all
come together to support the future of the Jewish community – our teens."
BBYO OFFERS OPRAH CONTEST WINNERS FREE MARCH
OF THE LIVING JOURNEY
In an effort to educate Jewish teens about the Holocaust and
raise awareness about issues of intolerance today, BBYO
encouraged all of its members to enter Oprah's National High
School Essay Contest, themed "Why is Elie Wiesel's book
Night relevant today?" The essay contest was sponsored in
conjunction with the selection of Night as the latest choice for
Oprah's Book Club. READ MORE...
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Want a break from lifeguarding this summer?
Join teens from all over the world on a BBYO
summer experience. Interested in community
service? Outdoor adventure? Leadership? BBYO's
got a program for you. Visit www.bbyo.org to
learn more.
TEENS EXPLORE THEIR JEWISH IDENTITIES IN BULGARIA
EXPLORE THE AMERICAN JEWISH
EXPERIENCE
Experience first-hand
the depth of modern
American Jewish life in
the second largest
Jewish community in
the U.S., Los Angeles.
To learn more about
Kallah West, an intense
immersion program in
contemporary Jewish
issues, visit
www.bbyo.org.
ARE YOU LINKED?
Over winter break, a group of teens
traveled to Bulgaria for BBYO's Youth
Ambassadors in Bulgaria Program, a
cultural exchange designed to help teens
explore their individual and collective
Jewish identities. READ MORE...
b-linked.org News
B-LINKED LAUNCHES NEW FEATURES
Close to 4,000 teens are already taking advantage
of b-linked.org to make new connections with
Jewish teens around the world, stay in touch with
friends from summer programs and get help with
college. And, now there's even more of a reason
for Jewish teens to sign up on b-linked! BBYO has
just launched exciting new Group and Event
features that will greatly enhance the teen
experience and bring thousands of more teens to
b-linked.
READ MORE...
B-LINKED SPURS MAJOR MEDIA INTEREST
Promote b-linked to Jewish teens that you
know by downloading a digital campaign
package, complete with desktop
screensavers, AIM buddy icons and web
banners. Click here to download now!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS SUMMER
In January 2006, BBYO released a study revealing that a surprisingly large majority
of American teenagers (68%) from all regions in the United States place a high value
on the importance of religion in their lives, even though an equally significant
majority of all American teenagers (67%) say they would like to better connect to
their religion. This study not only validated BBYO's efforts to create b-linked.org as a
gateway for teens to connect to the Jewish community in a more meaningful, less
conventional way, but it also made the media's ears perk up.
Following are just some of the media venues in which BBYO has been featured
recently (links provided if available):
MTV.com
The Jewish Week
CBS News Radio
CNN Radio
Boston Herald
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If you are a junior in college or beyond and are
interested in making a world of difference in the
lives of Jewish teens, check out BBYO's summer
staff opportunities. Visit our Careers webpage or
contact Jeff Hoffman at 202.857.6632.
Charlotte Observer
JTA
Philadelphia Daily News
Washington Jewish Week
Visit b-linked.org's Media Center for more information on the study. And, search
BBYO at Google News for an up-to-date glimpse of BBYO's media coverage.
Alumni News
GET 10% OFF PRINCETON REVIEW SAT/ACT
COURSES
Where Young Lives Take Shape: Lauren Geller
Where Young Lives Take Shape is a feature of the
BBYO e-News focusing on the accomplishments of
BBYO alumni. This month, meet television producer,
Lauren Geller.
In seventh grade, Lauren Geller took her first steps
into the world of broadcast television through a
program at her middle school. A dozen years later,
Geller has a successful career as a freelance
segment producer, after working her way up the entertainment ladder, which includes
several years with MTV as an associate producer. READ MORE...
SUPPORT THE JEWISH FUTURE
BBYO ESTABLISHES ALUMNI CHAPTERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY
BBYO needs your annual support to reach
thousands of Jewish teens. You can contribute to
BBYO either through an unrestricted gift or by
designating your gift to a specific fund, program
or project.
With approximately 250,000 alumni living
around the world today, BBYO is giving
adults whose lives have been shaped by the
organization an opportunity to reconnect
through community-based alumni programs.
The Cleveland Chapter is one of the first of
many chapters being established in key cities
throughout North America, which collectively
will make up an international BBYO alumni
network. Chapters are also currently being formed in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
READ MORE...
DO YOU HAVE A BBYO IPOD COVER?
Visit www.bbyostore.com
today to pick up a cover for
your ipod, and shop for other
BBYO gear, like polos, hats,
fleeces and more.
GET INVOLVED WITH J-SERVE 2006
BBYO Alumni Travel to Israel Together
In January, two busloads of BBYO alumni from
all over the U.S. gathered in Israel for Taglit
birthright Israel: Tlalim BBYO Alumni Experience,
a free 10-day Israel adventure co-run by Israel
Outdoors and Tlalim Tours. Highlights of the tour
included camel riding in the desert, sleeping in a
bedouin tent, snorkeling in the Red Sea, floating
in the Dead Sea, touring the Old City of
Jerusalem and so much more! READ MORE...
Last Surviving Founder of AZA Honored on
His 100th Birthday in Omaha; Current GAG
Joins Celebration
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Learn more about the annual day of service for
Jewish youth throughout the world at
http://www.jserve.org/index.htm.
To submit news, events or comments for
the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
Bernard "Bon" Theodore, the last surviving
founder of BBYO, which began in Omaha,
Nebraska, turned 100 years old on January 4.
To mark the occasion, BBYO's 81st – and
current – Grand Aleph Godol, Brandon
Rattiner, and representatives of B'nai B'rith
International met in Los Angeles to honor Bon
during his family birthday celebration. READ
MORE...
b-accepted.org News
BBYO PROVIDES TOOLS AND TOURS TO HELP COLLEGE-BOUND JEWISH TEENS
Did you know that BBYO now offers all different
types of online resources to help Jewish teens
navigate the college admissions process? Here
are just a few of the things that BBYO is offering
Jewish teens via its new college website, baccepted.org:
Get 10% off The Princeton Review's SAT
and ACT classroom and online courses.
Search more than 800 colleges and
universities by major, athletics, Jewish
life on campus and so much more
through a unique search engine powered by The Princeton Review and Hillel.
Organize personal notes about all of your top choices and keep track of
important deadlines.
Get advice about anything and everything you will want to know when
applying for college, from the application process and SAT exam to financial
aid.
Connect with a BBYO alumni mentor who can give you first-hand advice based
upon their own experiences.
Find friends – or even a roommate – before you even step foot on campus by
connecting with teens who are attending the same school you are through blinked.org.
BBYO is also excited to bring you information about upcoming Regional College Tours,
including a tour from the Philadelphia area to New England and a visit to Michigan
State University for Michigan teens. READ MORE...
Regional News
PACIFIC COAST REGION'S WEST FEST IS A BIG HIT
BBYO's Pacific Coast Region certainly has talent! It held a community-wide talent
show for Jewish teens in the Los Angeles-area in December. West Fest brought
together about 100 teens who showcased a diverse range of acts, including comedy,
as well as jazz, folk, rock and punk band performances.
READ MORE...
MIAMI BBYO ADDRESSES INTOLERANCE WITH HOLOCAUST-INSPIRED PLAY
Miami BBYO is making a lasting impact on its
community and gaining attention for itself. Eight
years ago, BBYO members in Miami decided to
take on the task of writing and directing a show
with the interest of exploring the meaning of the
Jewish Holocaust. The show was part of Impact
Theater, a national program set up by BBYO
International, linking the historical extremes of
the Holocaust to modern times.
This year, Miami BBYO has brought back Impact
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Theater after almost a decade-long hiatus. On
February 2, Miami BBYO debuted, Stained, written and performed by teens, in front of
an audience of approximately 400 people. READ MORE...
BBYO WELCOMES "BIG EASY" MEMBERS; SPECIAL EVENT FEATURING MTV
REAL WORLD CAST MEMBER
Over 25 New Orleans teens have become Big Easy BBYO members over the past few
weeks, and the chapter recently held elections where every position was contested!
Arielle Schwartz (a sophomore who relocated to Birmingham, Alabama for a semester
and was welcomed into the BBG chapter there) was elected president and the new
board is hard at work planning out their calendar of events. READ MORE...
COLUMBUS TEENS SHOW THAT IT'S ALWAYS THE SEASON FOR GIVING
Pops Dworkin/Saul Kaufman AZA #155 collected seven bags of food and three large
boxes of books in their January book/canned food drive. An annual event in
Columbus's JCC, the community continuously looks forward to doing this mitzvah after
the holiday season has passed. The chapter started this drive more than ten years
ago to remind people that those in need should receive assistance all year long, as
opposed to the "normal" times of giving such as the Thanksgiving season and the
Jewish High Holy Days. Under the guidance of chapter Aleph Godol Adam Schwager,
S'gan Eric Muhlberger, Mazkir Dima Dashevsky and Shaliach Eric Mor (junior, junior,
sophomore, at Bexley High School on the east side of Columbus), the chapter has
worked progressively to maintain their reputation for community service and social
action programming during their leadership term.
BBYO TEENS EMBRACE ILL CHILDREN
THROUGH SOARINGWORDS
For hundreds of BBYO teens who learned of
Soaringwords, a non-profit organization that
invites healthy individuals to embrace ill children
and their families, at BBYO's 2005 International
Convention, that was just the beginning. The
program, which involves decorating blankets and
pillows for children in need, inspired BBYOers
around the country to adopt the program locally.
READ MORE...
ATLANTA TEENS EXPLORE ISRAEL TOGETHER
Atlanta Council's Junior/Senior Winter Break trip was the ultimate adventure! Sixteen
teens, along with two staff members, spent ten days exploring Israel – touring Yad
Vashem, climbing Masada, riding camels and visiting the Israeli cities of Jerusalem,
Tzvat and Tel Aviv. The group was there during Hanukkah and New Year's, so they
also got to see how Israeli's celebrate.
For the reactions of Michelle Thurschwell, a junior, who participated in the journey,
click READ MORE...
NTO REGION HOSTS TEEN EXPO
Several Dallas chapters participated in BBYO's first annual Teen Expo in October.
Almost 300 teens from the area packed the Aaron Family JCC for food, prizes and
various programming throughout the day. Some of the day's highlights included
students having the opportunity to hear an inspirational story by City of Carollton
Mayor, Becky Miller, watch their peers participate in a fashion show and participate in
an afternoon rap contest. The expo also gave teens the chance to speak with
representatives of several Dallas organizations reaching out to Jewish teens, including
Panim-el-Panim, USY, AIPAC, Students Against Terrorism and NCSY.
MICHIGAN REGION TURNS FASHION INTO FUNDS
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Ever dream of being a runway model? Well, members of BBYO's Michigan Region do
not have to dream anymore. They are presenting Fashion Unleashed on March 4 to
benefit their region. The evening will be filled with dessert, music, prizes, dancing,
and of course, the newest spring fashions. Tickets are $18 for students and $36 for
adults. For more information call Jodi Tobin 248.681.1184.
BBYO In the News
Eastern Canada Region members Gregory Albert and Andy Concister were
featured in Canadian Jewish News for performing in front of over 250 people at a
local radio station's Battle of the Bands competition. (Feb. 9, 2006)
Congratulations Evergreen Region! JtNews.net, the Voice of Jewish Washington,
named Evergreen BBYO the Best Jewish Youth Organization in its Best of 2005
awards issue! The award says that BBYO stood out from among all the other youth
organizations because it "holds leadership programs, enables some of its most
involved members to reach the highest international echelons of the organization, all
while keeping within a framework of learning how to be a good Jewish person within
your community." (Jan 6, 2006)
Lauren Perlman, an alumnae of Cotton States Region, received the Joanie Plous
Bayer Young Leadership Award, an award which is given annually to someone who
distinguishes him or herself through involvement in the Birmingham Jewish Federation
and community. Perlman credits BBYO for teaching her to participate in and give back
to the Jewish community in Memphis. (Dec. 9, 2005)
The Texas Jewish Post featured Zach Olshwanger, a chapter president from Dallas,
after he aided a car accident victim at the scene. He applied CPR and other first aid
techniques he learned in a Medical Science Careers class. Zach said, "I always liked
helping, and I was always interested in medicine." (Dec 8, 2005)
Two exceptional BBYO members were featured in The Atlanta Jewish Times for their
dedication to community service. Julie Jacboson and Jaclyn Rothenberg co-chaired
Amy's Party, a teen-run annual holiday event to benefit homeless children. (Dec 2,
2005)
Eastern Canada Region was in the news when two of its members were honored
with prestigious awards. Canadian Jewish News published that Josh Pottel won the
Tree of Life Award and Matthew Sloan won the Perlman Community Service Award.
(Dec, 2005)
The Jewish Advocate wrote about BBYO's presence at the United Jewish Communities
General Assembly in Toronto from Nov. 13-15. Nearly 4,000 Jewish leaders and
community members met to work toward the mission of creating a stronger Jewish
future. BBYO launched b-linked.org at the event by giving live demonstrations of the
website. (Nov 25, 2005)
Members of Michigan Region BBG participated in their second Mind Body Attitude
workshop which focused on yoga, nutrition and body image. According to the Oakland
Press, Lauren Rich, the regional chairwoman for the event said, "I think girls need to
be OK with themselves and embrace their bodies healthily through exercise and
eating healthily." (Nov 21, 2005)
Laura Galanti was featured in The Atlanta Jewish Times for being one of six BBYO
members nationwide to represent BBYO in September at the PANIM: Jewish Teen
Leadership Summit in Washington. (Nov 18, 2005)
Has BBYO appeared in your local press? Please let us know by emailing
[email protected].
BBYO TAKES LARGEST-EVER INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TO ATLANTA
(Continued)
"I am thrilled that IC is coming to our city and that Atlanta BBYO will have such a
strong presence with close to 60 teens," said local resident, Jonathan Sadow, who
serves as a teen leader on BBYO's International Board. "With such a vibrant Jewish
community, Atlanta is the perfect place to host hundreds of young Jewish leaders
from around the world."
IC follows two days of "Execs," an annual gathering of teen presidents from BBYO's
40+ regions who will define the agenda on which the convention body will act. This
year, a major initiative involves the designation of a charitable organization(s) to be
the beneficiary of a BBYO teen philanthropy. Together, the teens will determine an
issue of significant interest and develop a widespread fundraising and educational
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campaign to model the values of tzedakah and tikkun olam. Leveraging the collective
efforts of BBYO's extensive international teen network is intended to spark a new level
of activism and social consciousness among today's Jewish youth.
"IC is an event like no other, bringing together teens from all Jewish backgrounds to
engage in dialogue about the future of the Jewish community and set into motion
strategies for making our community stronger," said Lynn Schusterman, chair, BBYO
board of directors. "We know, based upon 80+ years of history, that these teens will
go on to assume important roles in society, largely because of their involvement
today. Seeing IC is like seeing a snapshot of our Jewish future."
Highlights of 2006 IC, which will draw teens from North America, Israel and Europe,
include:
A special opening ceremonies concert performed by Jewish rock group, the
LeeVees, featuring Adam Gardner of Guster and Dave Schneider of the
Zambonis (Open to the Atlanta Jewish community and BBYO alumni). A Rick
Recht concert will close IC.
The Gift of Life Jewish Bone Marrow Registry campaign, giving Jewish
community members an opportunity to save a life by registering during IC's
opening ceremonies and BBYO teens the information to join the registry upon
their 18th birthday.
The initiation of a petition urging the United Nations to condemn Iran for
moving forward with a nuclear weapons program.
A massive hip-hop Shabbat and an Israeli event, featuring music videos
depicting the peace process from a variety of angles and a mock election in
anticipation of the March 28th election for Israel's new prime minister.
"Traveling the world as BBYO's international youth president for the past six months
has taught me that teens are capable of extraordinary things and that the Jewish
future is in our hands," said Brandon Rattiner. "We are thrilled to be presiding over
the largest IC ever and believe that this is evidence of BBYO's ability to involve more
Jewish teens in meaningful Jewish experiences," added Rattiner's counterpart, Shauna
Ruda.
For media coverage of IC, visit the Atlanta Jewish Times online at http://jtonline.us/.
Back to Article
BBYO OFFERS OPRAH CONTEST WINNERS FREE MARCH OF THE LIVING
JOURNEY (Continued)
Oprah will select fifty winners from among the essay contest entries. These winning
teens will receive a free trip, along with a parent or guardian to Chicago, IL, where
The Oprah Winfrey Show is aired.
As an added incentive, BBYO will award any member of the organization who is
selected among Oprah's 50 essay contest winners a free scholarship to its March of
the Living experience in April 2006.
"Reading Night was a real eye-opener for me," said Erica Robinson, BBYO member
from Houston, TX who read the book and participated in the essay contest. "I knew
about the Holocaust, but the book helped me to better understand the magnitude of
what happened. It has also inspired me not only to be more aware of prejudice and
intolerance in the world today, but also to work with my peers to take a stand
against it."
Essays were due February 9th.
Back to Article
TEENS EXPLORE THEIR JEWISH IDENTITIES IN BULGARIA (Continued)
During the 10-day trip, participants studied the unique history of Bulgaria's Jews
during World War II by listening to first-hand accounts from the elderly Jewish
residents of Bulgaria. They also had an opportunity to share North American BBYO
programs and traditions with their Bulgarian counterparts, celebrate Shabbat,
experience home life in Bulgaria and tour the country. Together, participants
experienced the miracle of the resurgence of Jewish life in this Eastern European
nation.
The BBYO Ambassadors in Bulgaria program allows Jewish teens to gather in a
country that has had a profound impact on Jewish history. Having first served as a
hub for Jews exiled by the Spanish Inquisition, then as a refuge for Jews from Eastern
Europe and throughout the Ottoman Empire, and finally as a haven for Jews during
the Holocaust, Bulgaria has a lengthy Jewish history.
Today's Jewish Bulgarians are just rediscovering their roots. After decades of
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communism and religious oppression, Bulgaria's Jews are rebuilding their community
and BBYO has become a part of its renaissance.
"The program opened my senses to recognize how truly powerful and united the
Jewish community and Jewish teens can be," said Danielle Borne of Atlanta Council.
"The stunning architecture, history, language, and even food, infuse a culture that
can only be understood by visiting Bulgaria and experiencing our remarkable Jewish
heritage how it ought to be experienced, globally."
Back to Article
B-LINKED LAUNCHES NEW FEATURES(Continued)
With b-linked's new Group functionality, teens can create groups instantly on relevant
topics – from summer programs to favorite bands. They can search and join groups,
post photos, message back and forth and download relevant documents. Within two
days of launching b-linked Groups, over 75 groups were created! Are you a DMB fan?
Are you going on P2I this summer? There is a group for you!
Also new to b-linked is Event functionality. BBYO-sponsored events on the
International, Regional and local levels will now be posted on b-linked, where teens
can register and pay for them online. Teens can even find out who is signed up for
events and invite friends to attend events with them!
In the coming weeks, b-linked will also feature unique pages for every region and
chapter within the organization. If you are a Jewish teen and you're not registered,
join at b-linked.org today. If you know a Jewish teen, encourage them to become a
part of the b-linked phenomenon.
Back to Article
Where Young Lives Take Shape: Lauren Geller (Continued)
As a freelance segment producer, Geller works with various cable networks and
production companies to produce television series. Geller handles the background
research, conducts interviews and edits the images, sound and music together.
She attributes much of her communications skills and abilities to her experiences in
BBYO as a member of Ahavah BBG in Northern East Region from 1993-1997. "BBYO
helped me with my leadership and confidence," Gellar said. "And, it didn't just help
me; it helped all of my friends who were in it with me."
Gellar's attendance at summer programs, Kallah and Israel Summer Institute, are not
only her favorite memories of BBYO, but they are also where she credits learning how
to communicate with other people with different experiences.
She attended Northwestern University in Illinois where the Radio, Television and Film
Program opened up several opportunities for Geller to gain experience and explore
the broadcast industry. Because of her interest in issues involving popular culture, she
pursued a variety of internships, including UPN and Atlantic Video in Washington, DC.
Gellar's big break came when she secured a job with MTV, where she worked for 3 ½
years. She had been collaborating with some of MTV's producers, but she believes it
was ultimately her prior experience that got her the job. "My internship helped me
because I became familiar with how a television station works," Gellar said. "I was
familiar with the production of a variety of shows."
She advises anyone interested in her field of television producing "to really get their
feet wet and take the initiative." Any teen interested should "go out and gain
experience." She suggests that teens interested in broadcast or film should find an
internship or production assistant position. "That will help you learn how things are
run on a set, how you interact with a camera crew and how you can develop your
ideas into shows."
"BBYO is the perfect place to be creative and execute your ideas. Start something and
finish something. It is important to take the initiative on your own," Gellar said.
"Do not be afraid to ask questions," she added. "If you are interested in what
someone is doing, go up and ask them," she emphasized. "When you take the
initiative to get yourself in there, it goes a long way."
Back to Article
BBYO ESTABLISHES ALUMNI CHAPTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY (Continued)
"As I travel across the country, I am amazed by the number of former AZA and BBG
members that I meet who have such an enduring passion for BBYO," said the chair of
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the BBYO Alumni Network, Michael Laufer, who is spearheading this initiative, along
with Amy Jablin from BBYO's professional staff. "We are thrilled to provide them with
a venue to re-establish a meaningful connection with the organization."
Through this network, BBYO alumni will be able to reunite with old friends, make new
ones and connect with professionals in their career field. Among BBYO's quarter-of-amillion living alumni, there are many prominent figures in Jewish communal life, as
well as people of note in the business, political, academic and cultural worlds,
providing an impressive networking pool.
Not only will involvement in the BBYO alumni network benefit the lives of Jewish
adults, but it will ultimately impact the lives of today's Jewish teens by offering
alumni an opportunity to give back to the organization that made such a difference
during their own teenage years. There are a variety of ways alumni of all ages can
get involved, including serving as an adult advisor or lay leader, mentoring collegebound BBYOers, staffing summer programs or supporting the organization
philanthropically.
Complementing the international alumni efforts is a new online alumni community
accessible at www.bbyo.org. Through a powerful database and search engine, alumni
can explore the continually expanding network of thousands of alumni, interact with
them, share memories and access information about alumni news and events. There
are currently more than 5,000 people taking advantage of this resource.
"BBYO alumni provide the foundation on which this organization is able to grow," said
Lynn Schusterman, chair of the BBYO, Inc. board of directors. "Empowering BBYO
alumni to find old friends, share memories, make new connections and stay in touch
is an important piece of building a stronger Jewish community around the globe."
Back to Article
BBYO Alumni Travel to Israel Together (Continued)
"Leading a birthright Israel group allowed me to feel as if I were experiencing Israel
for the first time all over again," said Jason Benkendorf, former Grand Aleph Godol
(2000-01) from St. Louis, MO. "It was amazing to see how Israel impacted the
participants, and to see the joy they took in every new experience – the same joy I
felt on my first Israel trip, nearly a decade ago, courtesy of BBYO."
Lynn Schusterman, chair of BBYO's board of directors, joined one of the groups for
their Shabbat in Israel. Lynn spoke about the importance of BBYO and birthright, as
well as the importance of staying connected and increasing participant's involvement
in Jewish life. Additionally, former Grand Aleph Godol (1997-98) from Houston, TX,
Daniel Septimus, who is currently studying to be a rabbi, joined the group with his
wife, Amanda, also a BBYO alumnae.
Back to Article
Last Surviving Founder of AZA Honored on His 100th Birthday in Omaha;
Current GAG Joins Celebration (Continued)
The charter for Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA), which began because of religious
discrimination against Jews, was signed on May 3, 1924. Bon, who later owned a
graphic design business, created the logo for the fledgling organization.
The birthday ceremony was coordinated by Gary Javitch, president of the B'nai B'rith
Omaha Henry Monsky Lodge and Mid-America regional president. Joining Javitch in
commemorating the occasion were several BBYO alumni. Gary Doshay, the B'nai B'rith
regional president of Southern California, described the wonderful experiences he had
as a member of AZA and as a BBYO advisor. "If it were not for AZA, I would not
have gone on to work in other B'nai B'rith activities, or even obtain this office," he
said.
Dan Moskovitz, the Tarzana-based associate rabbi of Temple Judea, who served as
Grand Aleph Godol (1989-90) and is still very active in BBYO, presented Bon with a
certificate for a tree planted in Israel in his honor. "You have been a planter of so
many seeds. Now look how your seeds have grown. Look at the scope and depth of
BBYO, the fruit of your labors."
Rattiner, 18, who had recently returned from Europe, where he had been visiting with
other AZA chapters, addressed Bon by saying, "The name Bernard Theodore has
reached a mythical status among the thousands in BBYO. The organizational effect on
its members is only equaled by its impact on the Jewish people. I am humbled to
meet you, and on behalf of AZA, thank you."
Marty Ricks, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation helped
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memorialize Bon's historical contribution by presenting him with a glass-engraved
plaque signed by the president of B'nai B'rith International, Joel S. Kaplan; chair of
the BBYO board of directors, Lynn Schusterman; Brandon Rattiner; Marty Ricks; and
Gary Javitch.
"I didn't know I was going to be given all these honors." Then he added, "But it
makes me glad that I stuck around!"
Back to Article
BBYO PROVIDES TOOLS AND TOURS TO HELP COLLEGE-BOUND JEWISH TEENS
(Continued)
Philadelphia BBYO will be co-sponsoring Jewish Campus Connection: New
England College Tour, March 30-April 2. College-bound Jewish high school juniors
in the Greater Philadelphia-area are invited to take part in a unique opportunity to
visit nine colleges and universities in New England over the course of four days.
Participants will visit the University of Hartford, University of Massachusetts,
Northeastern University, Boston University and Brandeis University as well as have the
opportunity to select from one of the five consortium colleges in the Northampton
area (Smith College, Amherst College, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, Mount
Holyoke and Hampshire College).
Teens will spend time sharing meals with current Jewish college students and
dialoging with campus leaders about Jewish life on campus. They will have the
opportunity to meet representatives from Judaic Studies departments, Hillels, Israel
advocacy groups, and members of Jewish fraternities and sororities. They will see the
college experience first-hand with their friends and learn how they can be socially,
politically, religiously and culturally Jewish on campus.
Campus tours and information sessions are part of this experience and representatives
from Admissions and Financial Aid offices will be on-hand to answer questions about
the application process.
The college tour fee includes a pre-trip Workshop for participants and parents on
Sunday, March 26, 2006 from 5:00-8:15pm. The workshop will include a Kosher
dinner, and the topics covered include choosing a college (separated discussion for
teens and parents), Jewish identity, what to expect when visiting colleges and
universities and a review of the trip itinerary.
For more information or to apply, contact Lisa Stewart at 215.446.3030 or
[email protected].
Michigan Region BBYO and B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Region will be cosponsoring College Connection: Michigan State University, March 17-18. This
program will comprise an overnight trip to Michigan State University (MSU) where the
group will participate in a series of orientation activities regarding Jewish life on
campus. Many of the scheduled activities will take place at the Hillel building, The
Lester J. Morris Jewish Student Center, where the group will also have the
opportunity to enjoy Shabbat dinner and services. Participants will have the
opportunity to meet Jewish students on campus, receive a tour of the Hillel building,
take part in a guided tour of the campus, talk with a representative of the admissions
office and learn about Jewish activities along with academic courses. The group will
also spend time at the Student Union during their visit.
This program is open to all Jewish high school juniors and seniors, regardless of
membership in BBYO. The cost for the program is $36, which includes kosher meals
provided by Hillel, bus transportation and accommodations. This program has been
generously subsidized by an anonymous donor through B'nai B'rith Great Lakes
Region.
Registration is required in order to participate in this exciting opportunity; the
deadline to register is Monday, February 27th. Registration forms and information are
available online at www.mibbyo.org. For more information, please contact Stacey
Wolf, Michigan Region assistant director, at 248.788.0700 or [email protected].
Additional upcoming events include:
Prospective Student Leadership Shabbaton at Washington University,
St. Louis, April 21-23, a weekend for prospective high school juniors and
seniors to check out Wash U and its Jewish life. For more information, e-mail
[email protected].
16th Annual FACETS Conference and College Fair for Jewish teens and
their parents, March 19, 12pm-5pm (registration opens at 11am) at the
University of Judaism in Bel Air, CA. FACETS, a program of the Los Angeles
Hillel Council, is a unique college admissions preparation seminar that helps
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students from the Southern California region get the information and
resources necessary to maximize the chances of getting into the university or
college of their choice. Look out for BBYO's table at the College Fair as well as
exciting sessions led by BBYO staff. For more information, including costs, or
to register, contact Matt Friedman at 323.761.8555 ext. 104 or
[email protected]. Or, register online at
http://www.lahillel.org/facets/facetssignup.html.
Back to Article
PACIFIC COAST REGION'S WEST FEST IS A BIG HIT (Continued)
The acts were judged by a professional panel including a music talent scout, a
professional singer/songwriter, a vice president at CBS and a Pulitzer Prize winning
journalist. They chose two winners at the event, one for best group and another for
best solo performance. Arrhythmia, a jazz/funk band, won the grand prize. Julia
Simone won the solo performance award. The winners were awarded a professional
website and photo shoot provided by Reason Media Group.
"I was thrilled with West Fest," said Teen Outreach specialist, Mike Mason. "It was an
exciting event, and it really captured the essence of what we wanted to do. We
envisioned a community- wide talent showcase for Jewish teens in Los Angeles. That
was exactly what we got."
Back to Article
MIAMI BBYO ADDRESSES INTOLERANCE WITH HOLOCAUST-INSPIRED PLAY
(Continued)
Since that show, Miami BBYO has been featured in local media, including The Miami
Herald and Miami's local NBC station as part of its Black History Month theme
addressing intolerance and diversity.
Stained will be performed again on February 23rd at the Miami Jewish Museum.
Lisa Reichert, Miami BBYO assistant program director, feels it is valuable to get the
youth of the community involved in such a meaningful project. "How we respect one
another must be a priority in order for our world to change for the better," she says.
The Holocaust provides pertinent insight to the common social problems of today,"
Lisa notes. "While they learn about it in school," she says, "many do not see that
intolerance and prejudice are still rampant in the world today."
Lisa Reichert asked Ruth Gordon, Palmetto Middle School's Gifted Lead Teacher and
an active member in the Holocaust education community, to direct the group.
Ruth says she wasn't prepared for the wealth of knowledge that the teens brought to
the script. "I hadn't worked with high school students for a while," she says. She was
amazed by their "insight about that period of time and current events."
While she was fully confident in her directing skills, "I was a bit apprehensive about
writing the script," Ruth revealed. "The students made it a very easy task in the
end," she continued. "They were very on target," with what they wanted to
accomplish.
Gaelyn Sicher-Ford, one of the scriptwriters, auditioned for the group because of her
love for writing and desire to express her feelings on the subject of intolerance. After
seeing the show, she hopes the audience will think about the consequences of their
actions as it pertains to narrow-mindedness.
David Melendez, a cast member, notes that he was interested in the variety of ideas
that come with dissimilar cultures. "I wanted to act in this play as it has all different
points of view," he says. "I wanted to see where each person is coming from and
understand everyone's struggles."
Despite their differences, they were able to create a piece of work that transcends
time and space. "All of us come from different places, but we all treated each other
with respect," said Schuyler Polk, an Impact Theater member.
It could be said that, in effect, their experiment was a microcosm for the world at
large, as it brought together teenagers from across the community to communicate,
collaborate, and create a final, seamless product.
As a result, 25 teenagers from BBYO and around the community, which include the
writers, cast members, crew, and public relations managers, came together to
produce Stained, a show that turned their feelings about intolerance and prejudice
into a lesson on what has changed–and what hasn't–since World War II through a
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series of vignettes. The characters ranged from a person in Rwanda to a Jewish
person, from a Muslim, to even a lonely clown.
"I hope our audiences gain a better understanding of themselves and others, just as
all of us who have worked on the show have gained," says Nicole Salzman, assistant
director and BBYO member.
Hannah Kohrman, another BBYO member, agrees. "I hope that people leave the
theater shocked by what they saw."
To read more, visit the Miami Herald article on Stained at
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/13724186.htm.
Back to Article
BBYO WELCOMES "BIG EASY" MEMBERS; SPECIAL EVENT FEATURING MTV
REAL WORLD CAST MEMBER (Continued)
The other members of BBYO's Cotton States Region (which includes New Orleans) will
continue to fully welcome and integrate Big Easy BBYO members into BBYO's
structure. A special New Orleans liaison position has been created in the region's
youth leadership. This person will work with BBYO's professional staff to ensure that
these teens have the resources and information they need to truly become the
premiere teen program in the city. Grant monies are being solicited to underwrite
local programming costs, scholarships and transportation to regional and international
events.
Of particular note is a community event being held on March 19. Rachel Moyal, a
young Jewish woman who served two tours of duty as a combat nurse in Iraq and
recently appeared on the MTV reality show, Real World: Austin, will be in New
Orleans as a guest speaker. Ms. Moyal speaks about life in Iraq, her experience as a
Jewish soldier, her Jewish identity and her life on the show. Often, she relates her
Iraq experience to what her own grandmother was faced with during the Holocaust.
She is well known in the teen audience, and attracted over 120 teens at a recent
BBYO program in New Jersey. The chapter is also considering ongoing community
service projects throughout the year, potentially assisting one of the local Kosher
restaurants that's been struggling since Katrina.
Back to Article
BBYO TEENS EMBRACE ILL CHILDREN THROUGH SOARINGWORDS (Continued)
Becca Shareff of Eastern Region called the program at IC "a task so seemingly simple
but in reality one so full of love." She contacted her regional director to see if it
would be possible to continue Soaringwords at their approaching regional convention,
and ultimately pulled off another amazing program decorating over 100 pillows and
100 blankets for children in need. "I have never seen my region so creative, generous
and genuinely caring about any given program," Shareff said. "The comments and
hugs I received afterwards only strengthens my belief that Soaringwords not only
helps kids in hospitals, but also the kids who are doing the giving."
Teens from BBYO's Great Midwest Region also participated in a local Soaringwords
program after being inspired at IC. They helped Lisa Buksbaum, founder of
Soaringwords, run a community service event at a Bat Mitzvah in Chicago. The teens
set up different stations with activities to create meaningful gifts to the Children's
Memorial Hospital in Chicago. They decorated pillows, quilts, flower pots, and they
created puppets. "The experiences of both participating in a Soaringwords event as
well as helping run one was phenomenal," said Anna Lasko. "Seeing the looks on the
guest's faces during the Bat Mitzvah was so gratifying."
The AZAs of the Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio Region found the Superbowl to be an
opportune time to implement a Soaringwords program. They campaigned for a
donation and were awarded $500 so they could participate in Soaringword's blanket
making projects. They received supplies and an educational curriculum so they could
design and create pillows and blankets while they watched the game.
Back to Article
ATLANTA TEENS EXPLORE ISRAEL TOGETHER (Continued)
This trip was absolutely indescribable. It was a ten-day trip throughout the most
amazing country in the world where a small, yet close group of sixteen got to
experience a fulfilling and unforgettable experience. Not only did this adventure bring
us together as friends, teenagers and peers, it gave us a sense of similarity and
signified another reason why Jewish youth organizations are so important in every
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community. This trip to Israel was an amazing opportunity to experience the history
of the Jewish people first-hand. It put all of my Jewish day school studies and torah
portions into perspective when I got the implausible chance to follow the footsteps of
our ancestors. It was so meaningful to put all of my past education into real life
experiences. What a surreal feeling to actually be in the "holy land" and have the
ability to touch the reasons and remains of our history. From the early morning to
late at night, our group explored the country inside and out. We went to places of our
ancestors, battlefields and factories where products are sold nationwide. The remains
of the old city and the temple just made me think about my existence in the world
and how my family is part of such a fascinating heritage. The trip was put together
by the hardworking BBYO directors and the passionate tour guides who allowed us to
get a perfect taste of the Israeli culture and society. I truly encourage everyone to
travel to Israel begin the extraordinary journey through our people's history.
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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March/April 2006
Issue 15
MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS SUMMER
Welcome to the combined March/April issue of the BBYO e-News. If you have
information to share or comments about the BBYO e-News, please e-mail
[email protected].
BBYO, Inc. News
If you are a junior in college or beyond and
are interested in making a world of difference
in the lives of Jewish teens, check out BBYO's
summer staff opportunities. Visit our Careers
webpage or contact Jeff Hoffman at
202.857.6632.
MIX-AND-MATCH THE PERFECT ISRAEL
EXPERIENCE
Almost Six Hundred Teens Gather
For Largest-Ever BBYO
International Convention
Join hundreds of teens in Israel this summer
for an experience you will never forget. BBYO's
Passport to Israel program offers something for
everyone. Choose from four trip options and a
variety of departure dates. Visit
www.passport2israel.org to watch a video and
get more information.
Never in BBYO’s 80-year history has its
annual International Convention gathered
together so many teens committed to
making a difference in the Jewish
community and the world. On February 16,
nearly 600 teens traveled to Atlanta from
virtually every corner of North America, as well as Israel and Europe, to chart a course
for strengthening the Jewish future. READ MORE...
Jeremy Gelman and Dina Finer to Be the Next International Presidents
ARE YOU SIGNED UP FOR A BBYO SUMMER
EXPERIENCE?
Jeremy Gelman of Denver, CO, and Dina Finer of Tulsa, OK, were elected at BBYO’s
International Convention to serve as the Grand Aleph Godol and International N’siah of
BBYO. Their terms will begin in June 2006. The pair will follow Brandon Rattiner and
Shauna Ruda –both of Denver –who currently serve as the International Presidents.
READ MORE...
Want a break from lifeguarding this summer?
Join teens from all over the world on a BBYO
summer experience. Interested in community
service? Outdoor adventure? Leadership?
Summer’s Coming. Got Plans?
A BBYO summer experience is a life-changing opportunity. Whether you are interested
in travel, community service, outdoor adventure, leadership or Judaism, BBYO is
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BBYO’s got a program for you. Visit
www.bbyo.org to learn more.
offering high-quality programs within a community of Jewish teens who will become
lifelong friends. Following are just a few of this summer's opportunities:
Travel the Country Like Never Before with Etgar 36
GET 10% OFF PRINCETON REVIEW
SAT/ACT COURSES
Etgar 36 is a cross-country journey –touring through
Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Denver, Zion
National Park, The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and San
Francisco –that combines travel with social activism.
Participants will learn the history and politics of the
various destinations while meeting local activists who
changed history. Dates: July 11 –August 2. For more
information, contact Billy Planer at 404.456.6605 or
[email protected]. To register, visit “Summer
Experiences”at www.bbyo.org.
Enjoy the Ultimate Outdoor Jewish Adventure with Derech Eretz
SUPPORT THE JEWISH FUTURE
BBYO needs your annual support to reach
thousands of Jewish teens. You can contribute
to BBYO either through an unrestricted gift or
by designating your gift to a specific fund,
program or project.
GET INVOLVED WITH J-SERVE 2006
Learn more about the annual day of service for
Jewish youth throughout the world at
http://www.jserve.org/index.htm.
I LIKE YOU, EILAT!
This t-shirt featured exclusively at the
bbyostore.com is a must-have if you’re visiting
Israel this summer! Visit www.bbyostore.com
today for t-shirts, hats, iPod covers and more.
Join BBYO on Derech Eretz: East Coast New
England Adventure or West Coast High Sierra
Adventure, both two-week outdoor experiences
coordinated by The Teva Learning Center and
Shalom Nature Center –two leading Jewish
environmental educational institutes. Participants
fully enjoy the great outdoors by rappelling,
kayaking, rafting and camping. For more
information on the East Coast program, taking
place July 23 –August 6, contact Marc Geller at
303.316.6385 or [email protected]. For more information on the West Coast
program, taking place June 25 –July 9, contact Mike Mason at 818.464.3366 or
[email protected]. To register, visit “Summer Experiences”at www.bbyo.org.
Learn to Lead at Chapter Leadership Training Conference
It’s not too late to register for CLTC, a premier and
time-honored training program for teens who have
completed the ninth grade and aspire to positions
of leadership within their BBYO chapters.
Participants will learn specific skills in order to
create strong chapters back home through handson, interactive, experiential activities. Teens have
eight different CLTC sessions to choose from,
including camp locations in Wisconsin and
Pennsylvania, as well as at the University of
Judaism in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, contact Sherrie Stalarow at
214.363.4654 or [email protected].
To find more information on these programs and a dozen other exciting
opportunities visit “Summer Experiences”at www.bbyo.org.
BBYO Launches Petition Drive to Ban Nuclear Weapons in Iran
Teens across the country are gaining
first-hand experience at making a
difference in the political world with
BBYO’s iCan Campaign for a
Nuclear-Free Iran. The campaign
officially launched at BBYO’s
International Convention where
BBYO’s international youth leadership
issued a call-to-action to AZA and BBG members to obtain as many signatures as
possible on petitions urging the U.N. Security Council to call for Iran to immediately
abandon its nuclear weapons program. The petition also urges the U.S. government to
support the Iran Freedom Support Act, a bill that will hold the current regime in Iran
accountable for its threatening behavior and support a transition to democracy in Iran.
To date, BBYO members have collected nearly 9,500 signatures through the personto-person petition drive. The signed petitions will be sent to Senatorial offices on
Capitol Hill representing more than 25 states.
READ MORE...
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BBYO Teens Make Themselves Heard at
Annual AIPAC Policy Conference
To submit news, events or comments
for the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
A 25-person delegation of Jewish teens
representing BBYO traveled from all over the
United States to Washington, DC, March 5-7, to
participate in the largest-ever annual Policy
Conference of the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee (AIPAC). The teens played an active
role in the pro-Israel community’s pre-eminent
event, which drew a record-breaking 5,000+
participants from all 50 states and several
foreign countries, including the world’s leading experts in politics, diplomacy and
foreign affairs; AIPAC activists; and over 1,000 students. READ MORE...
BBYO Teens to Participate in Save
Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide
Up to 400,000 people have lost their lives in
Darfur since the government-sponsored genocide
began in 2003. On Sunday, April 30, a delegation
of BBYO teens will join thousands of others in
Washington, DC as part of Save Darfur: Rally to
Stop Genocide, an effort to urge the government
to take the necessary steps to end the genocide
and build a lasting peace for the people of Darfur.
READ MORE...
Jordan Yoss of Atlanta, GA Honored
For His Volunteer Efforts with BBYO
BBYO is proud to announce Jordan Yoss as
the 2006 recipient of The David Bittker
Unsung Hero Award. Yoss has served as the
advisor of Hazakah AZA in East Cobb, GA
for four years.
The David L. Bittker Unsung Hero Award is
given out annually in memory and
recognition of David Bittker, a long time lay
leader of BBYO known for putting his personal interests aside to take on roles most
needed by the organization. His desire to give time, energy and resources toward
strengthening the Jewish community is the very model of leadership BBYO seeks to
share with generations of young people. Yoss is the second recipient of the award
which is presented to an outstanding advisor reflecting Bittker's qualities of integrity,
humility, dedication and hard work. READ MORE...
Alumni News
Where Young Lives Take Shape: The Ancient Ones
BBYO is proud of its 80+ year reputation for
building future leaders and lifelong
friendships, and for seven "old time" AZAers
– the Ancient Ones, as they came to be
known – this reputation could not ring more
true. Last October, seven former AZAs from
the late 1940s and 1950s, along with their
spouses, gathered in Scottsdale, Arizona for
a weekend reunion. After sharing incredible
BBYO experiences as youth, their lives had
taken them in different directions; most of
the men had not seen each other for 50
years. But, when they finally reunited, the men agreed that BBYO had played a
significant role in impacting their futures.
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"There was a curiosity about what our subsequent lives had become, what values had
guided us over the years and what the years had taught us," said Leon S. Eplan, one
of the participants. "We thought it would be worth the time to gather and recall the
warmth and respect we once enjoyed by being together, working together, and to
share with each other how our AZA experiences shaped our lives." READ MORE...
BBYO Launches Prominent Alumni Ad Campaign
There are approximately 250,000 people in the
world whose lives have been shaped by BBYO's
renowned leadership programs, and it is no
surprise that many of them have gone on to
become prominent leaders in the fields of
Jewish communal service, entertainment,
business, politics, academia and the arts. In an
effort to commend BBYO alumni who have
established remarkable careers, as well as to
reconnect alumni to the organization that
shaped their lives, BBYO has recently established a "Prominent Alumni Ad Campaign."
AZA alumni, Ira Lipman, CEO of Guadsmark, LLC, one of the largest security
companies in the world, and Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner, will start off the
campaign and will soon be joined by BBG alumni who share the concept that BBYO is a
lifelong connection, providing opportunities for networking and sustaining its vital
mission well beyond the teen years.
If you know of prominent BBYO alum or if you would like to distribute these ads in
your community, please contact Amy Jablin, director of the alumni network, at
[email protected].
Alumni: Do You Have a Simcha to Share?
BBYO wants to know what you are up to. This spring you will
receive an alumni newsletter and we want your input. Have you
enjoyed a simcha lately? The birth of a new baby, a new job,
an engagement or a wedding? Let us know by e-mailing
[email protected] with your name, grad year,
region/council/district and simcha. We look forward to hearing
from you! To ensure publication in our newsletter, please
respond by April 25.
Dallas to Hold BBYO Alumni Reunion
On June 9-11, the North Texas Oklahoma Region (NTO), formerly TEXOMA Region, will
be holding an alumni reunion for BBYO alumni and friends 21 years or older. Proceeds
will support NTO BBYO programming.
Visit www.bbyodallasreunion.com today to register or to get more information
about the weekend, see who is coming, look at old BBYO pictures, post message for
friends you would like to see and more. Come back regularly for reunion and
participant updates.
BBYO Alumnus, Brad Cohen, Goes on Book Tour
For BBYO alumnus, Brad Cohen, living with Tourette Syndrome since childhood has not
stopped him from taking leadership roles in a variety of settings and being a role
model for others. He is currently traveling to promote and discuss his new book, Front
of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had, which tells
his story of personal challenge and unwavering determination, proving anyone can
make their dreams come true. Upcoming events include: April 1 in Orlando, FL; April
6-9 in Washington, DC; April 27 at Bradley University; and April 28 in Peoria, IL. For
more information on the book and his tour please visit www.FrontOfTheClass-PR.com.
Explore Your Future in Jewish Education
College students interested in a career in Jewish education are invited to apply to
attend The Schusterman College Program, sponsored by the Coalition for the
Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). The Schusterman College Program, a weeklong experience that is part of the larger Conference on Alternatives in Jewish
Education, is taking place this year at Duke University in Durham, NC, and will run
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from August 3 –10. An application to attend the program, as well as a program flyer
and scholarship information is available on the CAJE website at www.caje.org/college.
Cycle for Peace, Partnership &
Environmental Protection
The Arava Institute Hazon Israel Ride is an
extraordinary experience: five days, on a
bicycle, from Jerusalem to Eilat, with 150
Americans and Israelis. It’s an incredible
way to see Israel. It’s a powerful way to
show support. And, it’s a unique way to
learn about a range of challenges that Israel
faces—and the ways that together we can
make a difference.
Join 150 riders to cycle from Jerusalem to Eilat over 5 days, May 9-16. Ride via
Jerusalem, Ashkelon, the Negev, Mitzpeh Ramon and Kibbutz Ketura to Eilat. Celebrate
on the beach in Ashkelon and spend Shabbat in Mitzpe Ramon by the spectacular
Ramon Crater, and end with a closing banquet on the final night in Eilat.
For more information and to register, go to www.israelride.org, or email Rebecca
Guber, Hazon Ride Director, at [email protected].
b-linked.org News
Close to 5,000 teens are already taking advantage of b-linked.org to make new
connections with Jewish teens around the world, stay in touch with friends from camp,
travel and school and get help with college. And, now there’s even more of a reason
for Jewish teens to sign up on b-linked! BBYO has just launched exciting new chat and
group features! If you are a Jewish teen and are not yet using b-linked.org, register
today!
b-lucky Campaign Allows Teens to Win Prizes For
Registering on b-linked.org
Teens that are already on b-linked and teens that still need to
register can all benefit from BBYO’s new b-lucky scratch-off card
campaign. BBYO teens are circulating b-lucky cards across every
region of the country, and all you need to do is scratch the card
to reveal your code. Once you have a code, visit b-linked.org, fill
out the registration information and key in your code along with
the name of the person who gave you the card for you both to
be eligible to win prizes in a random monthly drawing; prizes
worth $250 include: iPod Nanos, Sony PSPs, Abercrombie & Fitch
gift certificates, iTunes gift certificate, digital cameras, Summer
Program scholarships and more.
For more information regarding the contest rules and regulations, visit b-linked.org and
click on "Contest Rules" on the Login page. The contest ends August 15. Contact
[email protected] for more information on how to receive these cards.
b-linked.org Continues To Spark Media Interest
A recent study commissioned by BBYO revealing that the majority of American
teenagers value religion but want a better connection, and the organization's answer to
their call through its new social networking community – b-linked.org – have received
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press attention from over 100 media outlets including MTV.com, NBC's The Today
Show, JTA and the New York Jewish Week. Visit http://www.bbyo.org/index.php?
c=487&kat=BBYO+in+the+News to see all of BBYO's press coverage.
b-accepted.org News
Michigan Region BBYO Hosts College Connection: Michigan State
University
On March 17 and 18, Michigan teens got a taste of college life at Michigan State
University. The teens spent the weekend among MSU students exploring the university
and learning about being Jewish on a college campus. Sponsored by Michigan Region
BBYO and B’nai Brith Great Lakes Region, the program highlights included Shabbat
services with over 70 current students, a discussion panel of different ways to become
actively Jewish on campus, and a tour of the university.
For more information about future college-related programming in the Michigan region,
please contact Stacey Wolf, assistant director, at 248.788.0700 or [email protected].
BBYO Co-Sponsors 16th Annual FACETs Conference and College Fair in
Los Angeles
On March 19 at the University of Judaism in Bel Air, CA, BBYO co-sponsored FACETs, a
unique college admissions preparation seminar of the Los Angeles Hillel Council aimed
at helping students from Southern California get the information and resources
necessary to maximize the chances of getting into the university or college of their
choice. Teens saw a demo of b-accepted.org and b-linked.org and learned about
leadership experiences through BBYO that can help prepare them for college.
"Through attending FACETS, I not only learned about college admissions strategies and
information from numerous prestigious universities around the country," said Lisa
Weisshar, one of the participants. "I also found several options and opportunities to
continue to express and identify with my religion as I continue to higher education."
Seattle BBYO Enjoyed Shabbat with University of Washington Students
On March 10, The University of Washington's new Hillel center created a wonderful
atmosphere for a Shabbat gathering, which brought together University of Washington
students and Seattle BBYO teens. The two groups enjoyed Shabbat dinner together
after traditional Friday night services, during which the University of Washington
students had an opportunity to share their experiences in college and speak about
Jewish life on campus to the teens. For more information related to college preparation
programs in Seattle, contact Jane Rutstein, at [email protected] or 206.232.7115
x257.
Don't miss these upcoming b-accepted events:
Free SAT Practice Testing with The Princeton Review in Westchester
Take a full-length New SAT test under actual test conditions. Discover your strengths
and weaknesses on the New SAT without affecting your official score! Pick up your
scores during a special session and learn from a Princeton Review expert instructor
who will demonstrate tips and techniques to raise your SAT score. The Westchester
opportunity will be on May 21 at noon. RSVP for the test by Wednesday, May 17. For
more information and to RSVP, contact Jessica Rothstein at 914.286.3505 or
[email protected].
Prospective Student Leadership Shabbaton at Washington University
Prospective high school juniors and seniors are invited to check out Washington
University in St. Louis and its Jewish life for a special Shabbaton, April 21-23. Visit
www.washushabbaton.com to register today. For more information, e-mail
[email protected].
Regional News
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Greater Jersey Hudson River Teens Learn
Jewish Immigrant Experience
Nearly 270 teens from the Greater Jersey Hudson
River Region attended this year's Regional Judaism
Institute (RJI) in New Jersey. Entitled Know Your
Roots, the institute featured a number of interactive
programs and discussions concerning the Jewish
immigrant experience. READ MORE...
Big Apple Region BBYO Helps Kick Off
Passover Food Drive
Over 45 Big Apple Region BBYO teens helped the
Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council kick
off its annual Passover Food Drive on Sunday,
March 12 at the Samuel Field Y in Little Neck,
Queens. READ MORE...
NOVA Council BBG Chapter Says "Thanks" to
Firemen
Haganah BBG#5064 joined the Leesburg Firehouse in
their 3rd Annual Firemen Dinner. Haganah BBG cooked
the firemen a delicious dinner that included garlic
bread, pasta, salad and dessert as a way to thank the
firemen for their hard work and dedication. There were
15 girls at the event, and they look forward to doing it
again next year!
Old Football Rivalry Revived in South
Jersey and Philadelphia
Upon discovery of old all-star game trophies
between South Jersey and Philadelphia, the
regions decided to bring back the tradition! On
Superbowl Sunday, football was especially on
the minds of these teens; for the first time in
several years, South Jersey and Philadelphia
faced off in a flag football all-star game. The
40-degree weather didn’t keep both teams from
having large cheering sections of excited fans.
“I greatly enjoyed bringing back this wonderful tradition,”said Brandon Bienstock, SJR
Godol. “I hope that this tradition can continue and next year the two teams can
compete for the trophy again.”
Michigan Region Helps the Disabled
Through Sports
Greenberg AZA 151 members in Michigan Region
are making a difference in the lives of several
developmentally, disabled residents of a JARC's
Berlin Home in Bloomfield Township. On Tuesday
nights, AZAs gather with a group from the Berlin
Home to casually shoot some hoops. The
program has been so successful that it's been
able to expand to include kickball, baseball, floor
hockey and lacrosse. READ MORE...
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Birmingham BBYO's Fundraising Efforts for New Orleans Rocks
Rockin's The Big Easy, an event sponsored by Birmingham BBYO in an effort to raise
money for their neighbors in New Orleans, gathered nearly 200 teens, both Jewish and
non-Jewish, together for the cause. Teens got to enjoy the music of six local bands,
socialize with friends and fundraise for a good cause all at the same time. By the end
of the night, the event had raised over $3,000.
Dodgeball Hits New England BBYO
New England BBYO hosted over 60 teens to
cheer on their friends and participate in an
exciting dodgeball tournament. Eight teams
participated in the five-hour event which created
new friendships between local BBYO members,
as well as the local NFTY chapter and Jewish day
school students. READ MORE...
Central Region West Plans Trip to Gulf Coast
Join teens from the Bay Area, May 26 – 30 on a trip to the Gulf Coast to help rebuild
from the damage of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Registration is now open at blinked.org under "My Events" or visit www.teenstakeaction.net for more information.
Hurry! Space is extremely limited. Deadline is April 21.
BBYO In the News
Miami Region BBYO's production of Stained, a performance they wrote, directed and
performed with the interest of exploring the meaning of the Jewish Holocaust in
relation to modern times, was featured in the Pinecrest Tribune. "This is not a history
lesson," said Nicole Salzman, a Palmetto High School junior. "It is a life lesson." (March
20, 2006)
Dina Finer of North Texas Oklahoma region is the first Tulsan ever to be elected as
International N'siah and has been featured in Tulsa World and on local KOTV News
at 6. (March 11, 2006)
The Washington Jewish Week featured Ben Arnstein of NOVA Council BBYO for his
recent election to Grand Aleph S'gan for the upcoming year. "I love the amount of
leadership I was able to take," said Arnstein. "I love the fact that as I got into it, I
was able to get a stronger connection to Judaism." You can view the entire article at
http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?
SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=4932&TM=52291.63. (March 1, 2006)
Nassau-Suffolk Region's Masada BBG #1519 attracted The East Meadow Herald's
attention due to all of its philanthropic endeavors. According to the article, Masada
BBG has made a donation of $300 to the United Jewish Communities Disaster Relief
Fund to help Hurricane Katrina victims, is involved in raising money to buy an
ambulance for Israel, participated in Project H.O.P.E. and visited the local Ronald
McDonald House to cook dinner for its residents. The article conveyed how the 42
members of the chapter are truly making a difference in their community. (Feb. 2,
2006)
The ability of youth groups to have positive effects on teens was the focus of a Buffalo
Grove Countryside article that featured Great Midwest Region and its regional director
Stacy Heller. "Being in BBYO as a teenager shaped my life," Heller said. "BBYO
connects teens throughout the world. It gives kids a place to belong, to fit in, to be
with other Jewish teens." (Feb. 23, 2006)
In a New York Jewish Week article, Lynn Schusterman, president of the Charles and
Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and chair of the BBYO, Inc. board of directors,
addressed the needs of American Jewry to draw more leadership on local levels. Her
article entitled, "Drawing energy from the roots," praised organizations such as BBYO
and Hillel in which "innovation is celebrated, local initiatives are launched with relative
ease and national standards and goals are achieved not by command and control but
by consensus and shared values." To read the article in its entirety visit
http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=4827. (Feb. 10, 2006)
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When asked what their most important Jewish memory was, two University of
Cincinnati students mentioned BBYO. Kentucky Indiana Ohio Region alumni, Carly
Froomkin and Josh Levey, were featured in the American Israelite in which Froomkin
said her more important Jewish memory was visiting Yad Vashem on a BBYO summer
program, and Levey attributed his leadership skills to experience gained in BBYO. (Feb.
2, 2006)
The Atlanta Jewish Times featured Sara Citron for her selection as one of six girls
nationally to coordinate CLTC this summer. Sara, currently a senior, serves on the
Atlanta Council board and was the founding president of B'yachad BBG Chapter 2495.
(Jan. 20, 2006)
Taryn Cantor of Rocky Mountain Region is making a difference for children with
Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a very painful skin disease. She was featured on her local
channel 9 News website because of her extraordinary fundraising efforts, raising over
$13,000 for EB research with the "Butterfly Children Project" which she started. You
can view the article at
http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=f8896513-0abe421a-0172-ea04c1fef18b&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf.
(Jan. 23, 2006)
Houston BBYO alumna, Jennifer Varadi, wrote an article published on the American
Friends of the Hebrew University website exploring her relationship between going
to school in Israel and returning to the United States. You can view her article at
http://www.afhu.org/site/rothberg.htm.
Almost Six Hundred Teens Gather For Largest-Ever BBYO International
Convention (Continued)
"As I look out into your faces, I know that I am looking at future business leaders,
rabbis and members of Congress," said Lynn Schusterman, chair of BBYO's board of
directors, during IC's Opening Ceremonies held at the Marcus Jewish Community
Center of Atlanta. "I cannot help but feel inspired and energized about the work we are
currently doing to revitalize BBYO and about the great promise of our shared Jewish
future as you step up as its leaders."
The IC agenda was reflective of teen leaders who take their roles seriously. Following
are a few of the key projects that were initiated by 75 regional presidents during
"Execs," two days of meetings prior to IC, and were subsequently acted upon by the
convention body:
The teens launched a new system-wide social action campaign entitled "iCan Be
Heard" – a mass petition urging the U.S. Government and the United Nations
to prevent nuclear proliferation in Iran;
Designated the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) as their charity for the
coming year, while launching an educational campaign for Jewish teens to learn
about Jewish communities in distress;
Developed new approaches to involve significantly more Jewish teens in more
meaningful Jewish experiences.
BBYO's executive director, Matthew Grossman, addressed the teen presidents with a
message focused on opening a new era in the history of Jewish teen involvement that
takes advantage of technology and creates opportunities for young people to take
ownership of the Jewish future. He concluded his presentation by distributing copies of
the book, I Am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl
– a compilation of essays in which prominent leaders, including BBYO's board
president, Lynn Schusterman, talk about the meaning of Judaism in their lives.
"Being a part of BBYO's largest International Convention was inspirational," said Arielle
Gumer, a BBYO member from Atlanta. "It made me realize that the Jewish future is in
our hands, and that teenagers have the power to make a real difference in the world."
Additional IC highlights included:
Fifteen different educational sessions facilitated by BBYO professionals and
partner agency representatives, such as AIPAC, spark, TravelJewish.com and
Panim: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, with topics ranging from
discussing Jewish ethics to strengthening the U.S./Israel relationship.
Presentation of the second annual David Bittker Unsung Hero Award to Jordon
Yoss, a dedicated BBYO advisor in Atlanta.
Special memorial ceremony paying tribute to the legacies of Simon Wiesenthal,
Rosa Parks and Pope John Paul II.
IC also provided a platform for BBYO's teen presidents, Brandon Rattiner and Shauna
Ruda, both of Denver, CO, to deliver powerful keynote addresses, as well as to
oversee the democratic elections of ten International Board representatives, whose
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terms will begin in June. Jeremy Gelman of Denver, CO and Dina Finer of Tulsa, OK
were elected to serve at the helm of BBYO through the 2006-07 programming year.
IC's jam-packed business agenda was complemented by activities that enabled the
hundreds of participants from 38 different regions to establish new friendships, while
connecting to their Judaism on a level that they found meaningful. IC kicked off with a
special Opening Ceremonies concert featuring the Jewish rock band, The LeeVees, and
closed with Jewish teen music craze, Rick Recht. In between, teens enjoyed an
innovative musical Shabbat service in an outside amphitheater under the stars and a
creative Jewish hip-hop performance.
"[BBYO] cannot be the end of our experience as Jewish individuals," said Ruda. "It
must be a path to the building of our Jewish identities. We must leave with an
attachment and commitment to our Jewish community."
More coverage of IC is available from The Atlanta Jewish Times at
http://jtonline.us/main.asp?SectionID=23&SubSectionID=58&ArticleID=373
Back to Article
Jeremy Gelman and Dina Finer to Be the Next International Presidents
(Continued)
Gelman and Finer will each defer their first year of college to spend the 2006-07 term
assisting Jewish high school students in creating strong, dynamic programming;
modeling leadership; representing teens at major communal gatherings; and
encouraging involvement in the broad spectrum of Jewish life and activities.
"For nearly 5 years, BBYO has provided me with the tools to write the story of my
life," said Gelman. "It has helped me discover friends, allowed me to mature and has
prepared me to succeed, and now I will be able to help other Jewish teens write their
own meaningful life stories."
"Jeremy is a dynamic leader with a real passion for the Jewish community," said
BBYO's Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) executive regional director, David Adelstein. "We
are thrilled that he will be representing and motivating Jewish teens worldwide in the
capacity of Grand Aleph Godol."
Gelman has been actively involved with RMR and is currently serving as the
international secretary and treasurer for the worldwide organization. Finer has been a
member of North-Texas Oklahoma (NTO) Region for four years and is currently serving
as the international Jewish and Israel education, community service and social action
vice president of BBYO. As such, she played a key role engaging teens in relief efforts
following Hurricanes Katrina, selling 1,000 t-shirts online to raise nearly $10,000 for
re-building projects. She also helped to orchestrate a nationwide petition drive called
the "iCan Be Heard Campaign," collecting more than 9,500 signatures to date to urge
government officials to take a stand against nuclear proliferation in Iran.
"BBYO has nurtured me as a young Jewish leader and a young woman," said Finer.
"It's truly a place where friendship means everything and where teens have an
opportunity to make a real difference."
Both teens have tremendous goals ahead of them. Gelman's agenda includes
"expanding BBYO in cities with large Jewish populations, solidifying BBYO's Canadian
regions and helping all of our affiliates reach their full potential," while Finer will work
to "help our organization evolve with an ever-changing world, to unify our order by
strengthening international sisterhood and being an inspiration to every Jewish teenage
girl."
"Dina brings a real passion, energy and commitment to the Jewish community," said
BBYO's NTO executive regional director, Sherrie Stalarow. "We are delighted that she
will be representing and motivating Jewish teens worldwide in the capacity of
International N'siah."
In addition to Gelman, the new international leaders of AZA include: VP of
programming, Ben Arnstein of Annandale, VA; VP of membership, Jeff Dreifus of
Germantown, TN; secretary and treasurer, Matthew Storch of Longwood, FL; and
Jewish and Israel education, community service and social action VP, Aaron Rosenberg
of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The new international leaders of BBG include: VP of programming, Rachel Kleinman of
Plano, TX; VP of membership, Dana O'Neil of West Bloomfield, MI; secretary and
treasurer, Hannah Kohrman of Miami, FL; and Jewish and Israel education, community
service and social action VP, Sarah Strum of Little Neck, NY.
Gelman and Finer will be installed to their new positions during a ceremony at Camp
Perlman in Pennsylvania in June.
Back to Article
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BBYO Launches Petition Drive to Ban Nuclear Weapons in Iran
(Continued)
BBYO's teen leaders were provided with petitions for every U.S. senator, talking points
on the predicament in Iran and strategies for how to gain the most signatures. Erica
Robinson, International S'ganit, collected almost 1,200 single-handedly. "The reason
that I worked so hard to collect signatures is that before this campaign I didn't feel
that my peers were educated on the current situation in Iran," she said. "I felt that
the iCAN campaign really opened the door for me to educate the students at my school
and the people in my community while also allowing them to take action. I feel that
once people understood the Iran nuclear threat, they liked having a means for taking
action."
The BBYO region to collect the most signatures will receive $5,000 in scholarship
funding for members to attend summer programs. For more information, contact Ian
Kandel, international program associate, at
202.857.6694 or [email protected]
Back to Article
BBYO Teens Make Themselves Heard at Annual AIPAC Policy Conference
(Continued)
"Attending AIPAC was the experience of a lifetime for me," said Josh Balser, a high
school senior and BBYO member from Marietta, GA. "Getting the opportunity to meet
and learn from prominent policymakers in the world of Israeli affairs has inspired me
to do everything I can to make my voice heard in support of our Jewish homeland."
With three jam-packed days of programming featuring more than 100 breakout
sessions and addresses by top experts in fields related to U.S. policy toward the Middle
East, many considered this year's AIPAC Conference to be the most important ever, as
it coincided with Iran being on the brink of developing nuclear weapons, Hamas taking
control of the Palestinian parliament and Israel experiencing historic changes in
leadership.
Following are a few of the conference highlights for the teens:
The teens attended plenary sessions featuring United Nations Ambassador John
R. Bolton; United Nations Weapons Inspector, Dr. David Kay; Israeli candidates
for Prime Minister: The Honorable Benjamin Netanyahu, The Honorable Ehud
Olmert and The Honorable Amir Peretz; various leaders of the U.S. House of
Representatives and Senate; and AIPAC Senior Staff.
They took part in lobby training workshops; held a strategy session for the
nationwide "iCan Be Heard" petition drive to collect signatures urging
government officials to take a stand against nuclear proliferation in Iran;
learned about the effects of Hamas on the Palestinian Authority; and discussed
what to expect as Jews on college campuses.
BBYO co-sponsored a student reception, where hundreds of "iCan Be Heard"
megaphones were distributed, showing youth that they have a voice and the
power to make a real difference in the world.
The conference culminated with the teens getting the opportunity to lobby
congressional members on the subjects of Iran, Hamas and foreign aid to
Israel.
"Strengthening U.S.-Israel relations tomorrow is dependent on developing strong
Jewish leaders today" said Lynn Schusterman, chair of the BBYO, Inc. board of
directors, whose financial support enabled the teens to attend the conference.
"Educating today's Jewish teens about Israel, encouraging them to visit their homeland
and inspiring them to take action to support Israel is critical in securing the Jewish
future."
Back to Article
BBYO Teens to Participate in Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide
(Continued)
The event is being organized by the Save Darfur Coalition which is an alliance of over
100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations. Their mission is to raise
public awareness and to mobilize an effective unified response to the atrocities that
threaten the lives of two million people in the Darfur region. The Jewish community
will have a major presence at the rally thanks to a coalition led by the American
Jewish World Service (AJWS) and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). The rally
will begin at 1:30pm and last until 4pm on the National Mall in front of the Capitol
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building.
If your BBYO region is interested in attending the rally, please contact Tali Golan at
202.857.6562 or [email protected] to inquire about planning and logistics. Or, if you
want to plan an educational program in your region about Darfur, contact Tali
regarding ideas and curriculum materials. To find out if your community is organizing a
parallel program on the day of the rally, visit http://www.savedarfur.org/events/map?
q=events/map.php&state=All.
Back to Article
Jordan Yoss of Atlanta, GA Honored For His Volunteer Efforts with BBYO
(Continued)
"Jordan Yoss has gone above and beyond the duties of a BBYO advisor," said Kelly
Brown, Atlanta Council Director. "Not only does he attend almost every chapter
program, every convention and other council events, but he has become a mentor and
friend to many of those he advises. He is an all around role model for the teens,
advisors and staff alike."
Yoss balances advising Atlanta's youth with his career as a property underwriter for FM
Global. He says he was inspired to become a BBYO advisor after attending Georgia
Institute of Technology, which had an extremely small Jewish population. He sought a
stronger connection with the local Jewish community and rediscovered BBYO, which he
had been a part of for two years in high school.
"I felt that the BBYO advisory position would be the most effective way for me to
make a positive impact, as well as gain a sense of personal satisfaction from my
work," said Yoss.
The award was presented to Yoss in front of nearly 1,000 attendees at BBYO's
International Convention's Opening Ceremonies on February 16 in Atlanta. It was the
largest International Convention in BBYO's 80+ year history.
"I am both excited and somewhat embarrassed to receive this award," he said. "I
volunteer as an advisor out of love for the organization and the teens. This recognition
is not something I seek."
Back to Article
Where Young Lives Take Shape: The Ancient Ones (Continued)
This remarkable group of men made significant contributions to the Order of AZA. Four
men – Orrin Kabaker, Dick Brownstein, Ronnie Weiss and Don Newman – had served
as Grand Aleph Godols between 1949 and 1955. Elliot Levitas served as Grand Aleph
S'gan, Leon S. Eplan as Grand Aleph Mazkir and Stan Tobin as District One Godol.
Their leadership certainly did not end with BBYO, as each of the Ancient Ones has
gone on to receive a distinguished education and create a successful career. The group
includes four attorneys – Tobin, Levitas, Weiss and Brownstein; Orrin Kabaker became
a CPA in California, Don Newman a psychiatrist in California and Leon Eplan a city
planner and academic in Atlanta.
"BBYO taught me how to advise local groups, develop ideas and see a vision," said
Eplan, who earned a BA from Emory University and two MA's in Sociology and City
Planning from the University of Tennessee and University of North Carolina,
respectively. He also did post-doctoral work at the London School of Economics.
Eplan, an AZA Debate regional champion, also credits his ability to argue on his feet
and counter someone else's position to his involvement in AZA, and specifically its
debate opportunities. "If I had to list four or five things that influenced my life, AZA
clearly would be one," said Eplan. "It taught us leadership, taught us how to make
things work and taught us how to respect each other."
Elliot Levitas, who was a National Debate Champion during his time in BBYO, went on
to earn a BA from Emory University and a law degree from Emory Law School. A
Rhodes Scholar, he received an MA from Oxford University and did further study in law
at the University of Michigan. He represented Georgia's 4th Congressional District in
the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985.
Dick Brownstein became an attorney in Portland, OR. When asked whether AZA
influenced his ability to succeed as an attorney, Brownstein replied immediately, "no
question."
"AZA gave me tremendous confidence as a young person," he said. "To have gone to
the various events and spoken to so many people is invaluable experience that
encouraged my interest to become a lawyer."
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Not only did the group's experiences influence them professionally, but they also
influenced their children's lives. Brownstein's son, Jeb, also served as Grand Aleph
Godol and his daughter, Jois, served as International N'siah. Both of Eplan's daughters
also served as Regional N'siot.
The reunion weekend ended with the men linked arm in arm singing "Up You Men."
"When, so many years ago, we last sang ‘and we'll be on our way,'s I doubt any of us
thought we would find our way back again," said Brownstein. "I hope that, today, AZA
continues to instill the values and lasting friendships it did for us."
According to Brownstein, the reunion was so successful that the group hopes to have
another reunion within a year.
Back to Article
Greater Jersey Hudson River Teens Learn Jewish Immigrant Experience
(Continued)
"Years ago I learned from my mother that my great-grandfather was a Rabbi in
Poland," said Jamie Bergstein of Randolph, one of the youth co-chairs of the
convention. "We wanted all 270 delegates to learn about their roots. As the saying
goes, we're standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before us."
To make the theme real for the delegates, RJI ‘06 began with an interactive
reenactment of the boat journey from Europe to America, ending with the unique
experiences of Ellis Island, including physical and mental testing and name changes.
Delegates also created a time capsule with their personal family histories and their
perspectives on today's world – a time capsule which will be opened at GJHRR's RJI
2016.
"I've been doing this a long time, and still I'm always struck by the teens's creative
programming and their enthusiasm," said Judi Youngman, GJHRR's Regional Director.
"All of the teens had a fantastic time, and they learned so much about themselves and
their family histories."
Even Friday and Saturday services exhibited the teens's creativity. On Friday evening,
delegates had the choice of attending one of four services – a musical service, a
Remembrance service honoring Israeli soldiers who gave their lives for the State of
Israel, a Project Red service stressing the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam (healing the
world) by linking to the Global Fund's efforts to eradicate disease in Africa, and a
unique "make your own" service where participants selected additional poems and
songs to complement the standard Friday evening prayers. On Saturday morning,
delegates could attend a musical service or participate in a Shabbat Elective discussion
on current events, Jews in sports, "Shver Tsu Zayn a Yid (It's hard to be a Jew)," and
small miracles.
Another highly creative program was "Torah Treasures," in which teams of delegates
participated in a Torah treasure hunt to find secret messages hidden around the hotel.
Once these treasures – such as "Justice, justice you shall pursue" (Deuteronomy 16)
were found, teams had to interpret the Torah reading and then participate in a fun
physical activity before searching for the next Torah treasure.
A big favorite at RJI was the Jewish Life Cycle, a program in which delegates learned
all about the various aspects of the Jewish life cycle – from bris/naming to the Jewish
wedding and parenthood – and got the opportunity to prepare funny skits to share
their learnings with other delegates.
Delegates also got a touch of reality in a 30-minute presentation and Q&A session with
Ryan McGregor, a former Marine who recently served in Iraq. He talked with the
delegates about his experiences in the armed forces and, specifically, about his time in
Falluja and elsewhere in Iraq.
As part of its annual RJI community service project, delegates created fleece blankets
for donation to the New Jersey MultiCare Center of Workmen's Circle in Elizabeth and
other nursing homes.
Back to Article
Big Apple Region BBYO Helps Kick Off Passover Food Drive (Continued)
At the Y's annual Purim Carnival, the BBYO'ers donated canned goods and dry
packaged foods for the Spring Food Drive. Also in attendance was State Senator Frank
Padavan, executive vice president of the Samuel Field Y Steven Goodman and the
Director of the Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council Gail Eisenberg.
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Each year, BBYO teams up with the Community Council to help feed those in need
throughout the Passover holiday season. "This is my favorite time of year," says
Brandon Patterson, Regional Aleph Godol-Elect of the Big Apple. "It's great to be able
to do something special for those in need and know that we make a difference."
Bari Nadworny, Regional Gizborit -Elect is always on hand for the food drive. "What
would spring be if we could not be involved in a program such as this. It makes us all
feel good and we know the food we collect is going to those who really need it."
" I love having the teens involved," says Gail Eisenberg, director of the NEQJCC. "We
have a wonderful working relationship with BBYO and it's good to know that we can
count on the kids whenever we have programs and outreach opportunities such as our
food drives and holiday programs."
The food drive runs through April 10 and is estimated to help feed over 150 families
and individuals in need this holiday season.
Back to Article
Michigan Region Helps the Disabled Through Sports (Continued)
The program was initiated six years ago, but only lasted one year. However, in 2003
when Dan Stoller, now a freshman at Michigan State University, was chapter S'gan he
worked with Jay Bassin, the chapter advisor, to restructure the program.
The two groups now play at Akiva Hebrew Day School every other week. According to
Bassin, the same group of Berlin House guys come back every week, which works well
for camaraderie.
Bassin hopes the teens realize what a great thing they are doing for themselves, JARC
and the Jewish community as a whole.
"The program went above and beyond anything I had ever imagined," said Stroller. "It
became something that people put over their current obligations. The program is
clearly a success because both the guys of Greenberg AZA and the guys of the Berlin
House love it."
Back to Article
Dodgeball Hits New England BBYO (Continued)
BBYO's Samantha Freedman and Scott Rosen coordinated the dodgeball tournament,
along with the help of the New England Region's executive board and adult advisors.
Participants received t-shirts, snacks and the opportunity to re-live the excitement of
last year's popular movie, Dodgeball.
"It was great to see Jewish teens from across New England come together for this
event and establish ties with other youth groups," Rosen said.
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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May/June 2006
Issue 16
“HANG” WITH BBYO AT STAMFORD
MACCABI GAMES
Welcome to the combined May/June issue of the BBYO e-News. If you have
information to share or comments about the BBYO e-News, please e-mail
[email protected].
BBYO, Inc. News
Howard Wohl to Guide BBYO
Through Next Phase of Growth
Come relax and have fun in the “Hang Time”
room sponsored by BBYO during The Stamford
2006 JCC Maccabi Games which will be held
August 13-18. Approximately 1,200 teens from
all over the world will gather for the Olympicstyle event. Find out more information at
www.jccmaccabi.org.
BBYO SUMMER EXPERIENCES ARE ALMOST
HERE!
BBYO is proud to announce that Howard
Wohl of Mill Neck, NY has been elected
Chairman of BBYO’s International Board of
Directors. A Jewish activist, philanthropist
and strategist, Wohl succeeds Lynn
Schusterman, who served as Chairwoman
for five years, leading BBYO as it became
an independent agency and helping to
strengthen BBYO in its mission to reach
more Jewish teens with more meaningful Jewish experiences. READ MORE...
BBYO Teen Wins Oprah Essay Contest
Over the course of the next few weeks, over
1,200 teens will participate in a 2006 BBYO
Summer Experience including travel to Israel,
community service in Chicago, leadership
programs at the University of Judaism and
more than a dozen others! Visit www.bbyo.org
for exciting updates.
GET 10% OFF PRINCETON REVIEW
SAT/ACT COURSES
©2006 Harpo Productions, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Photographer: George Burns
Entering Oprah’s National High School Essay Contest was like “buying a lottery ticket,”
said New Jersey teen and BBYO member, Jessica Goldstein. In this case, she turned
out to be one of fifty winners, chosen amongst nearly 50,000 other high school
students across America who tackled the question, “Why is Elie Wiesel’s book Night
relevant today?”Winfrey held the contest in conjunction with her selection of the
Holocaust memoir for her January Book Club.
Goldstein joined the diverse group of winners, which included survivors of the Rwandan
genocide and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, in Chicago, IL for a special taping
of The Oprah Winfrey Show, where they met the talk show host and got the
opportunity to pose questions to Nobel laureate and Night author, Elie Wiesel. In
addition to appearing on the show, along with Holocaust survivors, the contest winners
pre-screened a show featuring Winfrey and Wiesel visiting the Auschwitz concentration
camp together. READ MORE...
BBYO and The Princeton Review are partnering
to bring BBYO teens 10% off SAT and ACT
courses.
BBYO Teens Rally to Stop Genocide
in Darfur
A delegation of more than 100 teens
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SUPPORT THE JEWISH FUTURE
BBYO needs your annual support to reach
thousands of Jewish teens. You can contribute to
BBYO either through an unrestricted gift or by
designating your gift to a specific fund, program or
project.
NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY?
representing BBYO joined people of all ages,
religions and political affiliations in
Washington, DC on April 30 as part of the
Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide. The
event, which some estimates say drew
75,000, was a call-to-action to the Bush
administration to take the necessary steps
to end Sudanese government-sponsored
genocide and build a lasting peace for the
people of Darfur. READ MORE...
March of the Living: Seeing History Through Your Own Eyes
Singing “Hatikvah” now had a whole new
meaning. To Danielle Sonego, a BBYO
member from Dallas, TX, standing alongside
thousands of other Jews at the gas
chambers of Birkenau singing the familiar
song while reaffirming “Am Yisrael Chai
(The Jewish People Live)” was an
unforgettable experience. Danielle was one
of the 106 BBYO participants in this year’s
March of the Living journey, a two-week
life-changing trip that marks the tragedy of
the Holocaust and commemorates the
establishment of the state of Israel. READ MORE...
Give them an early BBYO start! Find this “Future
BBYO Member” infant t-shirt, along with tons of
other exciting BBYO gear including iPod covers, polos
and more, at www.bbyostore.com.
To submit news, events or comments
for the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
Do You Want to Help Shape the
Lives of Jewish Teens?
Making a real difference in the lives of
Jewish teens is what BBYO is all about.
BBYO is actively seeking dynamic, talented
and motivated professionals to help us
continue to achieve our vision with passion
and creativity.
BBYO is an outstanding place to work for
new professionals as well as those seeking
to make mid-career transitions, by
employing passionate idealists who find success in making a difference in the lives of
Jewish teens. Our professionals truly love the work they do, whether it involves
implementing innovative programs, networking with community professionals or training
student leaders.
Visit www.bbyo.org/careers or e-mail [email protected] for a full listing of positions
and more information.
Dor l’Dor Campaign: BBYO from
Generation to Generation
During this season of graduation and
transition, teens across the country are
joining the ranks of hundreds of thousands
of BBYO alumni. Whether BBYO helped
these teens gain valuable leadership skills,
embrace Jewish values, establish a
commitment to community service, or build
everlasting friendships, every teen’s
experience in BBYO will prove to shape
his/her future and be cherished for years to
come.
BBYO has created its Dor L’Dor: From Generation to Generation campaign to ensure a
strong base of support for future generations of BBYO teens to have access to the
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::
same opportunities that today’s teens have. The contributions collected now will be
pooled, invested wisely and the principle will grow, untouched, for a set period of time.
When the principle has reached an appropriate amount, the annual monetary yield will
be utilized to enable the youth of tomorrow to obtain the rich experience BBYO
provides. BBYO’s second year of Dor L’Dor is well underway and has already raised
more money than last year, but this campaign still needs your help! READ MORE...
Exceptional BBYO Leadership Chosen to Guide Fellowship Program
Four BBYO professionals have been selected to serve as advisors to the newly-created
Jewish Teen Leadership Summit and Fellowship Program (JTLS) –an initiative
coordinated by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation in partnership
with PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values and the North American
Alliance for Jewish Youth. The project focuses national philanthropic and communal
attention on Jewish teens.
Representing BBYO among an elite handful of Jewish professionals are Jen Arney,
Philadelphia Program Director; Matthew Lemchen, Regional Director, Evergreen Region;
Jayme David, Senior Regional Director, Mountain Region; and Meredith Gettys, Council
Director, Northern Virginia Council. All of the JTLS advisors will work closely with 64
teens from across the country to promote leadership development through volunteer
service to the community. The project seeks to inspire the next generation of sociallyconscious leaders while also training top-flight professionals to work collaboratively and
to develop innovative service programs. READ MORE...
Alumni News
Where Young Lives Take Shape –Keith
Dvorchik
Keith Dvorchik still appreciates Hope Horowitz, his
BBYO regional advisor, even though he graduated
from high school 21 years ago. Dvorchik, now the
executive director of the University of Florida Hillel,
understands the impact that a single person can
have on so many.
“When you look back on the people who have
helped you succeed, you realize that you are not
the only one they’ve helped,” said Dvorchik. “Now, I
run an organization that impacts Jewish youth, so
Hope has helped them through helping me, and so on. READ MORE...
b-linked.org News
b-linked to Offer Member and Event Registration Online
b-linked users will soon be able to register for all of their council, regional and
international events online! No more forms to fill out. No more bills piling up on the
counter. Beginning in July, log on to b-linked to register for and pay for events online!
You will also be able to join and renew your BBYO membership on b-linked as well.
b-linked’s Exciting Features Not Just For Teens
Feel like a kid again! BBYO is thrilled to announce that, beginning in July, the Alumni
Network of www.bbyo.org will now have the same innovative features as www.blinked.org. Reconnect with old friends like never before by logging onto the alumni
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website and using the features to create a profile, post messages to others, share
photos and so much more!
Regional News
NFR “Stop Iran Now” Event
Young activists from BBYO’s North Florida Region
(NFR) joined hundreds of others on March 14, at
a community wide “Stop Iran Now” rally, held at
Orlando’s Congregation of Reform Judaism. The
participants listened to speakers who expressed
the urgency of taking action against Iran and its
nuclear proliferation.
“I felt like the program was a huge success,”
said Matt Storch, Regional Godol of NFR and one
of the 600 participants. “It was great to see that I was not the only person my age
who was interested in social action.” Storch believes that the program was effective
because, not only was it inspirational, it taught more people how to educate others on
the topic.
Great Midwest Region’s Annual Dance-AThon Raises Over $5,000
Over 130 teens in Deerfield, IL spent the night of
March 11 dancing and hanging out with friends as a
part of GMR’s annual Dance-a-Thon. The event
brought in over $5,000, half of which was donated
to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and half of which
will be used for GMR’s scholarship program to send
teens to BBYO summer programs. BBYO leaders,
Mary Bryerman and Jason Lane, chaired the event.
BBYO Offers Discounted SAT Prep Classes in Seattle
In preparation for the October 14 SAT test date, BBYO has partnered with The
Princeton Review to bring quality SAT prep to BBYO members and the Jewish
community in the greater Seattle area for up to $300 less than the usual cost. Classes
will be held on Tuesdays and Sundays throughout the summer. For more information
and enrollment forms contact Matt Lemchen at 206.232.7115 x241 or
[email protected].
DC Council Presents Distinguished Alumni Award
D.C. Council BBYO is pleased to announce that its second annual presentation of the
Philip Berg BBYO Distinguished Alumni Award, will be held in conjunction with its
annual gala on November 9, 2006 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference
Center. The award will be presented to Terry Korth, D.C. Council Godol 1971-1972 and
alumnus of Daniel AZA. Since graduating from BBYO in 1972, Terry has been President
and Endowment Chair at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, MD, and has served on the
boards of the Union for Reform Judaism Mid-Atlantic Council, the Jewish Community
Center of Greater Washington, and is a trustee for Friends of BBYO (Northern Region
East). Terry is also the current local co-chair for the 2007 Maccabi Games. Over 400
BBYO alumni and friends from around the country attended last year’s gala, and an
even larger turnout is expected this year. For information on how to attend the gala,
please contact Katie Glazier at 301.348.3787 or [email protected]. Sponsorships are
now available.
Northern Virginia Council BBYO Celebrates 25 Years
Northern Virginia Council BBYO is celebrating its 25th anniversary by honoring the
woman who started it all –Roz Engels. The celebration will take place November 11 in
Northern Virginia. Please save the date so you can come celebrate with us! Contact
[email protected] for more details and to be added to our mailing list.
BBYO In the News
Annie Greene, Mandy Dubro, Mori Rothman and Josh Mikutis, all of Kentucky-
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Indiana-Ohio Region, reflected in the Dayton Jewish Observer on their Jewish
experiences that have shaped them, as well as their hopes for their Jewish futures in
college (June 2006).
Elizabeth Bendycki of Cleveland, OH wrote an article for The Cleveland Jewish News
focusing on how to maintain a Jewish identity while in college (June 5, 2006).
BBYO alumna, Lauren Brownstein, was featured in the Washington Jewish Week due
to her dedication to the Jewish communal world. After working at several Jewish
organizations over the course of many years, Brownstein is now a fundraising
consultant (June 5, 2006).
Great Midwest Region was featured in The Chicago Jewish News for its efforts in
feeding the hungry through a local cafe which provides free Kosher meals for the poor.
BBYO teen, Lee Cutler began the initiative for the group as an individual community
service project (May 25, 2006).
Lynn Schusterman, past chair of the BBYO board of directors, was featured in the
JTA focusing on Jewish philanthropic trends. She emphasized the importance of
donating to organizations, such as BBYO, that "provide hope for the future." (May 9,
2006).
Hannah Kohrman of Miami Region was recognized by The Pinecrest Tribune for her
participation in Miami's Holocaust Impact Theater and for being elected as the next
International Mazkirah (May 1, 2006).
Hannah Gluck of Cotton States Region had her moving reactions to her March of the
Living journey published in the Tennessean (Apr. 28, 2006).
The Detroit Free Press announced that a new teen center in Ortonville will be named
after BBYO alumnus, David Bittker. The center, to be completed this summer, will
honor Bittker's memory as a visionary and mentor to many. To see more information,
visit
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006604200523 (Apr. 20, 2006).
The Boston Globe highlighted the experiences of sophomore Sam Knopf of New
England Region. Knopf was one of 17 teens that participated in BBYO's Ambassadors
to Bulgaria program last December (Apr. 9, 2006).
Abby Ginsburg of Mid-America Region wrote an article for the Omaha Jewish Press
describing how BBYO, especially summer experiences, developed her Jewish identity
(Apr. 7, 2006).
Rachel Hochheiser, area executive director of BBYO in Los Angeles, California, was
featured in The New York Jewish Week discussing the importance of the Jewish
community to young professionals (Apr. 7, 2006).
Danielle Rugoff, former North Texas Oklahoma BBYO and regional board member,
was elected as the University of Texas student government president, according to the
Texas Jewish Post. She is only the third Jewish female in the school's history to serve
as president. "If you would have asked me a year ago," Rugoff said, "I never would
have imagined it." (Mar. 30, 2006).
Dina Magdovitz, a senior from Memphis, wrote an article in the Hebrew Watchman
discussing the impact Israel made on her while on a BBYO Passport to Israel trip (Mar.
30, 2006).
Naomi Harris was featured in the Miami-Dade Jewish Journal for her work as Zericha
BBG's president. Harris has developed an intergenerational volunteer program at a
local senior living community (Mar. 14, 2006).
The Memphis, TN, Hebrew Watchman, announced the election of Jeff Dreifus as the
2006-07 Grand Aleph Moreh (Mar. 9, 2006).
The latest Beau and Sweetheart winners of Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio region, Harry
Dobkin and Rachel Peck, were announced in the Ohio Jewish Chronicle (Mar. 2,
2006)
BBYO Alumnus, Brad Cohen's book "Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made
Me the Teacher I Never Had," just won "Best Education Book of 2005," an IPPY award
(Independent Publisher award program). Brad was also featured on the May 19 episode
of The Oprah Winfrey Show, "Beating the Odds."
Howard Wohl to Guide BBYO Through Next Phase of Growth
(Continued)
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"Howard's passion coupled with his strategic insight make him a tremendous asset to
BBYO as the organization works to dramatically extend its reach throughout North
America," said Lynn Schusterman. "In addition to being a visionary leader, Howard's
success in business, philanthropy and his unwavering commitment to the Jewish people
make him an ideal role model for the tens of thousands of teens involved in BBYO."
Wohl is currently the Vice Chairman of Ivy Asset Management Corporation, a company
he co-founded in 1984. Along with wife, Diane, he is active in numerous Jewish
charities. Additional board service includes The Board of Jewish Education of Greater
New York, Suffolk Association for Jewish Educational Services, The Solomon Schechter
Day School of Nassau and his alma mater, the Brooklyn College Foundation, among
others.
"I am honored to be elected to the chairmanship of this dynamic organization which
has such a unique opportunity to motivate Jewish teens to find pride and meaning in
living a Jewish life," said Wohl. "As I meet more and more BBYO teens, BBYO
professionals and alumni, I am inspired by their pride and affection for BBYO and the
Jewish people."
"I am humbled as well to succeed Lynn Schusterman in this position, recognizing her
extraordinary accomplishments in restoring BBYO to a position of enormous stature and
erecting a platform on which I hope to build," continued Wohl.
Schusterman's passion and support for the organization will endure, as she will chair
BBYO's newly established Board of Trustees, a group of senior philanthropists making a
minimum annual commitment of $50,000. Lynn, and her Vice-Chair, Lee Kohrman of
Cleveland, OH, have already recruited a core group of members for this new Board.
"Lynn's generosity and leadership have revitalized BBYO and made available to a new
generation the skills, perspective and spirit necessary for shaping the future of the
Jewish people," said Grossman. "And, Howard brings the skills to further build upon
Lynn's vision. BBYO is very fortunate to be the beneficiary of both of their time and
attention; we are thrilled to have them as partners in fulfilling BBYO's mission of
reaching more Jewish teens with more meaningful Jewish experiences."
Back to Article
BBYO Teen Wins Oprah Essay Contest (Continued)
As an additional award, BBYO will sponsor a weekend trip for Goldstein to visit the
United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC this month so that she can
continue her Holocaust education.
Goldstein’s essay focused on her inability to explain the hatred that led to the
Holocaust and still continues in the world today. Her ideas were simply stated, similar
to Wiesel’s book, each beginning with the word, “because.” Goldstein learned of her
winning surrounded by schoolmates and a video camera as she was preparing for an
event she co-chaired to raise money for cancer research.
“This has been a life-changing experience for me,” said Goldstein, who is a junior at
Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, NJ. “I knew about the Holocaust,
but reading Night, winning this contest and having the opportunity to meet Holocaust
survivors opened my eyes to the depth of suffering during the Holocaust and the
necessity to take a stand against intolerance today.”
The episode featuring Wiesel and Winfrey’s trip to Auschwitz aired on May 24.
Goldstein and the other contest winners appeared on an episode which aired May 25.
To find out more information on the winners and read excerpts of their essays visit,
http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/open/obc_essay_contest.jhtml.
Back to Article
BBYO Teens Rally to Stop Genocide in Darfur (Continued)
“I am continually amazed by BBYO teens; they truly understand the importance of
making a difference in the world,” said Matthew Grossman, BBYO’s executive director.
“It is inspiring to know that their commitment extends to all corners of the globe on
issues that impact all of humanity.”
The BBYO activists from Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, New York and DC added to the rally’s
unmistakable Jewish presence, thanks to a coalition led by the American Jewish World
Service (AJWS) and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). Delegations from 90
DC-metro-area synagogues participated, and rally organizers reported Jewish
representation from every major city on the East Coast and from states as far away as
California.
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The teens attending the rally on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol building
heard from notable speakers, including Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, Elie
Wiesel; Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform
Judaism; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), minority leader of the U.S. House of
Representatives; Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.); actor/director George Clooney; and Ruth
Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service.
“I am so glad that I was able to come together with my peers, as well as people of all
backgrounds, to support this cause,” said Rachel Reiter, a BBYO member from Fairfax,
VA. “It is important that we discuss what is happening in Darfur so we can take the
lessons learned from the Holocaust and prevent genocide from ever happening again.”
The event was organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of over 160 faithbased, humanitarian and human rights organizations whose mission it is to raise public
awareness and to mobilize an effective unified response to the atrocities that threaten
the lives of two million people in the Darfur region.
The teens’attendance at the national gathering was the culminating event of a BBYO
Rallies to Save Darfur Weekend, which involved speaking engagements and Darfur-and
hunger-related educational programs. Teens are now using BBYO’s online community,
www.blinked.org, as a venue to organize local teen coalitions focused on raising
awareness about the situation faced by the people of Darfur.
BBYO regions interested in receiving BBYO “Save Darfur” t-shirts should contact Avery
Budman at [email protected]. For more information you can also visit
www.savedarfur.org.
Back to Article
March of the Living: Seeing History Through Your Own Eyes (Continued)
“As soon as I walked out of the gas chambers and back into the camp, I cried. I
walked out of a place where thousands of Jews died and never returned.” Sonego said.
To mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance day on April 25, approximately
10,000 people from all over the world participated in a three kilometer march between
the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Treblinka in Poland.
The participants come face to face with history while experiencing their heritage like
never before. In Poland, they visited concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau,
Treblinka and Majdanek, as well as historic Jewish sites in Warsaw (the Ghetto
Memorial, Mila 18, the Jewish cemetery, the restored Nozyck Synagogue), Cracow (the
Jewish quarter, the Ramah Synagogue) and Lublin (the famous Yeshiva).
“Outside the gas chambers we read the Mourner's Kaddish, but this time, for me, the
Kaddish was different,” said Evan Lacher. “This Mourner's Kaddish had a purpose. We
Jews had survived and were now showing the strength and the continuation of our
people."
After the week-long exposure to the horrors of the Holocaust, participants journeyed to
Israel, contrasting the horrors of the Holocaust with the vibrancy of Israeli life.
“For me, the most meaningful moment was stepping off the plane in Israel,” said
Arielle Gumer, from Atlanta, GA. “This was my third trip to Israel, but I arrived with a
feeling I had never experienced before. I knew I was coming from a place of pain,
death and anguish but was entering a country with the sole purpose of providing a
home for the Jewish people.”
Once in Israel, participants took part in a whirlwind adventure throughout the country
including Jerusalem, Masada, Tel Aviv, the Golan Heights, the Galilee, the Negev and
more. They encountered the Jewish nation first-hand, including the celebration of Yom
Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s 58th Independence Day. The participants joined thousands of
Israelis in singing, cheering, dancing and waving Israeli flags to celebrate the
resurgence of the Jewish people.
“I recommend this trip to everyone and anyone because it really opened my eyes and
gave me a new perspective of looking at things,” said Katz. “It was a roller coaster of
emotions that I have learned and grown from and that I would never trade in for
anything in the world.”
“A kid who will be going on the March in two years came to ask me about the trip. ‘In
two years,’ I told him, ‘we’ll talk,’” said Evan Lacher of Dallas, TX. Lacher then thought
to himself, “But I know I will only have to look into his eyes then, and we will both
understand.”
Back to Article
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Dor l’Dor Campaign: BBYO from Generation to Generation (Continued)
BBYO is encouraging a donation to this fund from parents, grandparents or relatives of
BBYO members who are graduating from the program. This is a beautiful way to honor
your child’s growth and demonstrate that you value his/her BBYO experience so much
that you are inspired to continue its legacy by taking part in the mitzvah of tzedakah.
Please consider participating in this meaningful program by contributing a minimum gift
of $118 to BBYO in honor of your graduating senior.
Donate now at www.bbyo.org/donate and include Dor l’Dor Campaign in the
“Designation” field or send a check to:
BBYO, Inc.
Attn: Dor l’Dor Campaign
2020 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20006
On behalf of BBYO, thank you for your commitment to the continuation of this 81+
year-old organization for many more years to come.
Back to Article
Exceptional BBYO Leadership Chosen to Guide Fellowship Program
(Continued)
“We are thrilled that this group has been selected to participate in such an exciting
endeavor,” said Matthew Grossman, BBYO’s Executive Director. “This is a testament to
their commitment to impacting Jewish young people in a context where tikkun olam is
modeled as an important value. The JTLS is innovative, and its results will be farreaching.”
The primary goal of JTLS is to empower Jewish teens to assume significant leadership
roles in the Jewish community by training them and fostering a commitment to service.
Through the program, teens will develop and share best practices for engaging their
under-affiliated peers in Jewish life. The program’s strategy and pluralistic approach
seeks to enhance communication and cooperation among teens and professionals from
various Jewish backgrounds.
The initiative began with a two-day retreat in Washington DC, June 5-6; the JTLS
advisors were trained to create service-learning community projects, recruit underaffiliated Jewish teens, oversee teen-led initiatives, connect with the press and create
mutually-beneficial local partnerships across Jewish and secular agencies. The advisors
also identified the eight exemplary teen leaders from their home communities to
participate in the fellowship program.
The advisors and fellows will next convene for a summit, to be held November 5-7 in
conjunction with Jewish Social Action Month, where they will begin their work to create
a meaningful, community-based service project for J-Serve, the Jewish Day of Youth
Service, to take place April 22, 2007. Following the summit, teens will be eligible for
mini-grants of $2,500 to support their local community service initiatives, and both the
advisors and fellows will continue to receive training and guidance. Since its inception
in 2005, J-Serve has involved more than 5,000 young people in hands-on service
activities.
“Working with BBYO enables me to make a real difference in the lives of Jewish teens,”
said Arney. “I am honored to be a part of JTLS. It will make me a better leader and
inspire teens to ‘give back’to the community.
Back to Article
Where Young Lives Take Shape – Keith Dvorchik (Continued)
“This philosophy is one of the reasons Dvorchik has been such a success at UF’s Hillel.
When Dvorchik arrived there eight years ago, the Hillel was running on a $300,000
budget with three staff members in a small, outdated building. Today, UF’s Hillel
boasts a 1.9 million budget with 17 permanent employees, 30 part-time employees
and a new 23,000 square-foot building.
The facility is not the only impressive part of UF’s Hillel. Every Friday night, Dvorchik
welcomes between 300 and 400 college students to join him in celebrating Shabbat.
Students gather for religious and social reasons, both of which please Dvorchik.
“Whether students want to pray or just watch TV and shoot some pool, we are here for
them,” Dvorchik said. “Being Jewish means you are a part of a special community. It
is who you are, not what you do.”
Dvorchik credits a lot of his commitment to the Jewish community to his time in BBYO.
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As a proud member of Central Region East, Dvorchik served in almost every position
on the chapter board, including Godol his senior year of high school.
He still vividly remembers the BBYO softball tournament he planned in which 60 people
stayed at his home in Pennsylvania.
“I planned it, put it together, and everyone just had a great time,” he said. “It was like
we were just one big family.”
Dvorchik also says that he was encouraged to join the same fraternity as all of his
BBYO friends during his time as an undergraduate at Penn State. He still keeps in
touch with several of his BBYO friends who live all over the country.
Making a difference in people’s lives is the ultimate reward for Dvorchik’s job. He has
received millions of dollars in donations, but says that his favorite gift came from a
recent graduate who didn’t become active in Hillel until late in her college career.
“She graduated and went to work in the Jewish communal world,” he said. “She sent
me $18 from her first paycheck. Things like that remind you that you are doing good
in the world. I will never forget it.”
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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July/August 2006
Issue 17
STAND WITH ISRAEL
Welcome to the combined July/August issue of the BBYO e-News. If you have information
to share or comments about the BBYO e-News, please e-mail [email protected].
BBYO, Inc. News
BBYO'S 2006-07 INTERNATIONAL BOARDS INSTALLED AT CAMP PERLMAN
Visit www.bbyo.org to get resources and
information on how to support Israel during
this difficult time.
GET 10% OFF PRINCETON REVIEW
SAT/ACT COURSES
Dreading the SAT's? Stop stressing! Take
advantage of BBYO's partnership with The
Princeton Review and receive 10% off SAT and
ACT courses.
DID YOU ATTEND A BBYO SUMMER
EXPERIENCE?
Ten new leaders have recently been installed to serve at the helm of the world's leading
pluralistic Jewish movement. The new International Executive Board members were elected
by 600 teen members in February at BBYO's largest-ever International Convention, held in
Atlanta, GA, and installed into their positions at a July 5th ceremony at the B'nai Brith
Perlman Camp in Starlight, PA.
Members of the 2006-07 Grand Board of the Aleph Zadik Aleph include: president (Grand
Aleph Godol), Jeremy Gelman of Denver, CO; VP of programming (Grand Aleph S'gan),
Ben Arnstein of Annandale, VA; VP of membership (Grand Aleph Moreh), Jeff Dreifus of
Germantown, TN; secretary and treasurer (Grand Aleph Mazkir), Matthew Storch of
Longwood, FL; and Jewish and Israel education, community service and social action VP
(Grand Aleph Shaliach), Aaron Rosenberg of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Members of the 2006-07 International BBG Board include: president (International N'siah),
Dina Finer of Tulsa, OK; VP of programming (International S'ganit), Rachel Kleinman of
Plano, TX; VP of membership (International Aym-Ha Chaverot), Dana O'Neil of West
Bloomfield, MI; secretary and treasurer (International Mazkirah), Hannah Kohrman of
Miami, FL; and Jewish and Israel education, community service and social action VP
(International Sh'licha), Sarah Strum of Little Neck, NY. READ MORE...
BBYO 2006 SUMMER EXPERIENCES WERE ‘UNFORGETTABLE'
Over the course of the past few months, over 1,200 teens participated in a 2006 BBYO
Summer Experience including travel to Israel, community service in Chicago, leadership
programs at the University of Judaism and more than a dozen others! The testimonials
below provide a quick glimpse of just a few of the meaningful experiences teens had this
summer.
Passport to Israel
This is your opportunity to share your thoughts
and photos with the rest of the b-linked
community! Check out
www.b-linked.org and login for details.
SAVE THE DATE FOR INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTION ‘07
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International Convention is on the move and
will be held February 15-19 in Dallas, TX!
by Sabrina Goodwin
Coral Springs, Florida
Journey 5
by Julie Judson
Dallas, Texas
Journey 1
By participating in P2I, I made the best
decision of my life, met the best people
of my life, and had the best time of my
life. Israel is one of the most beautiful
countries anyone could visit, and P2I
incorporated all the great adventures and
activities that this state has to offer.
READ MORE...
I don't want to start this off by saying
it's difficult to find words to explain my
experience in Israel because it seems so
cliché, but as I sit here trying to summon
all of my feelings about my three weeks
there, I really am having a hard time
finding the right words. Israel was
everything I wanted it to be and nothing
like I had expected. READ MORE...
by Anna Sherman
Wheeling, Illinois
Journey 6
by Betsy Tuck and Jamie Barstein
Birmingham, Alabama
Journey 6
HIGH SCHOOL ISRAEL SUMMIT 2006: DEC.
3-5 IN WASHINGTON, DC
We are excited to announce that AIPAC,
Panim, BBYO, & the American Jewish
Committee are sponsoring the 2nd Annual High
School Israel Summit in Washington DC,
December 3-5, 2006. Apply online at
www.bbyo.org/Israelsummit
SHARE THE BBYO EXPERIENCE WITH A TEEN
YOU KNOW
I chose BBYO's Israel trip over other
programs by chance. I couldn't be
happier with my decision. I had a
fantastic group of kids, amazing
counselors, and an interesting, fun guide.
The trip had a great balance of activities
- not too many museums, hikes, free
time, and social things such as dances. I
feel like I really got to experience Israel,
even though I was on a guided tour.
Thank you to BBYO for a perfect first trip
to Israel.
The following is text from a speech
delivered by teens Betsy Tuck and Jamie
Barstein on Aug. 14 at "Stand With
Israel," a rally cosponsored by the
Birmingham Jewish Federation, State of
Israel Bonds and International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. It describes from
the teens' perspectives how the situation
in the Middle East played a role in their
first Israel experience. READ MORE...
International Leadership Training Conference
Do you want to make a significant impact in the
life of a Jewish teen? Give them the gift of
membership today.
by Lauren Shenfeld
Northridge, California
ILTC
SUPPORT THE JEWISH FUTURE
There's a quote that expresses the
inability for BBYO members to explain
BBYO, and for those not in BBYO to
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by Toby Stein
Providence, Rhode Island
ILTC
Not surprisingly, the first thing my
parents asked when I got home from
ILTC was, "So, what was the best part?"
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understand all of the amazing things that
we do. BBYO Summer Programs are
undoubtedly under that umbrella of the
unexplainable and the absolutely
incredible. READ MORE...
BBYO needs your annual support to reach
thousands of Jewish teens. You can contribute to
BBYO either through an unrestricted gift or by
designating your gift to a specific fund, program
or project.
PARTICIPATING IN AFTER-SCHOOL
ATHLETICS?
How could I even begin to answer that
dreaded question? I could mention the
kids I met from all over the country and
all over the world, the kids who were
intelligent, driven, and committed to
BBYO. Or I could tell them about all the
things I learned about being a better
leader in my region, about fundraising
and communication, about Judaism and
social action. Even then, there would be
too much to include. READ MORE...
Chapter Leadership Training Conference
The BBYO water bottle is perfect for keeping you
cool during all those after-school activities! Visit
www.bbyostore.com today for this and other
great items such as t-shirts, hats, iPod covers
and more.
by Gabbi Baker
Columbia, South Carolina
CLTC 6
by Lisa Weisshar
Chatsworth, California
CLTC 8
Hands down, the best summer of my life
was when I attended Chapter Leadership
Training Conference at the beautiful
University of Judaism in Los Angeles.
When asked what it meant to me, I was
completely speechless - not from a loss
of words - but rather from so many
thoughts flooding through my brain, I
had no idea which one to mention first!
READ MORE...
To submit news, events or comments
for the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
Ensure you never miss our e-mails
because of your SPAM filters!
Click here and follow the directions.
CLTC tuition: $1600. Plane to Newark:
$350. The extra weight for my bag: $50.
Stepping off the plane and being
immediately greeted by 15 people:
priceless. From the moment I arrived, I
knew that CLTC was going to be
incredible. The fact that everyone had
bonded even before leaving the airport
made me sure that the next twelve days
would change my life. And, they did.
READ MORE...
BBYO'S TOP TEEN LEADERS SET
AGENDA FOR COMING YEAR;
DESIGNATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT
"AMEN"
On August 10-13 in Tyson's Corner, VA, ninety
BBYO teen leaders took on the role of business
leader, politician and Jewish communal
professional, as they worked to set an agenda
for growing the organization, and ultimately,
strengthening the Jewish future. BBYO's annual
"Execs" meeting was themed "After Us"
(Achreinu), inspiring the teen leaders to serve
as Jewish role models. READ MORE...
Alumni News
WHERE YOUNG LIVES TAKE SHAPE — ESTEE
PORTNOY
For Estee Portnoy, the BBYO experience did not end in high
school but continues to impact her both professionally and
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personally as an adult. Estee, who was a BBG in New Castle,
PA, says that she is grateful to the organization for her public
leadership beginnings, her commitment to social action and
many lifelong friends. After getting to know Estee, one can
understand why. Estee has established herself as a successful
businesswoman, as the vice president of marketing at SFX
Sports Group, where she is a business manager for former NBA
player, Michael Jordan. Estee is also a committed social activist;
she started a non-profit volunteer organization providing
recreation and sports programs for children and young adults with disabilities. And, Estee's
network of friends includes many former AZA and BBGers, not to mention her husband
who she met in BBYO! READ MORE...
FIRST ALUMNI NEWSLETTER IN TWO DECADES!
For the first time in nearly 20 years, BBYO has just published its
alumni newsletter, entitled the "BBYO Alumni Book." It is filled
with tons of BBYO alumni news, announcements, photos and
current BBYO information! You can view the entire Alumni Book
electronically at the Alumni Network at www.bbyo.org or e-mail
[email protected] if you would like a hard copy of this publication.
PROMOTE THE BBYO ALUMNI NETWORK
BBYO has just created Alumni Promotional Cards
to help you promote and strengthen the BBYO
Alumni Network. The business-card-sized cards
are perfect to keep on hand in case you bump
into a BBYO alum. With a quarter-of-a-million
BBYO alumni living around the world, you can't
go far without running into someone who wants
to reconnect with AZA and BBG! Please contact
Amy Jablin at [email protected] if you would
like cards to distribute.
SIXTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE FOR BBYO COUPLE
A little over 60 short years ago, a young man named Joey
Baker gathered at his friend's house along with several other
active, young Jews, to plan the future of BBYO and
strengthen the future of the Jewish community. There he
met Millie Lubin, and the rest is history. On October 15 of
this year, the couple will celebrate their 60th wedding
anniversary and reflect back on all the wonderful times life
has brought. READ MORE...
b-linked.org News
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b-linked's NEW FEATURES ENTICE OVER 7,200 TEENS!
Over 7,200 teens are using b-linked and getting connected to Jewish teens all over the
world! Thanks to b-linked, teens who participated in summer experiences can stay in
touch and keep the memories alive through participation in hundreds of exciting Groups.
And now, with the addition of event and membership registration, teens can easily connect
to what's happening on the ground in their area – from social and athletic activities to
community service and SAT prep! With the addition of Sarah Shapiro, BBYO's new Online
Initiatives Associate, the future of b-linked is bright, with more downloads, contests, online
events, and more. Is there something you'd like to see on b-linked? Email Sarah at
[email protected].
WIN PRIZES WORTH $250 FOR SHARING b-linked WITH FRIENDS!
Liz Gesis of Cleveland, Ohio, just won a $250 Abercrombie & Fitch gift certificate as the
July winner of BBYO's b-lucky contest. You could be next! Visit www.b-linked.org to learn
how could win a digital camera, iPod Nano, gift certificates and more!
b-linked.org News
BBYO GOES TO COLLEGE!
As teens across the country are heading back to high school, many
of them have college on their minds. Several regions are planning
exciting and innovative college tours. Look for one near you!
Spend four packed days with Gold Coast Region on Oct. 19-23 visiting
Florida State University, University of Florida, University of South
Florida and University of Central Florida. In addition to college touring,
teens will tour Halloween Horror Nights, Adventure Island Water Park and
Channelside Tampa Bay. For more information, contact Dave Press at
[email protected].
NTO and Lonestar are joining up for a trip to visit the University of Texas
at Austin from Nov. 10 -12. The trip will be fun and informative, helping
teens prepare for their college experiences at UT or any other college. For
more information, contact Sherrie Stalarow at [email protected].
BBYO is co-sponsoring a large-scale College Fair in the Boston, MA area
on Nov. 19, at Hebrew College, Newton, MA. For more information,
contact Lauren Sussman at [email protected].
BBYO'S COLLEGE CAPTAINS MENTOR PROGRAM
BBYO College Initiatives is also rolling out a College Captains Mentor Program on 15
campuses. Fifteen "hot" universities will have BBYO alumni mentors whom current BBYO
teens can contact for information and advice about college topics! Check out baccepted.org for the latest information or contact Julie Fishman, Director of College
Initiatives at [email protected] if you are a current college student who would like to be
a mentor or if you are in high school and would like help with your college search process.
Regional News
MIAMI BBYO STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH
ISRAEL
On August 13, the Miami Jewish community gathered
together for a show of Solidarity for Israel, and Miami Region
BBYO was a sponsor. The teens helped to gather signatures
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for a petition to be sent to President Bush. Members also
handed out informational sheets to adults and teens on how
to contact local senators and congressman, along with sample
letters that the Jewish Federation provided.
Many of the BBYO members in the area were especially encouraged to participate because
they had recently returned from trips to Israel, in which several of them were able to
meet with Israeli teens and discuss the situation with them on a personal level. These
personal connections inspired the teens to collect items such as board games, books and
cards during the solidarity rally and send the donations to Israeli teens.
BBYO HIGHLIGHTED IN DETROIT'S JEWISH
HISTORY
The Jewish Community of Metro Detroit: 1945-2005 by Barry
Stiefel provides a pictorial history of Detroit's Jewish
community's transition from the city to the suburbs. The book
includes almost a dozen pages of Michigan Region BBYO photos
and discussion. Check local Detroit bookstores for availability or
order online at www.amazon.com.
BBYO In the News
The Seattle Jewish Review announced that BBYO's Evergreen Region Adult Advisory
Commission has elected new leaders to move into its next phase of commission
development. Alex Lawson-Rosenstein of Issaquah, Wash., has been elected chair, Jeff
Piha of Bellevue, Wash., was elected for a second term as treasurer, and Vivian Wasserteil
of Portland was elected as the new commission secretary. (July 28, 2006).
BBYO's Director of Human Resources, Sidney Abrams, was quoted in a front-page
Washington Post article concerning the image of youth leaders. "I think for a long time
there was a perception that if you work in the nonprofit [faith] youth world, you'll live
below subsistence level," he said. That's not the case anymore." To read the complete
article, click here. (August 6, 2006).
An editorial by Carol Gould in the UK's The Jewish Comment commemorated Alan Senitt,
a 27-year-old British volunteer worker who was murdered in Washington, DC on July 9.
Senitt, who was involved in BBYO in the UK, garnered a "heroic reputation" with the teens
that he worked with. To read the complete editorial, click here. (July 19, 2006).
BBYO's National Director of Development, Robin Levenston, was featured in the
Washington Jewish Week for her instrumental role in helping to create J Pro DC, an
association for Washington-area Jewish communal professionals. Click here to view the
entire article. (July 11, 2006).
Justin Hesser, a member of Miami Region, was identified in the column, "Positive
People in Pinecrest" in the Pinecrest Tribune. The article discusses Hesser's academic
achievements and plans for the future. View the entire article here. (July 10, 2006).
Time Magazine discussed the new Miami, FL hit restaurant, The Cereal Bowl, created by
BBYO alumni and brothers Kenneth and Josh Rader. Their restaurant, which has also
been featured in other media including The Miami Herald, is a new breed of café fusing an
old time favorite with a new, exciting twist. (July 2006).
The Sarasota-Manatee Jewish News announced that Kerri Alexander, a member from
North Florida Region, was awarded a paid internship with its newspaper. She will serve
as a writer for the publication, allowing her to get real-world experience with a
professional publication, as well as learn more about the Jewish non-profit world. (July
2006).
The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle featured the new director of Kansas City Council,
Rachael Rosenbaum. "I am anxious to bring positive change to Kansas City by
implementing a strategic plan to build community relations, enhance our network of
volunteers, connect with alumni and, ultimately, develop innovative programs to engage
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teens in Jewish life," said Rosenbaum. (June 30, 2006).
Jewish News of Greater Phoenix announced that Mountain Region senior regional director,
Jayme David, was selected to serve as an advisor to the newly created Jewish Teen
Leadership Summit and Fellowship Program (JTLS). (June 30, 2006).
According to the Washington Jewish Week, Meredith Gettys, teen director of Northern
Virginia BBYO, received The New Professional Achievement Award presented by Jewish
Experiences for Teens (JET), a division of the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning
(PJLL) at its seventh annual Teen Recognition Event. (June 22, 2006).
According to the Portland, OR Jewish Review, Evergreen Region BBYO alumnus Robert
Straus, graduated from Oregon State University this year and was also the recipient of
the Anna Sobel Levy Fellowship for graduate study at the Rothberg International School of
the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Only four American students are selected each year
for the program which is sponsored by the US Army and the Israeli Defense Forces,
focusing on military and security aspects of Arab-Israeli relations. (June 15, 2006).
According to the St. Louis Jewish Light, Mid-America Region chapter, Yachad, received
the annual I.E. Millstone Award for outstanding community service from a youth group
from its local JCC. The chapter's community service program was called "Jewelry Making
the Loop." The members used donated beads to make bracelets which they delivered to a
battered women's shelter. (June 14, 2006).
Marci Levy of Cotton States Region, one of the 120 BBYO participants on this year's
March of the Living journey, shared her reflections of the trip in the Nashville, TN
Observer. "Every experience fit so closely together to make it the greatest and most
impact-filled experience I have ever had," Levy said. "My responsibility now is to
encourage everyone who has the opportunity to take this journey to do so." (June 9,
2006).
The Palo Alto Weekly ran a cover story on Daniel Smolkin who is starting over in
California after his house was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The article discusses how
Smolkin, who had been involved in Cotton States Region, looked to Central Region West
to help him through his transition. Smolkin also recruited more than 20 local teens to Palo
Alto's chapter of BBYO. (June 7, 2006).
Gold Coast BBYO Alum, Jordan Robert, was featured on the front page of the Cooper
City local news in the Miami Herald as a budding, local celebrity. Robert, an artist, is
attracting attention from art lovers and buyers all over South Florida with his colorful
paintings. (June 4, 2006).
The Memphis, TN Hebrew Watchman announced that Jessica Greenberg of Cotton
States Region was among the members of the cast for Theater Memphis' production of
CATS which ran June 9 – July 2. (May 25, 2006).
The Jewish Herald-Voice in Houston, Texas announced that David Finkelstein of
Lonestar Region became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank awarded to a Boy Scout. For
his Eagle Project, David organized a project to renovate the Johnston Middle School
Science Garden. (May 11, 2006).
MEET THE 2006-07 INTERNATIONAL BOARDS (Continued)
Jeremy Gelman – Grand Aleph Godol
Greenwood Village, Colorado
Rocky Moutain Region
"For nearly 5 years, BBYO has provided me with the tools to write the story of my life. It
has helped me discover friends, allowed me to mature and has prepared me to succeed,
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and now I will be able to help other Jewish teens write their own meaningful life stories.
Some of my top priorities as Godol include expanding BBYO in cities with large Jewish
populations, solidifying BBYO's Canadian regions and helping all of our affiliates reach their
full potential."
Dina Finer
Tulsa, Oklahoma
North Texas/Oklahoma Region
"BBYO has nurtured me as a young Jewish leader and a young woman. It's truly a place
where friendship means everything and where teens have an opportunity to make a real
difference. My top priorities as N'siah are to help our organization evolve with an everchanging world, to unify our order by strengthening our international sisterhood and to be
an inspiration to every Jewish teenage girl."
Ben Arnstein – Grand Aleph S'gan
Annandale, Virginia
Northern Region East
"BBYO means that Jewish teens have the opportunity explore their own personal identities
while empowering the communities around them. My top priority is to bring more Jewish
teens back to Jewish youth organizations, to ensure a strong Jewish community for
generations to come."
Rachel Kleinman – International S'ganit
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Plano, Texas
North Texas/Oklahoma Region
"I've learned more about myself and the world around me through BBYO in the last years
than I have in any other aspect of my life. BBYO has given me incredible opportunities for
leadership and friendship; I will carry these memories around with me for the rest of my
life."
Jeff Dreifus – Grand Aleph Moreh
Germantown, Tennessee
Cotton States Region
"BBYO has given me the passion and desire to make a difference in the things in which I
believe, as well as the strength, tools and confidence to make my goals a reality.
Throughout the next year, I hope to expand the impact that BBYO has on Jewish youth
throughout the world with the hope that it will produce a stronger Jewish community in
the years to come."
Dana O'Neill – International Aym Ha Chaverot
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Michigan Region
"BBYO has given me the opportunity to find my place in the Jewish community. The past
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three years that I have spent in the B'nai Brith Girls has allowed me to grow and become
a leader, things that I can take with me for the rest of my life."
Matt Storch – Grand Aleph Mazkir
Orlando, Florida
North Florida Region
"BBYO for me has been life changing. It has given me the opportunity to gain important
life skills that have changed me not only as a person, but as a part of a larger Jewish
community. Throughout this year, I hope to bring together more teens from around the
world to create a stronger Jewish future for all."
Hannah Kohrman – International Mazkirah
Miami, Florida
Miami Region
"BBYO over the past three years has opened me up to unbelievable experiences such as
traveling to Israel, lobbying in Washington DC with AIPAC, making incredible friends, and,
of course, serving as international mazkirah for this upcoming year."
Aron Rosenberg - International Shaliach
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Northwest Canada Region
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"BBYO has given me a vehicle to express the passion I have for the Jewish religion for a
larger, more interested group of people than I've ever been able to do before. For the
next year I hope to help people learn more about their religion, therefore learning more
about themselves and how they can be more active participants in their own
communities."
Sarah Strum
Little Neck, New York
Big Apple Region
"My life has truly been shaped by BBYO. It has taught me the true meaning of friendship
and shown me a world that accepts me for my beliefs and thoughts. I've always loved my
heritage, but my time spent here has taught me to truly appreciate it."
Back to Article
Passport to Israel (Continued)
by Sabrina Goodwin
Coral Springs, Florida
Journey 5
Whether it be water rafting in the Jordan River, or hiking through the most incredible
waterfall in the world, this journey has left me with an undying love and gratefulness to
the well-planned coordinators and staff members who gave me the chance to be the
happiest I've ever been. I miss every second of my experience there, from camel riding in
the desert and rolling down sand dunes to walking through the same steps as our
ancestors in the sparkling golden city of Jerusalem. I strongly encourage you to embark
on this journey-I promise you, you won't regret it!
Back to Article
by Julie Judson
Dallas, Texas
Journey 1 (Continued)
I went in a little worried, like I always do before I go to a summer program, that the
people wouldn't be nice or the staff would be terrible or I just wouldn't have a good time
in general, but the minute we landed in Tel Aviv, all of those worries seemed to go away.
On the ten hour plane ride over, my entire group was climbing over seats to talk and
meet each other, and by the time the bus was rolling towards our first stop in Jerusalem,
I was already surrounded by good friends. But besides the wonderful people I have met
and greatly miss now that I am home, the Passport to Israel program challenged me and
pushed me, mostly physically, but also mentally too. Every time I ascended a tall
mountain, like Masada, or others in the North, I complained that my parents could never
call me lazy again. There was a variety of physical activity that everyone could enjoy, from
kayaking in the North, to hiking over a couple of mountains to land on the beach in Eilat,
to speed-shopping in Tel Aviv, and to even horseback riding in Haifa. But what I thought
most invaluable about my experience in Israel was that I felt more aware of the world
that I lived in, and realized what kind of world I wanted to be apart of.
Every person's experience in Israel is different. For some, it's a religious experience, for
others a fun place to hike and bike and swim and shop. For me, it was a little of
everything, but I will say that no matter what I was doing or where I was, my experience
was that much better because BBYO was traveling with me. Go to Israel with P2I; I
promise it will be the best three weeks you could have ever hoped for and so much more.
Back to Article
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by Betsy Tuck and Jamie Barstein
Birmingham, Alabama
Journey 6 (Continued)
'WE WERE FINALLY GOING TO ISRAEL'
We were finally going to Israel. After months of anticipation the day was finally here that
we were going to the holy land. To tell the truth, we were a little bit nervous. Let's face
it: turn on the television and you're going to hear something about the Middle East, and
most likely it's not something that will make you want to visit the country of Israel.
But all we had heard from friends who had visited was how indescribable the country truly
is and how safe you feel once you're there. We were convinced that we would never even
feel the turmoil other than the tight security we would experience in public places.
We spent our first night in Jerusalem touring the Old City and headed straight up north,
where we were to spend our first full week in the Golan Heights. Our bus was filled with
30 excited teens, anxious to start our three-week journey. We arrived at Kibbutz Gonen,
and for most of us it was a first time experience to ever stay on a kibbutz.
We immediately fell in love with the place, and couldn't wait to spend five nights in this
community. We were finally getting adjusted to the time change and our new environment
and had our first full day of Maccabi games, competing in sports against other trips.
'UNFAMILIAR TERM WE GREW TO KNOW'
On our way back to the kibbutz our bus was filled with excitement from the earlier games,
and we were beginning to fall in love with the country of Israel. It was then that our tour
guide, Baruch, came over the intercom and told us for the first time in many years
Hezbollah, an unfamiliar term we grew to know all too well, had sent missiles across the
southern border of Lebanon into Israel and Israeli soldiers had been captured and killed.
We were told that we were going to move further south into Tiberias, but at this point
none of us really knew what to think. Honestly, the only thing we both really remember
thinking was how we didn't want to leave Kibbutz Gonen.
We arrived in Tiberias late that night and the next day everything seemed to be back on
track. The tension had eased as we hiked all day and were getting excited for our night on
the town. Baruch came back on the intercom to tell us the news: Hezbollah had hit Haifa,
the range had expanded.
Once again we were assured that we were safe but we would unfortunately be moving to
Jerusalem the next morning. We all pulled out our maps of Israel we'd been given the first
day and each of us put two and two together.
'IF THEY COULD HIT HAIFA, THEY COULD HIT US'
In Tiberias we were the same distance from the northern border as Haifa. If they could hit
Haifa, they could hit us. This is when reality finally sunk in. Now it was all becoming too
real.
Not even ten minutes later we were told that we should pack up our things in order to
leave Tiberias that night. Unlike the night before, no one complained. We quickly packed
our things, and called our parents.
The bus ride to Jerusalem seemed surreal. The atmosphere had totally changed: for once
no one wanted to talk because no one really knew what to say. We arrived in Jerusalem at
2 AM and all we wanted to do was get in our rooms and go to sleep.
There was no sense in talking about the recent events because that seemed to only make
things worse. Only a day and a half later we found out Tiberias had been hit.
'WHAT IF? WHAT'S NEXT?'
We tried to enjoy our first Shabbat in Israel but somehow ended up in our hotel room
watching the news, but that only made things worse. That was our first and last time to
watch the news while in Israel. It seemed things were only escalating and we couldn't
help but think "what if?" and "what's next?"
We were convinced that our trip would be cut short and knew it was only a matter of time
before our bodyguard, our medic, our tour guide, our bus driver, would be called into the
army. At the conclusion of Shabbat we headed to Ben Yehuda Street, a popular area we
had heard great things about. We were nervous about being in public and wondered how
the night would turn out.
It didn't take us long to realize that despite the turmoil in the country, life in Israel still
goes on. There were hundreds of people going about their lives: shopping, eating
Schwarma and falafel, enjoying the street-music.
As we were leaving we all stopped and watched something none of us could ever forget.
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We looked on as the people of Israel united in the most incredible way. In the middle of a
lively street hundreds came together for a giant prayer circle.
We didn't have to understand Hebrew to feel the power and emotion exhibited from the
circle. And everything we did from this night on seemed to only reinforce the fact that this
is a way of life.
WHAT DEFINES ISRAEL
Although Israel is in a state of war it is important to remember that Israel IS a country.
There are people there going about their everyday lives: grocery shopping, eating out,
raising families, going to school. There are also people now who have been forced to live
everyday in a bomb shelter, listening to sirens. But they cannot live in fear. Unfortunately
and from the words of an Israeli friend, "you have to get used to it."
Israel is NOT just what you see in the media, and that is one of the most important
lessons we learned. Yes, there are suicide bombers and Katyusha rockets but no, that is
NOT what defines Israel. It is the people at the heart of Israel who so desperately want to
live in peace that defines what the country is all about.
As hard as it was for us to believe, this was the reality of it all. Throughout the next two
weeks, our trip grew into more than just a tour of Israel. Despite the worry from home,
we were fortunate enough to stay the remainder of our three week trip.
And it wasn't just us-- everyday we interacted with a different group of teens from
America, Spain, France, and numerous other countries, all sharing this experience. It truly
developed into a life-changing trip.
There just aren't words to describe the feelings you have after seeing the face of an Israeli
friend who has just lost a loved one. There aren't words to describe how touched you are
when someone is so grateful just for your presence in their country. There aren't words to
describe how it feels to be looked in the eye by an Israeli soldier and friend, and told, "I
want to fight for my country." And there aren't words to describe how it feels to know that
we actually STOOD with Israel.
We want to leave you with one thought, a quote that truly sums up our trip of Israel:
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
Back to Article
by Lauren Shenfeld
Northridge, California
ILTC (Continued)
This summer, I attended ILTC and I know that I walked away from these programs a
more enriched B'nai Brith Girl, friend, leader, and Jew.
ILTC created an open forum for all participants to learn more about ourselves, to create
everlasting friendships, and to focus on our goals in our separate Regions and Councils as
well as together as an International movement. I had the privilege of meeting new teens
from across the globe – teens facing issues in both their BBG life and outside-of-BBYO life
that are similar to mine.
After experiencing CLTC and IC last summer, I quickly learned that there is an unbreakable
bond between any two Alephs or any two B'nai Brith Girls, and I feel so lucky that during
this now ending summer, I got to yet again be a part of a phenomenal BBYO Summer
Program.
Back to Article
by Toby Stein
Providence, Rhode Island
ILTC (Continued)
Would they understand if I tried to explain how despite 5 days of non-stop rain and the
ensuing 2 weeks of mud, I had more fun than I ever thought possible? Maybe they'd
appreciate the amount of innovation and the number of groundbreaking ideas that are
produced when 120 of the top BBYO leaders in the world gather together in one place.
More likely, they'd lose track of my friends' names, of the funny stories, and the new
ideas. They'd get distracted by the acronyms and lingo. Any kid who has tried to explain
BBYO to someone who is not involved knows that something gets lost in the translation of
two weeks into a few words. The true impact of the program is in the unspoken
understanding between me and the other 120 participants of ILTC 2006. So, I figured this
was all a little over my parents' heads, and instead of bothering to explain, I provided the
most typical teenage answer I could think of: "I don't know…it was just fun." But in
reality, it was far more than just fun.
Back to Article
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by Lisa Weisshar
Chatsworth, California
CLTC 8 (Continued)
Through this summer program I developed a deeper love for Israel (and an even deeper
love for Israeli dancing). I experienced programs about tolerance, oppression, drunk
driving, and the genocide in Darfur that literally brought me to tears and empowered me
to help make a difference. I learned about my identity as a Jew through play-doh, Star
Wars, scavenger hunts, and an auction with Jewish values up for sale. My whole
interpretation of BBYO changed, and when I got home I couldn't wait to get more involved
not only in my region, but in the international order. More importantly than that, I entered
with a few acquaintances, and left with remarkable friendships and memories to last me a
lifetime. At first, it was weird to think that I would be celebrating July 4 without my
family, but once the day rolled around, I had the opportunity to commemorate it with 42
of my closest brothers and sisters. CLTC has given me so many memories and I look
forward to making so many more!
Back to Article
by Gabbi Baker
Columbia, South Carolina
CLTC 6 (Continued)
While many leadership programs teach by handouts and books, CLTC taught vital skills
through experience. Working with mock chapters to plan programs gave participants a
chance to learn leadership the hard way—by making mistakes and learning how to fix
them. Every person at CLTC, from the staff and the coordinators to the 40-something
participants, had an impact on my life. I took a part of each person home with me, and I
still think of each of them as I work to make my chapter stronger today.
I've always heard that CLTC has had a powerful impact on people, but I never believed it
until I experienced it. I never thought that ten girls could change who I was or who I was
growing up to be. I never thought that I would meet people who had more spirit and
passion for BBYO. I never thought that I would be changed by CLTC…but, I was wrong.
This summer, in addition to the Israeli dancing and Jewish songfests, I learned about how
to make my chapter incredible. CLTC gave me the connections to people and resources
which I know will make my next few years in BBYO so much more enjoyable.
Back to Article
by Noah Kaswell
Potomac, Maryland
CLTC 5 (Continued)
CLTC this year can simply be summed up as the greatest single experience I have ever
had. From learning about the Israeli army to comparing notes on chapter procedures, the
programming at CLTC is far better than at any convention or regional event you will ever
go to. I can still remember a little bit of Krav Maga (a self defense style developed by the
Israel Defense Forces), and I will never forget the fun we all had at Israeli dancing. More
importantly though, I can honestly say, every single person who attended CLTC V made
incredible friends all over the country and the world.
It is unbelievable how 34 strangers can come together in a period of under two weeks and
form a bond so strong that it overcomes the geographical barriers instituted once they
return home. It can be said that CLTC changes people and that it makes them stronger
leaders in their chapters. I would argue that CLTC does not change people, but that it
brings out the best in them through the friends that they make as well as the programs
run there. After CLTC I often pondered as to why I had made so many amazing friends in
such a short time frame.
Finally, I concluded two things: the first is that I was fortunate enough to work with an
extraordinary group of kids and advisers. The second thing that I concluded is that CLTC
makes friendships happen because it creates an environment more conducive to interacting
and becoming close with others than anything else in the world. When one is in such an
environment, one has the support system necessary to step out of one's comfort zone.
This is the foundation for leadership. When people are able to start leading a group
because they know the group is behind them, they are able to lead more effectively. This
principle is used, along with great leadership training sessions, to show CLTCers how to
lead. Even those who are more timid and prefer to follow others are at ease when leading
such a group. Furthermore, once those coy individuals have finished their session at CLTC
they are more than comfortable when leading groups of any size and they have the tools
to do so. The leadership bit is great, but in all honesty why is CLTC such a wonderful
experience? Ultimately, it revolves back to one mind-boggling summer, which creates
friends and memories that last a life time.
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BBYO'S TOP TEEN LEADERS SET AGENDA FOR COMING YEAR; DESIGNATE
FUNDS TO SUPPORT "AMEN" (Continued)
"As an organization that empowers teens to lead their own initiatives, this conference is
one of BBYO's most important events," said Matthew Grossman, BBYO's executive director.
"It was particularly important this year, as current events forced Jewish teens to recognize
the importance of building Jewish continuity and making a difference in the world around
them."
In line with BBYO's mission to involve more Jewish teens with more meaningful Jewish
experiences, the teen leaders held workshops on outreach and marketing, alternative
engagement strategies and member retention. They also announced an ambitious
membership goal for the 2007 year of 18,000 teens. Their agenda also gave special focus
to larger issues in which teens can make an impact, including community service,
philanthropy and human rights.
Of particular importance was a vote to designate funds raised through the annual ISF
campaign to support relief and service efforts in Israel coordinated by the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Having approved the JDC as the 2006-07 funding
beneficiary and program partner at Execs last February, the teens endorsed a specific JDC
initiative - called "AMEN" (a Hebrew acronym for "Youth Volunteer City") - as their priority.
The AMEN project engages Israeli high school youth in community service. A collaboration
of JDC and the Israeli Government, AMEN has an active presence in 16 cities and has
reached more than 26,000 Israeli teenagers. A number of the AMEN sites are located in
northern Israel and will be a primary vehicle for reconstruction and humanitarian support.
The ability to provide direct assistance in the north of Israel - coupled with the opportunity
to promote an initiative that directly involves Israeli teens - made AMEN uniquely
appealing to the BBYO youth leadership.
Other highlights of the conference included:
Keynote addresses focused on outreach and recruitment by David Cygielman,
Founder of the Forest Foundation, Los Angeles, CA and Emily Goodstein, Program
Coordinator for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Washington, DC.
A panel of four BBYO alumni, who discussed how their BBYO leadership experiences
prepared them for successful careers.
Strategy sessions in which the teens collaborated to develop a plan to provide
valuable summer programs, partake in meaningful community service and capitalize
upon BBYO's alumni base, which numbers 250,000.
"The unique atmosphere of our executive meetings allows for, in a timeframe, of only 72
hours our most experienced leaders the ability to return home with a strong vision and
commitment to their communities for the coming year," said Jeremy Gelman, International
President (Grand Aleph Godol) of Aleph Zadik Aleph, BBYO's boys division who will preside
over the conference along with Dina Finer, President (International N'siah) of BBYO's B'nai
B'rith Girls. "These meetings are a truly unique and vital piece for the plans of our youth
leadership."
Back to Article
WHERE YOUNG LIVES TAKE SHAPE — ESTEE PORTNOY (Continued)
"BBYO was such an integral part of my high school life," said Portnoy, who served as
Regional Orechet, S'ganit, and N'siah of what is now Keystone Mountain Region in
Pennsylvania. She also attended CLTC, ILTC, ISI and three International Conventions. "It
was about friendship and leadership. You can pick back up with friends from BBYO so
quickly because it was such a bonding experience."
During her first BBYO weekend in 7th grade, Estee (Mermelstein) Portnoy was selected
"MIT Queen," but that is not the only reason she remembers that weekend as special. She
also met her future husband, Elliott. The pair dated a little in high school but lost touch
while Portnoy attended college at the University of Michigan. It was after college that she
reconnected with her BBYO sweetheart. Estee and Elliott moved to the nation's capital and
Estee received her MBA at the University of Maryland. Now married for 14 years, the
couple has three children, Josh, 8; Noah, 5; and Daniela, 2.
The professional impact of BBYO has been just as significant as the personal impact.
Portnoy is now the vice president of SFX Sports Group in Washington, DC and has been
Michael Jordan's business manager for the last decade.
"When I first began working with Michael [Jordan], it was a very exciting time in his
career, and mine, as he was with the Chicago Bulls, starring in Space Jam, launching a
cologne and building on his line of Air Jordan Shoes," said Portnoy. Portnoy believes that
getting into the field of sports marketing requires a lot of leadership and work experiences
while you're young. "I give a lot of credit to BBYO for setting me up to build a good
resume, and how to be a good business leader."
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Along with her family and her career, Portnoy has made helping others in need a priority
in her life. Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN), a non-profit foundation in which young people
with mental and physical disabilities have the opportunity to participate in social and
athletic programs, was begun by her husband, Elliott Portnoy, in England when he studied
at Oxford University. After they married, the Portnoys re-started KEEN in America and
there are now six KEEN programs across the country, which serve disabled children and
their families each day.
KEEN athletes have disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome and
various intellectual and developmental disabilities. Unlike other recreation programs for
individuals with disabilities, KEEN provides an open, unstructured environment for people
with any type of disability, including those with significant needs. For some of the children
and young adults who are unable to participate in other programs, KEEN may be their
only recreational activity.
"We wanted to make a difference in this world; a lot of my inspiration for this stems from
when I was younger," said Portnoy. "Being involved in BBYO taught me that giving back to
the community was important. For example, when I was in BBYO, we wrote to pen pals in
Russia who were "refusniks," and now BBYO is rallying to save Darfur; it's all in the same
desire to make the world a better place than when you found it."
Not only is Portnoy thankful to BBYO for her leadership and social action beginnings, but
she is also grateful to the organization for the people she has met and the connections she
has made. She keeps in touch with many BBYO friends and is always excited to randomly
reconnect with a BBYO alum. She is also giving back to BBYO by currently serving on its
national Board of Directors.
For more information on KEEN, please visit www.keenusa.org
Back to Article
SIXTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE FOR BBYO COUPLE (Continued)
BBYO played an integral part in both of their lives. Joey served as the president of
Pasadena AZA #48 and in 1942 was elected District 4 Grand Aleph Godol. That same year,
he was awarded the prestigious Sam Beber award. Similarly, Millie was the president of
Santa Monica BBG. The day they met, the pair was helping to organize B'nai Brith Young
Men (BBYM) and B'nai Brith Young Women (BBYM), a post-BBYO youth organization for
young Jews between the ages of 21-25. Both Millie and Joey served as presidents of their
respective divisions.
Today, as their 60th wedding anniversary approaches, Joey and Millie have a lot of
reminiscing to do. Joey served in the Navy for 43 months before his marriage to Millie and
the beginning of his career in real estate, in which his wife helped him along the way
serving as a bookkeeper. The couple has three children and two grandchildren. Joey and
Millie were not the only happy to couple to have met through BBYO—many of their friends
also met through BBYM and BBYW!
The Bakers, who currently reside in Santa Monica, CA, still believe as they did 60 years
ago, that it is important to be a part of BBYO in order to ensure the strength of the
Jewish future. The Bakers have sent many teens to BBYO leadership programs and will
continue to do so in hopes of sharing the BBYO experience with generations to come.
The entire BBYO family would like to wish Joey & Millie Baker a happy and healthy 60th
anniversary!
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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September/October 2006
Issue 18
JOIN BBYO
BBYO, Inc. News
Happy New Year! BBYO is pleased to present the Sept/Oct issue of the eNews. We
hope that your holidays were meaningful and that your new year is off to a wonderful
beginning.
JEWISH TEEN NETWORKING SITE CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY
WITH 8,000 USERS AND GROWING
Join thousands of teens from around the world
who are having the experience of a lifetime in
BBYO. Click Join to get involved in a chapter
near you today.
DONATE TO BBYO
Teens from Around the World are Connecting and Communicating via blinked.org
For Jews throughout the world, this time of
year begins a period of reflection – on both
our personal accomplishments and shortfalls,
as well as our efforts to make the world a
better place. BBYO hopes that this year, you
will help us reach even more teens with
meaningful Jewish experiences through your
personal financial support. To make a
contribution to BBYO, click Donate.
REGISTER FOR PASSPORT TO ISRAEL 2007
www.b-linked.org is not a baby anymore. BBYO launched the online networking
community for Jewish teens in October 2005 in an effort to meet teens where they
spend much of their time – online – and provide them with a vibrant community to
connect with their peers. One year and 8,000 registrants later, the website is serving
as a gateway for Jewish teens from around the world to make friends, get involved
with meaningful Jewish experiences and access valuable resources. READ MORE...
BBYO Teens Rally to Stop Genocide in
Darfur
A delegation of almost 300 teens representing
BBYO joined people of all ages, religions and
political affiliations in New
York City on September 17 as part of Save Darfur:
Voices to Stop Genocide.Timed to coincide with the
opening of the 61st General Assembly of the United
Nations, the event, which some estimates say drew
30,000 was a call-to-action to the United Nations
to bring an end to Sudanese government-sponsored genocide and build a lasting peace
for the people of Darfur. READ MORE...
BBYO "New Driver" Campaign
Registration is now open for Summer 2007
Passport to Israel programs. The first 75
participants to register before December 15 will
receive a $125 discount. Visit
www.passport2israel.org for more information.
Click here to register now!
Each day, BBYO is finding new ways to create meaningful Jewish experiences for teens.
One milestone that teens experience during their time in BBYO is becoming a new
driver. Why not make this a Jewish experience and celebrate it with them? Each BBYO
community will be distributing key chains, featuring the Traveler's Prayer, to teens who
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have just received their driver's licenses. If you are interested in receiving a supply of
key chains for teens in your community, please contact [email protected].
Y'ALL READY FOR IC?
International President Dina Finer Addresses
UJC Lions of Judah Conference
Dina Finer, BBYO's International President (N'siah),
addressed the Canadian delegation to the United Jewish
Communities Conference in September, discussing BBYO
and the impact of youth group membership on teen's
futures. Speaking on behalf of BBYO's B'nai B'rith Girls,
Dina highlighted some of the major accomplishments of
regions throughout BBYO.
Save the Date for BBYO's International
Convention: February 15-19, 2007 in Waco,
Texas!
Registration opens soon. Visit www.bbyo.org
for the most up-to-date information.
The Lions of Judah is a group of over 1500 Jewish women,
joined by the greatest political and spiritual leaders and
thinkers of our time. They explore the always-dynamic
role of philanthropic women in the Jewish federation
movement and the ever-changing role of the federation
movement in 21st century society.
To read Dina's speech, Click Here
SHARE THE BBYO EXPERIENCE
Alumni News
Reconnect with Old AZA and BBG
Friends at the Alumni Network
Do you want to make a significant impact in
the life of a Jewish teen? Give them the gift of
membership today.
PARTICIPATE IN JEWISH SOCIAL ACTION
MONTH
Cheshvan 5756 (October 23-November 21) is
Jewish Social Action Month. To find out about
BBYO's initiatives in support of Darfur, Israel,
AIPAC and the Joint Distribution Committee, visit
www.bbyo.org.
Are you curious to find out what happened to
that old BBYO flame? Looking for friends in a
new city? Needing to connect with
professionals in your field? Almost 8,000
alumni have already joined BBYO's online
Alumni Network, where they are rekindling old
friendships and making new ones, signing up
for events, planning reunions, career
networking and so much more. Visit the Alumni
Network via www.bbyo.org today! And, stay
tuned for the Nov/Dec eNews for a Message from the Chair of the Alumni Network,
Michael Laufer and find out how you can spread the word in your community.
Where Young Lives Take Shape: Lee Grossman
IT'S GETTING COLD OUTSIDE!
For Lee Grossman, being a leader in BBYO connected
him to a Jewish community he didn't have at school and
gave him skills that he uses every day in his role as the
president of the Autism Society of America.
Growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania, Lee
was one of three Jews in his high school. When his older
brother got him involved in BBYO it was an opportunity
to meet Jews from all over Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. For the first time, he interacted with motivated
teens that had goals for the future and helped him aim
for success. READ MORE...
Stay warm this winter with an AZA or BBG
hoodie from bbyostore.com. Also check out tshirts, hats, water bottles, iPod covers and more!
To submit news, events or comments
Michigan Region Dedicates David L. Bittker
Conference Center
On September 10, Michigan Region dedicated its
new conference center, the David L. Bittker BBYO
Conference Center, located just outside of Detroit.
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for the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
Ensure you never miss our e-mails
because of your SPAM filters!
Click here and follow the directions.
Bittker, a BBYO alumnus and long time lay leader
of BBYO known for putting his personal interests
aside to take on roles most needed by the
organization, was involved in the initial planning of
the center, which began over five years ago. After
Bittker's passing last year, the building committee
continued to build to his specifications.
"The fact that his children, grandchildren and all of
the BBYO youth will use this center, see his name on the building and understand just
how dedicated he was to the future of Jewish youth is both an honor and a legacy,"
said Bittker's daughter, Jodi Tobin of West Bloomfield in a Detroit Jewish News article.
More than 250 people attended the official dedication ceremony of the $1.3 million,
5,700-square-foot facility. The Bittker Center replaces the Milan Centre as the new
home for Michigan Region BBYO retreats. "We're just all very excited," said Geoff
Horowitz, 17, regional AZA President (Godol). "This place was built for us. It was built
for AZA and BBG chapters, and it's just perfect."
Rocky Mountain Region Hosts Beau Sweetheart Dance
On November 18, the Denver JCC will be transformed into a BBYO Alumni Beau
Sweetheart Dance – just like you remember from your BBYO days. Join Rocky
Mountain Region alumni and alumni from all regions now living in the Denver area at
this reunion. The cost is $30 per person or $55 per couple. You must be 21 to attend.
For more information or to RSVP please contact RMR Regional Director, Marc Gellar at
[email protected]
Calling All BBYO Alumni Living in Chicago
Great Midwest Region BBYO will be hosting an alumni event on December 7, 7-9pm for
BBYO alumni living in the Chicago area. The event will be held at Bella Lounge. For
more information, contact Stacy Heller at [email protected] or 847.947.4358.
Los Angeles Reunion Attracts Over 60 Alumni
A reunion for JFK AZA and Brentwood BBG in Los Angeles in September attracted over
60 alumni who were active in the chapters in the 1960s.The group also created a
website including their stories, memories and photos from their summers on the beach
and winters playing football. Forty years later, they remember football scores, Tuesday
night dinners and first loves.
Get Your BBYO Camp Experience Featured In Camp Camp
Remember the first Shabbat you spent at Kallah or the skills you learned at ILTC that
have made you who you are today? What about hikes in the rain and long song
sessions around a bonfire? Camp Camp is a new website looking to compile
memorabilia from your summer camp experience. BBYO Summers began at B'nai B'rith
Perlman Camp over 40 years ago. Relive camp memories from BBYO and share them
with the rest of the world. READ MORE...
Regional News
BBYO Supports Israel
Rocky Mountain Region Raises Funds for
Israel
This past Labor Day, the B'nai B'rith Girls from
BBYO's Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) came
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together to raise money for the Allied Jewish
Federation's Israel Emergency Campaign. In only a
few short days, under the leadership of Regional
President (N'siah), Shane Kleinstein, and Regional
Vice President of Judaic Programming (Yehudiah),
Alyssa Wasko, they redefined "one-stop shopping"
by pulling together a garage sale, car wash, and
lemonade stand. At the end of a very long day the BBGs raised $1,218! The best part
was that over 20 girls from all of the Denver BBG chapters came to show their support
by hailing customers, washing cars and selling merchandise. Even though the program
required a lot of work, all of the participants maintained that this was "one of the best
programs ever!" The BBGs know that there is much more work to be done; the
amazing turnout and even more impressive earnings have only inspired the girls more.
They are now brainstorming ideas for additional emergency campaign fundraisers.
Raising Israel awareness amongst the youth and in the Colorado community-at-large
has always been one of RMR BBYO's most important goals, and, thanks to RMR's Israel
Awareness Chairwoman, Shoshi Leftin, and all of the RMR BBGs, they continue to make
a difference!
Gold Coast BBYO Collects Donations for
Broward County Federations' Israel
Emergency Campaign
Gold Coast BBYO teens were amongst the hundreds
of supporters who turned out for The Jewish
Federation of Broward County's Israel Emergency
Campaign Rally in August at the David Posnack
Jewish Community Center. The Campaign, which
raised over $1 million was featured in the following
article, Click here
Miami Region Participates in Rally for Israel
On August 13, in conjunction with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Dave
and Mary Alper JCC, Miami Region BBYO members participated in a rally in Support of
Israel. In addition to the rally, BBYO members collected board games, books and other
entertainment items that teens can use in the bomb shelters in Israel. They also
promoted a letter writing campaign to government officials. Lisa Reichert, Miami Region
program assistant said, ''I think it is important to get the kids and the teens involved.
It shows solidarity for Israel." To read the Miami Herald article, Click here
Charlotte Teens Stay Up All Night for Israel
Eastern Region BBYO will be hosting an Up All Night Event on October 28 to raise
money for the local Federation's Israel Emergency Fund. With an overall BBYO goal of
$10,000, each participant is working to raise a minimum of $54 in sponsorships. There
are a number of exciting things planned for the event, including 10 different
programming stations, including a web cam conversation with Israeli teens, a peace
quilt, Israeli dancing, Hebrew learning, and much more! For more information, contact
Ellen Goldstein at [email protected]
Great Midwest Region Kicks Off Programming Year
BBYO's Great Midwest Region (GMR) held its kickoff event on September 10 for all
Jewish teens in the Chicago area. More than 150 teens began at Chicago's ESPN Zone,
where they had the opportunity to hang out with old friends and make new ones, all
while enjoying over 100 of the latest interactive sports-themed games and attractions.
Following ESPN Zone, the trip continued to Gino's East Pizzeria.
Pacific Coast Region Leads Annual High Holiday Services
Pacific Coast Region held High Holiday services for its community for the first day of
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The services were run entirely by BBYO members and
attracted over 300 people. This year the regional Vice Presidents of Judaic
Programming (Sh'lichim) created new machzorim (prayerbooks) for the annual service.
The books are interactive with easy explanations, inspirational thoughts, great song
lyrics, reflective questions and ideas, pictures of BBYO members and professional
graphics. Many community members have expressed their appreciation to BBYO for
giving them a place to go for the holidays.
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BBYO Members' Sweet 16 Birthday Party is
Featured on MTV and in JVibe Magazine
Cotton States Region BBYO members, Kelsey Alabaster
and Rachel Steiner, celebrated their 16th birthdays in a
way few teens do. Their "Sweet 16" party was featured
on MTV's "My Super Sweet 16" show. Wanting to change
the image of "spoiled" 16 year old girls throwing lavish
birthday parties, the girls gave their party a philanthropic
purpose, raising awareness and funds for St. Jude's
Children's Research Hospital, one of the leading centers
for children's cancer research.
In the Oct/Nov issue of JVibe magazine, the girls wrote
"When we first began planning our sweet 16 party, we
decided that we wanted it to be for charity. After
watching TV show after TV show about whining, unappreciative teens, we felt we
needed to do something to change our image. We wanted to make our party a
fundraiser for an organization that we would both love to support." In the article, the
girls go on to talk about their experience on the popular MTV show and the reality
behind "Reality TV." To read the article, click here.
Kelsey and Rachel will be hosting a live chat on BBYO's online networking community
for Jewish teens, www.b-linked.org, To find out when to tune into the chat and to
learn about all of b-linked.org's upcoming events, visit www.b-linked.org often.
Northern Region East Launches School's
Out Series
BBYO's Northern Region East (NRE) is launching its
School's Out Series designed to give all Jewish
teens in grades 9-12 in Montgomery County, MD
an opportunity to obtain community service hours
and make a difference on days when "school's out."
The first event of the series will be held on
November 1, 10am – 4pm, when teens will have an
opportunity to volunteer at the Days End Horse
Rescue Farm, a shelter for abused and neglected horses. Not only will it be a day to
make new friends, but teens will also receive 6 service learning hours. The event is
free and includes lunch and a t-shirt. Space it limited, so RSVP today to Katie Glazier
at 301.348.9787 or [email protected]. Stay tuned for future School's Out Events.
Michigan Region Holds Annual Leadership Conference
Michigan BBYO held its Austin Kanter VIP Leadership Camp for Chapter Presidents at
the Charles and Florence Milan BBYO Conference Centre in Belle River, Ontario, from
August 15-20. This six-day leadership program re-energized the teen leaders after a
summer away from BBYO responsibilities and gave them an opportunity to bond with
each other. This is the last program at the Milan Centre because it was recently
replaced by the new $1.3 million David L. Bittker BBYO Conference Center.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Around the country, BBYO chapters and regions are participating in
programs related to breast cancer awareness. Here are just a few:
South Jersey Region BBG is hosting a Pink and White Gala for Breast
Cancer. Teens and family members around the community will attend
the gala on October 28 to raise awareness and money for the cause.
SJR expects approximately 250 guests and the gala will include a live
band and silent auction. For more information, contact Regional
Director Jenna Lipson at [email protected].
Wisconsin Region is holding a "Jewish" Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on October 22.
For more information contact Regional President (N'siah) Amanda Stahl at
[email protected].
Sharsheret is a national organization of cancer survivors dedicated to addressing the
unique concerns of young Jewish women facing breast cancer. They have recently
launched a program called Embrace, which helps improve the quality of life for Jewish
women in advanced stages of cancer. For more information visit http://sharsheret.org/.
For more information about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as
programs in your area and information for chapter programming, visit
http://www.nbcam.org/.
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b-accepted News
"Texoma" College Visit to the University of Texas at Austin
BBYO's North Texas Oklahoma (NTO) and Lonestar Regions are teaming up for a
college visit to University of Texas at Austin from November 10-12. The trip will be fun
and informative, helping teens prepare for college at UT or any other college. Julie
Judson, NTO Regional President (N'siah) says the trip is "going to reunite "Texoma"
and will be a great kick-off to IC!" For more information, contact Sherrie Stalarow at
[email protected] or 214.363.4654.
Mid-Atlantic College Tour with Philadelphia Region BBYO
Philadelphia BBYO is co-sponsoring a Mid-Atlantic College tour with the Community
Youth Initiative from October 26-29. The tour will visit University of Virginia, University
of Richmond, American University, Georgetown University, George Washington
University, George Mason University and the University of Maryland. For more
information, contact Jennifer Arney at 215. 446.3023 or [email protected].
Special Scholarships Available for BBYO
Members at the University of Judaism
The Princeton Review named The University of
Judaism a "Best Western College." It was ranked
among the top 150 liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. As a nondenominational institution, the UJ embraces all engaged Jewish citizens. Special
Financial aid and Scholarships SPECIFICALLY FOR BBYO members are available for Fall
2007.
The University of Judaism offers Bachelor's degree programs in Bioethics (Pre-Med),
Business, Individualized Majors, Jewish Studies, Liberal Arts, Literature &
Communications, Political Science and Psychology. For more information visit
www.uj.edu, email [email protected], or call 888-UJ-FOR-ME.
BBYO In the News
BBYO members Alex Sloan, Adam Greenblatt, Ian Schwartz, Erica Green, Nina
Rosen, Bennett Marcus, Ariel Mackston and Regional Director Fran Haskell from
Nassau Suffolk Region were featured in an article in New York's Newsday newspaper.
The article highlighted their experience on the March of the Living and the impact of
the program on their day-to-day lives. It described their activities in Poland touring
death camps and included photos of the group from the trip.
BBYO Director of Israel Programs, Lane Schlessel, was featured in The New Sun
Times, Sun Messenger and Sun Press in Cleveland, Ohio. The article focused on BBYO's
Israel travel programs and Schlessel's involvement as Director of Program Enrichment.
To read the full article, click here.
In Israel, Givatayim mayor leads race for JNF chairman. Efi Stenzler, the current mayor
of Givatayim, Israel and candidate for the chairman of the Jewish National Fund, has
been involved with BBYO for 20 years and was featured in the Jerusalem Post. To read
the article, click here (June 2006).
BBYO Passport to Israel programs continued this summer, despite conflict in the
region. Local newspapers around the country reported on BBYO's Passport to Israel
programs and commented on the minimal early departure of students already in Israel
and the strong communication between the staff of the programs and the parents of
the participants (July 2006).
The Jewish Voice and Herald in Providence, Rhode Island printed an article about
students traveling to Israel to study and strengthen their connection with the country
and Jewish people. BBYO member Adam Freeman was interviewed about his BBYO
Passport to Israel trip (August 4, 2006).
The Winick AZA chapter of BBYO's Cotton States Region was recognized in the
Walton Sun of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida for its community service project which
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involved cleaning up the local beach (August 5, 2006).
The Hebrew Watchman of Memphis, Tennessee announced Jeff Dreifus' installation as
International Vice President of Membership (Grand Aleph Moreh) (August 10, 2006).
Evan Rosenfield, North Texas-Oklahoma Region member, participated in an
exchange trip this summer to Hsinchu, Taiwan. The Texas Jewish Post reported that he
was there as a sister-city liaison for his hometown, Plano, Texas (August 10, 2006).
BBYO's Nitzotz, a community service-based summer experience offered in Baltimore
and Chicago, was featured in the Baltimore Jewish News. Lauren McGlothin and Dan
Atlas of Columbia, Maryland were quoted saying that the program "sends a message
for life" and provided them with a "true sense of being Jewish." (August 11, 2006).
The Detroit Jewish News featured the dedication of Michigan Region's new David L.
Bittker Conference Center. To read the full article, click here, free registration is
required. (August 14, 2006).
The St. Petersburg Times in Tampa, Florida featured a story about Ester Steinberg,
who traveled on BBYO's Passport to Israel Trip this summer, and her best friend, Sarah
Chibani who is Lebanese and spent the summer in Lebanon. To read the full article,
click here (August 11, 2006).
International Vice President (Grand Aleph S'gan), Ben Arnstein, was quoted in a
Washington Jewish Week regarding teen support for Israel. To read the article click
here (August 16, 2006).
The Nitzotz program was also the topic of an article in the Jewish Chronicle of
Pittsburgh, PA. Emily Nash and Jessica Gold of Keystone Mountain Region said the
program inspired them to "seek out other different types of community service"
(August 17, 2006).
BBYO members in Miami Region hosted a toy drive for Israeli children living in bomb
shelters this summer as the result of Israel's conflict with Lebanon. According to the
Miami Herald, the drive was part of a rally of Jewish organizations in South Dade
gathering support for Israel. To read the full article, click here (August 17, 2006).
The Canadian Jewish News published a photograph about BBYO's annual golf
tournament to support the National Colorectal Cancer Campaign in memory of alumnus
Steve Glickman. To read the full article, click here (August 24, 2006).
This summer, Dan Ring and Eric Feldman of Northern Region East participated in
Etgar 36, a social action program that includes a tour around United States. The
Baltimore Jewish Times reported that the goal of the program is to get participants to
become more involved in their communities (August 25, 2006).
Gold Coast Region BBYO was featured in an article in the Jewish Journal in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida. The article focused on the region's recent fundraising efforts for
Israel, the creation of a new chapter and a visit by International President (Grand
Aleph Godol), Jeremy Gelman (August 31, 2006).
BBYO Human Resources Director, Sid Abrams, was quoted in a Washington Post
article about the resurgence of "youth ministry." The article reported that working in
the non-profit youth world has gained popularity in recent years as opportunities,
salaries and youth involvement increases. This article was also printed in the
Philadelphia Inquirer (August 2006).
Sarah Strum was recognized in several local New York newspapers for her election to
the position of International Vice Presdient of Judaic, Social Action and Community
Service Programming (Sh'licha) (August 2006).
Recent BBYO alumni Trevor Langston and Alex Prescott of North Texas Oklahoma
Region were awarded the Jeanette Altman Frieden Excellence in Education scholarship
and were featured in the Tulsa Jewish Review for their accomplishment (August 2006).
Laura Drapkin of Mountain Region was featured in the Arizona Jewish Post "Teen
Zine" along with members of other local Jewish youth organizations. The article
introduced Jewish Youth groups in Tucson to the new "Teen Zine" section of the
newspaper. To read the full article, click here (September 15, 2006).
David Walt, alumni of Akiba AZA #1393 of Michigan Region (1968-71) and a past
Aleph Godol of the Greater Detroit AZA, was recently named a Howard Hughes
Institute professor. He currently teaches at Tufts University. David will receive a $1
million grant to integrate the excitement of scientific discovery into the undergrad and
K-12 classroom.
To view the article, click here.
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Teens from Around the World are Connecting and Communicating via blinked.org (Continued)
"b-linked is so much more than just a website for Jewish teens," said Frank Jaffe of
Boca Raton, FL. "For me, b-linked is a one-stop-shop to make friends who share my
background and interests, get help with the college search, keep track of my
community service projects and find out about all different types of experiences for me
to get involved in my community and abroad."
b-linked usage during its first year has surpassed BBYO's expectations, with registrants
representing 45 states and 19 countries, close to 40 million page views (an average of
111,280 per day) and more than 415,000 sessions (an average of 1,171 per day). Key
features of b-linked are also reflective of its growing success. For example, users have
created more than 700 b-linked "groups," where users can discuss anything from
current events, like the situation in Darfur and presidential politics, to movies, books
and sports. Also, more than 9,000 photos have been posted to the site, along with
600 events.
Visitors to b-linked will find that the site changes on almost a daily basis, with ongoing
campaigns and contests to attract teens' interests and keep the website dynamic. For
example, a monthly "b-lucky" campaign awarded prizes, such as $250 Abercrombie &
Fitch shopping sprees, to randomly selected b-linked registrants and teens who
referred b-linked to their friends. Additionally, teens can now download the music of
up-and-coming Jewish artists for free and get featured on the website if they are in a
band. And, teens will soon be able to participate in the "Hunt," an online photo
scavenger hunt.
BBYO celebrated b-linked's birthday throughout October. Teens had an opportunity to
make creative birthday wishes online and BBYO made a few lucky winners' wishes
come true. Additionally, teen registrants who share a birthday with b-linked received a
package in the mail including iTunes gift cards and b-linked giveaways.
b-linked is not all fun and games, as the site offers valuable tools and resources to
help users navigate the teen years, such as a college admissions assistance website, a
community service tracker and information on everything from Jewish holidays to
supporting Israel. b-linked is unique compared to most social networking communities
in that the virtual world transforms into the real world. Through b-linked, teens can
learn about and register for a wide range of experiences taking place locally and
around the world, including leadership program, college tours, community service
projects and Israel travel opportunities. And unlike other sites, BBYO has more than
100 BBYO professionals spread across 60 North American communities working to
involve Jewish teens in meaningful Jewish experiences.
Back to Article
BBYO Teens Rally to Stop Genocide in Darfur (Continued)
"The Darfur Rally in New York was incredible," said Sarah Strum, a teen from Little
Neck, NY who serves on BBYO's International Board. "All over the country, BBYO
chapters are running programs about Darfur and educating their communities about
the situation. We have the power and the obligation to speak out against the situation
in Darfur and be part of the solution."
The BBYO activists from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Washington, DC added
to the rally's unmistakable Jewish presence, thanks to a coalition led by the American
Jewish World Service (AJWS) and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA).
Delegations from New York-metro-area synagogues participated, and rally organizers
reported Jewish representation from every major city on the East Coast and from
states as far away as Colorado.
The teens attending the rally in the east meadow of Central Park heard from notable
speakers, including Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State; Larry Cox,
Executive Director of Amnesty International; John Prendergast, Senior Advisor of the
International Crises Group; and Rabbi Steve Gutow of the Jewish Council for Public
Affairs.
The event was organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of over 160 faithbased, humanitarian and human rights organizations whose mission it is to raise public
awareness and to mobilize an effective unified response to the atrocities that threaten
the lives of two million people in the Darfur region.
The teens' attendance at the New York gathering was the second major initiative of
this year's BBYO Rallies to Save Darfur programming, which involves speaking
engagements and Darfur- and hunger-related educational programs. Teens are also
using BBYO's online networking community, www.b-linked.org, as a venue to organize
local teen coalitions focused on raising awareness about the situation faced by the
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people of Darfur.
"I am continually amazed by BBYO teens; they truly understand the importance of
making a difference in the world," said Matthew Grossman, BBYO's executive director.
"It is inspiring to know that their involvement today will catalyze a lifelong
commitment to social action and lay the groundwork for future Jewish leadership."
For more information on BBYO's involvement in the Save Darfur Campaign,
visit http://www.bbyo.org/article.php?id=521
Back to Article
International President Dina Finer Addresses UJC Lions of Judah
Conference (Continued)
Good Afternoon Everyone,
I am so honored to be at this conference, and even more so to be able to speak to
the Canadian delegation about the efforts made by the BBYO to ensure a strong
Jewish future and my role in that effort.
I would like to formally introduce myself. My name is Dina Finer; I live in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, which is a small Jewish community. I am serving the B’nai B’rith Girls, the
female division of BBYO, as their 62nd International President. I was elected to this
position by over 600 teen leaders around the country which represented a membership
of 18,000 BBYO members and thousands more of Jewish teens involved in BBYO
activities. As the position requires, I’ve deferred attending Tulane University for one
year to travel the world representing our organization to help strengthen BBYO regions
and councils so they have more meaningful Jewish experiences to offer to Jewish
teens.
BBYO is an organization unique from all others, as we are the largest pluralistic teen
movement in North America that welcomes teens of any religious denomination as well
as unaffiliated teens. We are here for the purpose of investing in the Jewish future. It
is our duty to engage as many Jewish teenagers as we can in Jewish experiences to
foster a strong Jewish identity and to frame their future. We are here today, so that
there are committed Jews in the world tomorrow.
As BBYO is now independent of B’nai B’rith International, it only exists because of the
generosity of many philanthropists in this world, many men and women like you. You
might ask me, where do I get my inspiration? Who is a B’nai B’rith Girl’s role model?
The question is an easy one to answer. Our role models are you. The women of the
21st century that give back to the Jewish world because you understand that if we
don’t take care of ourselves than no one else will. You are what a BBG aspires to be.
BBG was a significant four years of my life. When those four years were over; for me
and thousands of other Jewish teens, we left the organization committed to the Jewish
world, and dedicated to giving back however we can.
BBYO’s tzedakah efforts are in many ways similar to what you, the Lions of Judah,
raise funds for each and every day. A huge aspect of BBYO is our International Service
Fund, which is a vehicle for teen philanthropy. We’ve partnered with the JDC to aid the
organization in any way that we can. In August, our North American teen leadership
voted for our charity to aid the JDC efforts specifically in Israel following the war with
Lebanon. An example of a JDC charity in Israel that we will be supporting is the AMEN
Project. This initiative helps Israeli teens involve themselves in active community
service prior to their service in the Israeli Defense Forces. We hope to be able to send
our teens to participate in this initiative as our partnership increases, and focus on
rebuilding the lives and communities of northern Israel.
Our regions are very involved and educated on the current situation in Israel. Many
regions are holding informational discussions for their members to enable them to
defend verbal attacks on Israel at their schools. Our North Carolina region is hosting
an “Up All Night for Israel” where their goal is to raise at least 10,000 dollars in a
short 7 hours to send to Israel. This past winter, our Long Island region raised
$12,000 for emergency services in Israel. In 2003, we launched an emergency
campaign and collected over $30,000 dollars in a few months to aid Magen David
Adom. Our region in Miami is collecting packages for Israeli children. Our International
Teen Shaliach, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is steering our North American Israelrelief initiatives. Our regions in Pennsylvania are co-sponsoring Federation rallies for
Israel. Our regions in the southwest are partnering with Israeli high schools. Nearly
450 Jewish teens from all over North America returned from summer experiences in
Israel. Israelis were brought to our summer camps in the United States. This winter, I
will be co-leading a delegation of BBYO leaders to Israel to participate in the
rebuilding efforts throughout the North. The list goes on and on. Israel is very much a
part of BBYO, and I could not be more proud to encourage these efforts.
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BBYO is also devoted to other areas of the world that need our help. In a few shorts
days, I will be joining our Connecticut, New York and New Jersey regions as they
attend the Darfur Rally in New York City. We have a full summer program based solely
on community service domestically that focuses on Jewish and non-Jewish community
needs. We raised $11,000 dollars for Hurricane Katrina last year and opened our
homes to dozens of displaced families from the affected areas. We act because we
care. We choose to care because we are concerned far beyond what only helps our
organization. We are concerned because we recognize our responsibility to be a light
unto the world, and we know if we do not, there will be no example for the
generations after us – for we have followed the examples you “Lions’’ have set for us.
Often times, I am amazed at how deeply passionate our members are about Israel and
Jewry in the Diaspora. If you think back to when you were a teenager, there was
always so much to worry about. The pressure to make good grades, to score high on
standardized tests, to be involved, to look good, to impress your teachers and friends,
to live up to your parents’ expectations. The pressures today are far greater and I am
often asked, “How do I have time for a youth group?”
The truth is that BBYO is so much more than a youth group. BBYO sets the precedent
for our lives as Jews. BBYO has taught me and the 18,000 other members of our
organization that a Jewish future, a Jewish home, and a Jewish lifestyle is important –
maybe even more important than the daily trials and tribulations of teenage life.
Because eventually, we will get past the test scores, the college applications, and what
we will have left is what we had all along. The power to give. My responsibility this
year, as fun as it is to travel around and see the world, is to ensure the future of our
organization because I believe in its ability to empower Jewish youth to think BIG
about their future as Jewish adults. I am committed to serving the Jewish people for
this year and throughout my future because in the past four years, I’ve learned that
Judaism is my passion, it’s what matters most, and it is a spark that I will never let
die.
BBYO has over 80 years of experience of proven track records of leadership
development and fostering a strong Jewish identity and a lifetime commitment to be
involved in communal life. Over 250,000 alumni, many who are in attendance at this
conference, are prominent individuals in business, politics, entertainment, and Jewish
communal life, both as professionals and volunteers. We will be the ones following in
your footsteps and not only is that an extraordinary responsibility, but I am here to
assure you that there is a membership of 18,000 teens that will grow immensely over
the next four years that are as passionate about our leadership potential as I am
standing here today.
In closing, I want to reiterate how grateful I am to all of you for allowing me to speak
here today. More importantly, I want to thank you. Thank you for being role models.
For me, for my friends, for my peers, and for the 9,000 young Jewish BBG women who
look up to you day after day to be better than what we are, in the hopes that
someday we will sit at this very conference and give back as much as you’ve given.
Back to Article
Where Young Lives Take Shape: Lee Grossman (Continued)
Lee ascended from president of his chapter to president of the council and spent many
weekends at district conventions. He still remembers his summer at ILTC where he
debated with the Rabbi about Jewish issues. While Lee was refining his leadership and
debate skills, his older brother was taking on a leadership role in the world of politics.
It was at that time when Lee began to form political aspirations of his own, dreaming
about following in the footsteps of Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State.
While Lee may not have become Secretary of State, he did graduate from the
University of Pennsylvania and enter the business world. He was living in Hawaii when
his son was diagnosed with autism. At the time, it seemed only natural for him to join
his local chapter of the Autism Society of America in Honolulu. One year later, he was
named president of the chapter and shortly thereafter began serving on the national
board for the organization. Lee chaired the board from 2001-04, and in early 2005,
Lee became president of the Autism Society of America and now lives just outside
Washington, DC.
"I have the opportunity to work with great people for something that has the same
passion as BBYO," said Lee. "Each day is a breakthrough."
The words of Lee's ILTC staff are with him every day as he works to raise awareness
about autism, one of the most pressing health issues of our time. "Lead by example
and remember that every aspect of everything you do is subject to scrutiny."
As a participant of the program, Lee didn't think of himself as a significant leader nor
did he understand the value of the skills he was learning. Now, he sees that the
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experience ingrained in him "the importance and responsibility of great leadership."
"Every day is the greatest day," he said. "We are affecting positive change."
For more information about the Autism Society of America visit www.autism-society.org
Back to Article
Get Your BBYO Camp Experience Featured In Camp Camp (Continued)
The Camp Camp website will be a compilation of photos, stories, letters and all things
summer camp. The site highlights the "golden age" of camp, from the 1970s to 1992...
the site hopes to immortalize "the bunkmates, peer groups, crushes, counselors,
foreign counselors, dining hall, waterfront scenes, theater, sports, social nights, dances,
professional staff (camp directors, janitors, laundry staff), the color war, the velour
shorts, Keds, early era Nike Airs, cans of Cheez Whiz… no detail is too arcane. We are
looking to capture the full force of the era, and the splendor that is the American
camp experience, from the complex web of relationships and the daily routine, the
romance and the rejection, the order and the anarchy, the music and the style."
For information on how to make your BBYO camp experience part of Camp Camp, go
to www.campcampbook.com.
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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BBYO eNewsletter November/December 2006
Issue 19
BBYO is pleased to present the Nov/Dec issue of the eNews. Have a Happy
Hanukkah!
BBYO, Inc. News
TEENS FROM ALL OVER THE U.S. UNITE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL
JOIN BBYO
Pictured with Jay Zeidman, White House liaison to the Jewish Community (back row, third from
left), are BBYO representatives (back row) Renee Sharon, Andrew Igdaloff, Erica Robinson, Josh
Ozer, & Janice Rottenberg, and (front row) Hannah Kohrman, Rachel Kleinman, Jay Freeman,
and Julie Judson.
Join thousands of teens from around the world
who are having the experience of a lifetime in
BBYO. Click Join to get involved in a chapter
near you today.
DONATE TO BBYO
A delegation of nearly 100 teen leaders representing BBYO gathered in Washington, DC
December 3-5 for the High School Israel Summit, co-sponsored by The American
Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Panim: The Institute for Jewish Leadership
and Values, in partnership with BBYO and the American Jewish Committee. The
Summit provided a unique opportunity to understand key issues of mutual interest to
the U.S. and Israel and to represent those issues on Capitol Hill.
"The Summit had such a profound impact on me and the other participants," said
Andrew Igdaloff, a BBYO participant from Columbus, Ohio. "It was empowering to learn
how much influence we can have on those who are making the choices which impact
Israel. I came home with a plan for putting my new skills to use in my community."
READ MORE...
BBYO GIVES JEWISH TEENS MORE
SUMMER OPTIONS THAN EVER
BEFORE
As you celebrate the joyous season of
Hanukkah and are left with only a few days for
charitable giving in 2006, please keep BBYO at
the top of your list. BBYO's future depends on
the generous financial contributions of those
who understand the impact of BBYO and who
are committed to strengthening the future of
the Jewish people. To make a contribution to
BBYO, click Donate.
BBYO has just opened registration for its
2007 Summer Experience, which includes a
menu of more than 20 programs designed
for teens interested in travel, community
service, leadership, career development or
Judaism and spirituality. The diverse
program choices, coupled with varying
program dates, allow teens to customize a
summer with programs that perfectly suit their schedules and their interests. READ
MORE...
BBYO INTRODUCES "FUTURE 50" AT UJC GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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VISIT ISRAEL THIS SUMMER WITH P2I
Registration is now open for BBYO's 2007
Passport to Israel programs. Visit
www.passport2israel.org for more information
or to register.
Y'ALL READY FOR IC?
Each year, in conjunction with the United Jewish Communities General Assembly, the
Forward publishes its "Forward 50" issue, which features 50 people considered to be
"the most influential members of the American Jewish community." Playing off of the
"Forward 50," BBYO ran a full-page ad, entitled "The Future 50," in the GA-edition of
the Forward; the ad featured six of BBYO's top teen leaders who are sure to be seen
in the "Forward 50" one day soon, as they truly epitomize the strong Jewish future
that BBYO is working to build.
FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD:
HOWARD WOHL
BBYO's International Convention will take place
February 15-19 in Waco, Texas! Visit
www.bbyo.org for the most up-to-date
information.
IRON OUT YOUR SUMMER PLANS NOW!
I am delighted to have this opportunity to 'speak' with
you. As Chairman since July 1, the last few months have
been a wonderful learning experience. I've had the
chance to meet with most of BBYO's professionals, many
of our teen leaders as well as a number of lay leaders. I
also had the opportunity to see our teen leaders when
they were inducted at one of our summer camps in
Pennsylvania, as well as attend their Leadership
conference in Virginia. Our two teen leaders, Jeremy
Gelman, Grand Aleph Godol of AZA, and Dina Finer,
International N'siah of BBG, are wonderful representatives of the best of BBYO. The
three of us met at the recent UJC General Assembly in Los Angeles, where I had the
opportunity to learn about their travels as BBYO ambassadors. READ MORE...
Alumni News
From leadership and community service to Israel
travel and Judaism, BBYO has a summer
experience for you. Click here for more
information or to register for a 2007 Summer
Experience! And, visit b-linked.org today to vote
on your favorite Summer Slogan T-shirt, which
will be yours free when you register.
NEED A LAST-MINUTE HANUKKAH GIFT?
WHERE YOUNG LIVES TAKES SHAPE: LEADING
UP NORTH
This month's Where Young Lives Take Shape section
focuses on the newest generation of BBYO alumni
who are making an impact on the world.
BBYO alumni on college campuses across America are
taking the lead as advocates for Israel; many of them
are serving as presidents of their Students for Israel
clubs, guiding trips to Israel on Taglit-birthright, studying
abroad at Hebrew University, interning with the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and now
spending their winter break helping to repair last
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summer's damage in Haifa.
This winter, the Center for Leadership Initiatives and The
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation are sponsoring a program, called
Leading Up North. The program will bring 500 young adult volunteers from around the
U.S. to Haifa and other towns in Northern Israel, where they will be placed in cities,
towns and national parks to repair damage and provide emotional support to the
residents there.
Do you want to make a significant impact in the
life of a Jewish teen? Give them the gift of
membership today.
"My time in BBYO impacted my relationship with Israel by teaching me that the future
of the Jewish people is dependent on my generation," said Erica Robinson, a student at
The George Washington University, former member of BBYO's International Board and
alumna of Lonestar Region. "I have learned that Israel is not just a luxury for me to
enjoy, but a responsibility for my peers and for me." READ MORE...
GRAPHIC TEES AT BBYOSTORE.COM!
BBYO LAUNCHES ALUMNI NETWORK IN
CHICAGO
The Chicago BBYO Alumni Network just hosted
its first event, drawing nearly 100 AZA and BBG
alumni to a happy hour held at the Bella
Lounge on December 7. Chicago-area BBYO
alumni came together to reconnect with long
lost friends, create new connections and
network with professionals in similar fields.
After signing up for a BBYO Summer Experience,
start getting geared up! Check out the "I Like
You Eilat" t-shirts and other graphic tees for
men and women. They're available in a variety
of colors at bbyostore.com.
JEWISH BOOKS – DISCOUNTED FOR BBYO
FAMILY MEMBERS
With approximately 250,000 alumni living around the world today, BBYO is giving
adults whose lives have been shaped by the organization an opportunity to reconnect
through community-based alumni programs. The launch event marked the beginning of
Chicago-based involvement in BBYO's Alumni Network, which will continue to provide
local social events and networking opportunities, as well as national reunions and travel
opportunities. The Chicago BBYO Alumni Network is one of the first of many chapters
being established in key cities throughout North America, including Philadelphia, Kansas
City and Los Angeles.
"It was incredible to see BBYO alumni from all over the country, who are now living in
Chicago, come out for the event," said Stacy Heller, Regional Director of BBYO's Great
Midwest Region. "I saw old friends reconnect and new connections made. Most,
important, I saw alumni rekindling their support for BBYO – an organization that
shaped their lives and continues to shape the lives of thousands of teens today."
Not only will involvement in the BBYO alumni network benefit the lives of Jewish
adults, but it will ultimately impact the lives of today's Jewish teens by offering alumni
an opportunity to give back to the organization that made such a difference during
their own teenage years.
"As I travel across the country, I am amazed by the number of former AZA and BBG
members that I meet who have such an enduring passion for BBYO," said the chair of
the BBYO Alumni Network, Michael Laufer, who is spearheading this initiative, along
with Amy Jablin from BBYO's professional staff. "We are thrilled to provide them with a
venue to re-establish a meaningful connection with the organization."
In addition to alumni events taking place across the country, BBYO recently launched
an online Alumni Network accessible at www.bbyo.org/alumni, where alumni can
explore the continually expanding network of alumni, find old friends, network, share
memories and access information about alumni news and events.
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A LIVING BY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
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The Jewish Publication Society is proud to
announce a special limited time offer exclusive
to all members of the BBYO family - teens,
parents, alumni, staff, advisors and donors. A full
40% will be taken off of your order at
www.jewishpub.org when you enter: BBYO1 in
the "Promotional Code" field. This offer is good
through February 9, 2007. JPS publishes a wide
range of titles, from authoritative editions of the
TANAKH to graphic novels such as Megillat
Esther, as well as young adult contemporary and
historical fiction, illustrated gift books, and books
on Jewish history, ethics, women's studies and
more. A full catalog can be accessed and
downloaded online at www.jewishpub.org or you
can request a print copy by calling toll-free:
800.234.3151. If you have any questions please
contact Alx Block at [email protected] or at
800.234.3151 x5622.
To submit news, events or comments
for the new BBYO e-Newsletter, e-mail
[email protected].
Forward the BBYO e-News to friends or
colleagues who might be interested.
Ensure you never miss our e-mails
because of your SPAM filters!
Click here and follow the directions.
Do you want to make a difference in the Jewish
community? Do you have a creative mind? Are
you willing to think "outside of the box?" If
you, or someone you know, is interested in
exploring the idea of working for BBYO, then
we would love to hear from you!
As a former member of BBYO, you understand
the importance of having talented, committed individuals working with our teens. So,
we are excited to look to our alumni as we work to fill three open positions across the
country. We are currently seeking talented individuals in New York, San Diego and San
Francisco who are committed to helping BBYO fulfill its mission to involve more Jewish
teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. READ MORE...
LOOKING TO HAVE FUN, MAKE MONEY
AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS
SUMMER?
Do you enjoy working with teenagers? Are you
looking for a great summer job?
BBYO offers more than twenty different summer
experiences in the U.S., Israel and Europe for
high school teens. Programs are rural and
urban, and range from community service,
Jewish spirituality and leadership development to travel and career development. READ
MORE...
BBYO ALUMNI: CHANGE THE LIFE OF A JEWISH TEEN, TODAY
As the end of the year quickly approaches, the
BBYO family would like to thank you for your
continued involvement in the organization. We
are proud to have you as a member of BBYO's
Alumni Network and hope you will continue your
involvement long into the future. By making a
donation no later than December 31, you can
help ensure that the experiences you had as a
teen are available to future generations. Here
are some examples of how your gift can make a
difference in the life of a Jewish teen*:
$18 = invite a prospective member to a BBYO program
$75 = give the gift of AZA/BBG membership to a teen
$180 = send a teen on a BBYO college tour
$500 = help a region host a community service day
$1,600 = shape the leadership skills of a teen through participation in the
Chapter Leadership Training Conference program
$3,400 = change the life of a teen forever with a trip to Israel
Please help shape the life of a Jewish teenager today. You CAN make a
difference! To make a donation online now, visit www.bbyo.org and click on "Donate
Now." If you wish to make a donation by phone, please call our Development
Department at 202.857.6561. You can also mail a check, payable to BBYO, to BBYO,
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Inc. 2020 K Street, NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20006. BBYO – and Jewish teens
everywhere – appreciate your continued support!
CHAPTER ADVISOR RECOGNIZED AS
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ADULT IN NYC
The Big Apple Region congratulates Shari Burshtyn,
a former BBYO member and current chapter
advisor, for being recognized as an outstanding
young adult in the Queens, New York community.
Shari has been named one of the two honorees for
this year's Northeast Queens Outstanding Youth
Service Award. Each year the committee asks for a
recommendation for a young adult that has worked
above and beyond in the Jewish community through
volunteering and serving as an outstanding
representative.
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR ALUMNI IN COLLEGE: CHARLOTTE B.
AND JACK J. SPITZER HILLEL FORUM ON SOCIAL JUSTICE
The Spitzer Forum is a three-day conference held in Washington, DC on February 2527, 2007. It is designed for Jewish students interested in pursuing social justice
through political activism, grassroots organizing, community service and advocacy. This
year, the theme of the conference is Sustainability. For more information and to
register, visit www.hillel.org or email [email protected]. The registration deadline is
February 5, 2007.
b-linked.org News
B-LINKED.ORG SURPASSES TEN THOUSAND TEENS; FEATURES NEW
CAMPAIGNS
As the candles were being blown out on b-linked's cake celebrating its first birthday,
BBYO's online networking community was welcoming the arrival of its 10,000th
registrant. Since that time, close to 1,000 new users have joined b-linked and are
taking part in a number of new campaigns.
imPACT is b-linked's new Online Service and
Advocacy Initiative, connecting teens who are concerned about global issues with an
online space where they can find opportunities to make a difference via the Internet.
Following are a few examples of opportunities on which teens can take action on
imPACT:
Learn more about Darfur by playing this interactive game:
http://darfurisdying.com.
Find socially conscious films at http://maketradefair.com and share them with
friends.
Sign an online petition appealing to the German Government to restore the
Jewish Cemeteries of Poland: www.petitiononline.com/1200des.
E-mail your representative about your cause: www.house.gov/writerep.
READ MORE...
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b-accepted News
BBYO TOUR PROVIDES
TASTE OF COLLEGE LIFE
AT UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS
Teens from Houston, Dallas,
San Antonio and Tulsa
gathered in Austin recently
for the first-ever BBYO/Texas
Hillel college experience,
hosted at the new Topfer
Center for Jewish Life. Nearly
fifty high school juniors and
seniors spent the weekend at the University of Texas learning about campus activities
and the college admissions process. Distinct programming for juniors focused on
standardized test preparation and researching schools, while seniors discussed making
a smooth transition to the academic and extracurricular opportunities on campus.
"So many of our teens are interested in college," said BBYO Regional Director Sherrie
Stalarow of Dallas, "and we can provide an important service by introducing them to
campus life and to the Hillel community." READ MORE...
Regional News
BBYO CREATES UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH
JEWISH STUDENT UNION TO REACH JEWISH
TEENS IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BBYO and the Jewish Student Union (JSU) are pleased to
announce an exciting new partnership to provide Jewish
experiences to Jewish Chicago public high school students,
who have little or no connection to Jewish life.
"The BBYO/JSU collaboration is a win-win situation not only for BBYO and the JSU, but
most important, for the Chicago Jewish community," said Stacy Heller, Regional
Director of BBYO's Great Midwest Region, which comprises Chicago. "BBYO and JSU
both offer innovative, appealing opportunities to involve teens in Jewish life. By
working together, we will be able to fulfill our common goal of offering more Jewish
experiences to more Jewish teens."
JSU has successfully launched several "clubs" in Chicago area public schools to bring
Jewish teens together during lunch and before or after school. Gatherings feature
speakers from a variety of Jewish organizations holding discussions on timely topics of
interest to the participants and interactive activities. With engaging programs,
charismatic facilitators and free-flowing food, JSU offers Jewish teens a simple way to
connect to a variety of Jewish experiences.
JSU's access to public schools provides a unique opportunity to reach teens who may
not be affiliated with more traditional Jewish institutions. Providing a handoff to BBYO
– or other Jewish teen movements with which JSU partners – allows the teens to
explore a deeper Jewish connection. Through BBYO, they will develop their leadership
skills, participate in community service programs and learn about opportunities to
participate in wide range of Jewish experiences.
With more than 150 clubs across the country, JSU currently serves ten Chicago high
schools – engaging over 350 teens in the community – and has plans to expand to
others. BBYO currently reaches more than 200 teens in the Chicago area and is
growing quickly.
"We're excited to be collaborating with BBYO in Chicago," said Donny Schwartz, JSU's
Chicago Area Coordinator. "By combining forces we will be able to reach teens who are
not currently on the community's radar screen."
The BBYO/JSU partnership, which is funded by a private family foundation in the
Chicago area, is quickly becoming a national phenomenon, as it's being replicated in
cities across North America, including Los Angeles, Kansas City, Long Island, South
Florida, St. Louis, Seattle, Portland and Vancouver.
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EASTERN REGION STAYS "UP ALL
NIGHT" FOR ISRAEL
BBYO Members in Eastern Region (Charlotte,
NC) stayed "Up All Night" for Israel on October
28. More than 100 teens raised $10,500 for
Israel. The night began with Havdallah and an
address from David Epstein, the chair of the
Israel Emergency campaign of the Jewish
Federation Greater Charlotte. After that,
participants stayed "Up All Night" playing
games, hearing stories about life in Israel,
decorating pencil bags for underprivileged children in Hadera, learning Jewish text,
writing letters to soldiers' families, creating a peace quilt, videoconferencing with
Israeli teens and Israeli dancing!
To read the full article from the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, click here.
WESTCHESTER REGION BBYO INDUCTS
FIVE FOUNDING MEMBERS
Mazel tov to Karly Moll, Zena Kurtz, Stacie
Schwartz, Sloan Silverman and Efrat Birenbaum,
the founding members of the B'nai B'rith Girls in
Westchester Region in New York. The induction
ceremony was held the weekend of October 29
with help from B'nai B'rith Girls from Greater
Jersey Hudson River Region. After intensive
training and learning about BBYO, the girls are
ready to fulfill their role as founders of the region!
DC COUNCIL MEETS WITH ISRAEL AT HEART AND
WINNER OF ISRAEL'S REALITY SHOW THE
AMBASSADOR
Israel at Heart representatives, including Melody Sucharewicz,
winner of Israeli reality television show, The Ambassador, met
with 40 BBYO and community members on October 9, in
Washington, DC. The event, organized by BBYO's DC Council
Vice Presidents of Social Action, Judaic and Israel
Programming (Sh'lichim), featured a discussion by each of the Israelis about their life
in Israel, including school, army service and youth culture.
The Israelis dispelled some of the rumors and confusion reflected by U.S. media with
regards to Israel. They also talked about school, nightlife, hobbies and reality TV,
relating teen life in Israel to life in the United States. This event was the first of
several workshops that DC Council BBYO will offer to help teens learn more about
Israel and create programs about Israel in their chapters.
Israel at Heart is a not-for-profit organization, working to promote a better
understanding of Israel and its people. For more information, visit
www.israelatheart.org.
NORTH STAR REGION PARTICIPATES IN
INTERFAITH DAY OF ACTION FOR
DARFUR
On October 29, North Star BBYO participated in
the Minnesota Interfaith Day of Action for
Darfur. Rabbis, community leaders and BBYO
members joined forces with the Minnesota
Interfaith Darfur Coalition to provide food for
families in the Sudan.
Twenty-five BBYOers joined 50 community members at Feed My Starving Children
(FMSC), a Minnesota-based organization, which provides food to starving children (and
their parents) all over the world. The volunteers filled bags of dried food, packed them
into boxes and prepared them for shipment to Darfur. While they packed 143,000
meals, enough to feed 400 children for a year, they learned about the situation in
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Darfur and how their efforts would help.
The program raised $15,000 for SaveDarfur.org, the American Refugee Committee,
Feed My Starving Children and American Jewish World Services. Together, they filled
out over 200 postcards to send to the United Nations urging them to help end the
genocide in Darfur.
For more information on BBYO's Darfur-related efforts, visit BBYO's Darfur Activism
Center. For more information on FMSC, click here.
EVERGREEN REGION INDUCTS FIRST BBYO
CHAPTER IN BOISE, IDAHO
Congratulations to Evergreen Region and the
founding members of Ir HaEitzim BBYO, BBYO's first
chapter in Boise, Idaho. International President
(Grand Aleph Godol), Jeremy Gelman, attended the
ceremony and helped the new members create a
foundation for the chapter, which is being led by
Katie Forsythe, Chapter President (N'siah).
WISCONSIN REGION HOSTS BREAST
CANCER AWARENESS WALK
Featured in JVibe Magazine!
When the B'nai B'rith Girls of Wisconsin Region
discovered that their community's Susan G.
Komen Race for the Cure was scheduled on
Rosh Hashanah, they began planning a breast
cancer awareness walk of their own. Their
efforts to gather donations, recruit participants
and promote the race culminated with over 100 participants running in a Jewish Race
for the Cure on October 22. They raised $9,000 for local support organizations and
Sharsheret, an organization for Jewish breast cancer survivors.
Local breast cancer organizations distributed materials at cancer support tables set up
alongside the race, providing information about self-exams, diagnosis, survivor support
groups and breast reconstruction surgery options available at local hospitals. Local
grocery stores donated apples for the racers, and Panera donated hundreds of "breast
cancer awareness bagels." The Wisconsin Counsel of Jewish Women had a strong
presence at the event.
Click here to read the article in JVibe Magazine.
COMEDY SHOW MARKS EASTERN
CANADA REGION ADVISOR'S 30TH
YEAR WITH BBYO
Stuart Nulman has been an active member
and advisor in BBYO in Eastern Canada for
30 years. The region celebrated this
landmark date at a local comedy club on
September 20. More than 120 BBYO and
community members joined for a night of
moving presentations, great laughs, and 30
years of BBYO memories.
Stuart Nulman, affectionately called "Stuie" by BBYO members worldwide, currently
serves as the senior advisor in Eastern Canada Region, overseeing the region's
advisors. Stuie has attended International Convention for the past 11 years, making a
lasting impact on hundreds of convention participants. Mazel Tov and thank you for
your service, Stuie!
GREATER JERSEY HUDSON RIVER
REGION SENIOR WEEKEND REACHES
GREAT HEIGHTS
Greater Jersey Hudson River Region's Annual
Senior Weekend was held November 17-19.
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Over 50 seniors from GJHRR came together for
the event they had been waiting for since they
joined BBYO. Each year, the highlight of the
event is a trip to New York City on Saturday
night. This year, they held their Havdallah
service on top of the Empire State Building overlooking the lights of New York City!
SECTS AND THE CITY – GREAT
MIDWEST AND NORTH STAR REGIONS
CO-HOST INTER-REGIONAL KALLAH
On November 10-12, BBYO's Great Midwest and
North Star Regions came together for the first
Inter-Regional Judaism Institute in Chicago, IL.
One hundred and twenty teens participated in a
weekend of powerful, thought-provoking
programs under the theme "Sects and the City."
Some of the notable programs included an
Orthodox Rabbi who posed as a Jew for Jesus,
and after his shocking presentation, came back as a Rabbi. The regional JSU
representative led a program called "The Last Jew" that moved people to tears and got
them thinking about the significance of being Jewish in our world today.
NASSAU-SUFFOLK REGION REACHES OUT THROUGH PROJECT HOPE
On December 3, over 150 of the young men and women of the Nassau-Suffolk Region
once again "reached out" to the community through the organization's bi-annual Project
Hope program. The teens, as well as their families and staff, were instrumental in
facilitating the assembly and delivery of over 300 packages of canned and dry goods
for the needy and aged from Long Beach to Riverhead, NY.
For the first time, since the inception of Project Hope, the Nassau-Suffolk Region was
advised that this year's program was in danger of not taking place as there was a
great financial need that had yet to be met in order to obtain the food needed for
distribution. The young men and women of BBYO donated $1,500 from funds that they
have worked hard to raise throughout the year to ensure that Project Hope would not
be cancelled. As a result, BBYO's Adult Board Commission matched their donation with
an additional $1,500.
BBYO In the News
The Hebrew Watchman in Memphis reported on the recent activities of Kriger BBG,
including International CLTC and Kallah participation, a visit from International
President (N'siah) Dina Finer, MIT intake, self esteem programming and upcoming
elections (September 14, 2006).
Past International President (Grand Aleph Godol), Pinchas Landis, is the newest
instructor for the Read Hebrew America campaign branch in Symmes Township in
Ohio. An article in The American Israelite in Cincinnati explained that the program is
designed to teach graduates to read Hebrew in six weeks. Read Hebrew America is
sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program and Kollel (September 21, 2006).
The third annual Fall Food Drive in Little Neck, NY is led by a group of Big Apple
Region BBYO members and community leaders. According to the Glen Oaks Ledger
and Little Neck Ledger in Bayside, NY, they hope to collect over one ton of food for the
hungry in New York City (September 21, 2006).
The St. Louis Jewish Light in Missouri reported positively on BBYO's efforts to maintain
the quality of its Passport to Israel (P2I) trips, despite the conflict with Lebanon this
past summer (September 27, 2006).
BBG in Houston, TX held its annual "Freshman Pickup" which was greatly anticipated
by the new BBYO members and mentioned in the Jewish Herald-Voice (October 5,
2006).
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The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California highlighted International President
(Grand Aleph Godol), Jeremy Gelman's visit to Central Region West. The article
included information on b-linked.org, BBYO Bulgaria and Jeremy's experience as
President (Godol) thus far (October 13, 2006). To read the full article, click here.
BBYO members from Kentucky Indiana Ohio Region held their kick-off retreat this
year at Camp Swoneky. The Ohio Jewish Chronicle published a photo from the event
and an article about the kick-off and upcoming BBYO regional programming (October
19, 2006).
The Jewish Herald-Voice in Houston, TX featured the Houston Federation's Gift of Israel
program and one teen who used her gift towards a BBYO Passport to Israel program
last summer. Stacey Parven and her parents were interviewed for the article and
commented on her memorable experience (October 19, 2006).
A program in which Israeli teens spoke to BBYO members in Michigan Region was
featured in the Eccentric newspaper in Birmingham, Michigan (October 22, 2006).
South Jersey Region's Pink and White Gala was announced in the Haddon Herald of
Blackwood, NJ. The event raised money and awareness for breast cancer research
(October 26, 2006).
A recent front page article in The Washington Jewish Week in DC reviewed online
threats to teens. It mentioned b-linked.org as a more secure alternative to MySpace
and Facebook, with BBYO staff monitoring the site (October 31, 2006). To read the full
article, click here.
BBYO in Sarasota, Florida was featured in an article in the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish
News. The article showed photos of the teens and explained the programs and purpose
of the organization (October 2006).
Congratulations to new BBYO staff member Meryl Hattenbach of Dayton, OH. Her
appointment was announced in the Dayton Jewish Observer (October 2006).
The Las Vegas Israelite and Jewish Reporter announced BBYO's kickoff in Vegas.
Advisors met new members and the BBYO City Director, Neil Popish (October 2006).
Dixie Council BBYO Director, Mindy Odle wrote an article for the Charleston Jewish
Voice announcing her retirement from BBYO and instatement of new council director,
Rona Goldstein. "BBYO is so important and offers great opportunities for all of the
Jewish teens in our smaller southern Jewish Communities," Mindy said. "Thank you to
BBYO and all of the teens and all of the adults I have worked with for these wonderful
opportunities you have given me" (September-October 2006).
The Charlotte Jewish News in North Carolina reported on International President
(N'siah), Dina Finer's visit to the region. Charlotte was the first regional visit in Dina's
year-long term.
According to the Jewish Review in Portland, OR, former regional president and chapter
advisor, Jeff Nudelman is a co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
2007 Annual Campaign. Nudelman said that his time as an advisor was "a great
opportunity to help mold and build some of the young folks who are now on the
federation board" (November 1, 2006). To read the full article, click here.
BBYO alum, Mandy Patinkin, headlined at a fundraiser for Lake Ontario Region on
October 28. A photograph of Patinkin and BBYO adult board members from LOR
appeared in the Canadian Jewish News (November 9, 2006).
More than 100 packages of food were assembled and distributed on the annual
Midnight Run to a local homeless shelter in Livingston, New Jersey by members of
GJHRR BBYO. The West Essex Tribune featured the upcoming event and asked
community members for donations for the homeless (November 9, 2006).
The American Israelite of Cincinnati, Ohio announced the arrival of new BBYO staff
member, Amber Feldman (November 9, 2006).
BBYO's University of Texas College Tour was highlighted in the Jewish Herald Voice
of Houston. "Our time in Austin was amazing," said high-school senior Julie Judson of
Dallas. "The program was a great mix of social activities and admissions information,
and all of us came away very much looking forward to college life and Hillel"
(November 30, 2006). To read the full article, click here.
Tulsa BBYO member, Genna Pollack has been raising money for solar ovens for
women affected by the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. The TulsaWorld newspaper reported
that her efforts were inspired by attending a BBYO summer program in Los Angeles,
California (December 13, 2006). To read the full article, click here.
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TEENS FROM ALL OVER THE U.S. UNITE TO SUPPORT ISRAEL
(Continued)
The Summit was organized into two tracks. Panim's Israel Education and Advocacy
participants gained a better understanding of Israel as central to Jewish identity and
the Jewish future. This curriculum probed the meaning of Zionism, explored aspects of
Israel's history, and examined the role that Israel plays as a cultural, spiritual, political
and intellectual center. AIPAC's Israel Advocacy and Activism track provided teens with
the know-how to influence the pro-Israel movement through political education,
engagement and action. They learned advanced advocacy techniques and received
hands-on training to make their case effectively on Capitol Hill.
Through discussions, role-playing activities, speaking engagements and interactions
with policymakers, the teens were equipped with the necessary tools to return to their
local communities and share the importance of America's strategic partnership with
Israel, which is based on shared values and common objectives. Conference highlights
included:
· Meeting with Capitol Hill leaders to thank them for passing the Iran Freedom Support
Act and to encourage their vote for the new Foreign Aid bill;
Visiting the Israeli Embassy for a briefing by Spokesman David Siegel and
Director of Public Affairs, Rafi Harpaz;
Creating personal action plans to advocate for Israel in local high schools;
Learning how to confront anti-Israel sentiment;
Connecting with college activists to understand the campus environment as it
relates to Israel.
The Summit culminated with the presentation of a BBYO petition urging the U.S.
government to take every possible step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear
weapons. The petition included nearly 10,000 signatures collected by BBYO teens
across the country. White House Jewish Liaison Jay Zeidman accepted the petition on
behalf of President Bush.
In her opening remarks to Zeidman, BBYO Regional President Renee Sharon of
Charlotte, North Carolina described "the overwhelming response" to the campaign,
which mobilized hundreds of BBYO teens to educate people in their home communities
about the threat posed by Iran.
The teens in attendance represent the future pro-Israel activists, and they are stepping
forward at a time when the situation in the Middle East is changing quickly. "These
teens care about a vibrant, safe and secure Israel and a thriving Jewish community,"
said Matthew Grossman, BBYO's Executive Director. "Our partners, AIPAC and Panim,
provide an exceptional training ground for these teens who will no doubt ensure that
the future is strong for Israel the Jewish people."
Back to Article
BBYO GIVES JEWISH TEENS MORE SUMMER OPTIONS THAN EVER
BEFORE (Continued)
BBYO's 2007 summer options include programs open to all Jewish teens:
Nitzotz, offered in Los Angeles and Baltimore, MD, is a two-week community
service program where teens have the opportunity to "give back" in a
meaningful way.
The Apprentice meets Project Runway in Project NYC, a new 10-day program
based in New York City, designed to immerse teens in the fields of
entertainment, marketing, Wall Street and fashion.
Etgar 36 Journey, a 36-day coast-to-coast tour of the U.S, and Etgar West,
a 22-day excursion from Atlanta to San Francisco, provide Jewish teens the
opportunity to explore politics and social activism as they discover America.
Panim Works enables teens to live on a Native American reservation and
work with the local community to promote positive change, while earning 60
community service hours.
Panim Summer Jam, based at a leading college campus in the nation's
capital, is an advocacy seminar rooted in Jewish values, where participants
interact with leading U.S. policymakers.
Also open to all Jewish teens are BBYO's Passport to Israel (P2I) trips: Israel
Journey, a whirlwind excursion perfect for first-time visitors; Trek Israel, the ultimate
eco-adventure; and Euro-Israel Journey, a four-week odyssey through Europe and
Israel. Open to BBYO members only, International Leadership Seminar Israel (ILSI) is
an enriching experience enabling teens to explore significant issues facing Israeli
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diplomacy and society alongside Israel's cultural and political leaders. With community
service and military simulation extension options and six different departure dates,
teens can mix-and-match programs to find the ideal fit for their summer.
BBYO will also continue to offer its renowned Chapter and International Leadership
Training Conferences to develop BBYO members into future Jewish leaders, as well
as a series of Jewish enrichment programs – Kallah East and West – designed to
help teens explore their Jewish identity.
"There's no way to count the things I love about BBYO summer programs," said Toby
Stein, a senior from Providence, RI who has participated in five BBYO summer
experiences. "From leadership skills to new friends to Judaism, summer programs have
added so much value to my life."
Click here for more information or to register for a BBYO Summer Experience.
Back to Article
FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: HOWARD WOHL (Continued)
What strikes me most about BBYO is the deep and lasting impression we have made
on our alumni. I continually meet proud alumni who have become leaders in our
communities. Recently, I met someone who had been a BBYO member in BBYO's first
community, Omaha, Nebraska, where he knew a number of BBYO's founding families.
He spoke about the formative experience BBYO offered him and many of his friends
and the Jewish path he has taken. In another instance, a young Jewish professional
who grew up in Canada and didn't know about BBYO told me about her recent
discovery. She had accompanied her husband, who is studying at one of the
seminaries, to a small town where he was conducting High Holiday services. She was
greeted by an elderly couple who regaled her with having met each other more than
fifty years ago at their local BBYO chapter. She was amazed by how their memories
brought warm, knowing smiles to both of them.
I have heard countless more stories from current teen members and from alumni. And
yet, until a few years ago these stories and the very existence of BBYO were outside
my consciousness. As a bit of background, I grew up in Brooklyn and did not
participate in any Jewish youth groups. In those days where our circle of friends was
almost exclusively Jewish, these groups seemed superfluous. Our three children (now
young adults) participated in youth groups within the framework of our denominational
movement. So, when I was approached by Matt Grossman, BBYO's Executive Director,
to become involved in BBYO I had a lot to learn. The more I learned, the more I liked
the idea of joining BBYO's Board of Directors.
I first met Matt when he was working for Hillel's International office and my wife Diane
had become a member of Hillel's International Board of Governors. Little did I know
then that our chance encounter would lead to my taking on the role of Chairman of
the Board. As Matt was applying for the position he now holds, he was thinking about
the endless possibilities that lay before BBYO. He envisioned the opportunity to harness
a tradition of eighty years, linked to an even longer heritage that B'nai B'rith brings,
with more than two hundred thousand happy alumni and to combine it with a message
that resonates with today's teens. And brings it to them where they are in a way that
they understand. North American Jewry has been cursed by good fortune and the
welcoming embrace of our fellow citizens. The truth is that we are all "Jews by Choice"
today. And how can choices be made by ill-educated consumers? BBYO offers the
potential to reconnect tens of thousands of young Jews who may otherwise choose to
opt out of our community. These teens can be the future leaders of our communities;
BBYO offers them the opportunity to be engaged in meaningful Jewish experiences with
Jewish friends.
In future issues of our BBYO eNewsletter I hope to tell you what else I've been
learning about Jewish youth and our organization. I encourage you to become reengaged as alumni, as lay leaders, and as donors who want to help us connect to
more Jewish youth who need our programs, our teachings and our experiences.
Back to Article
WHERE YOUNG LIVES TAKES SHAPE: LEADING UP NORTH (Continued)
"The country of Israel gives so much to the Jewish people," added Shauna Ruda, a
student at American University and former member of Rocky Mountain Region and
International President (N'siah). "It's a safe haven, a religious and cultural center; it
binds every Jew together. I am looking forward to giving back to Israel and giving part
of myself to the homeland that enriches my life and my religion every day."
As BBYO participants, both Erica and Shauna served as leaders of BBYO's Israel
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advocacy efforts, participating in AIPAC policy conferences and initiating local, regional
and national Israel programming. Along with Erica and Shauna, dozens of other
participants on the Leading Up North trip are BBYO alumni who were introduced to the
rich history, culture and conflict surrounding Israel as teens in the organization.
"BBYO definitely impacted my relationship with and feeling towards Israel," said David
Litner, an alumnus and regional board member from New England Region. "Being in a
Jewish atmosphere with my peers made my connection to Judaism stronger, both
religiously and culturally. The strong sense of community service, as well as the
connection to Israel that I formed during my BBYO years strongly influenced by
decision to participate in Leading Up North."
BBYO's travel and education programs – which have inspired Erica, Shauna, David and
many others to take play a role in Israel's future as young adults – continue to impact
the lives of thousands of Jewish teens today.
"During my BBYO trips to Israel I got to truly experience the best life has to offer,"
said Erica. "I am so glad that I have been given the opportunity to do something in
return."
Back to Article
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A LIVING BY MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
(Continued)
BBYO is not only dedicated to providing an enriching experience for our teens, but also
for our staff. Whether you're just starting out in the Jewish Community or are looking
for new challenges, BBYO has the training and professional development opportunities
necessary to help you grow both personally and professionally.
Currently BBYO is looking for qualified applicants for the following positions:
Area Executive Director - New York/Northeast
Managing Director – Central Region West, San Francisco Bay area, CA
Program Director – Southwestern Region, San Diego, CA
Development Director – International Office, Washington, DC
Executive Assistant – International Office, Washington, DC
To apply or find out more about the following jobs, please contact Rebecca Rottenberg,
Human Resources Coordinator, at 202.857.6684 or [email protected].
Back to Article
LOOKING TO HAVE FUN, MAKE MONEY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS
SUMMER? (Continued)
BBYO is looking for counselors and administrative staff as well as Jewish educators,
song-leaders, Israeli dance instructors, and arts specialists. BBYO summer staff have
an opportunity to:
Serve as role models
Develop important skills
Build their resumes
Explore a potential career
Earn a competitive salary
Make friends and network
Help shape the Jewish future
To learn more about BBYO summer programs, visit www.bbyo.org and click on Summer
Experiences. If you have outstanding leadership skills, a strong work ethic, a good
sense of humor and a passion for working with teens and building the Jewish future
contact Sarah Feldman at [email protected] or (202) 857-6639 for an application.
Back to Article
B-LINKED.ORG SURPASSES TEN THOUSAND TEENS; FEATURES NEW
CAMPAIGNS (Continued)
October marked the beginning of a new
interactive b-linked game, The Hunt: An
Online Photo Scavenger Hunt for Jewish
teens everywhere! Every two weeks, blinked teens race to capture pictures of
themselves with the three assigned items.
From birthday cakes and turkeys to
rainbows and school buses, teens across
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the continent are grabbing their cameras in
order to gain points that can be cashed in for great prizes and gift certificates. More
than 230 teens joined The Hunt and currently compete for the coveted "top ten," listed
for all to see on the homepage of b-linked. All teens are invited to join as the Hunt
continues through December; visit www.b-linked.org/the hunt.
Test your advertising skills by submitting the perfect slogan for blinked's Bumper Sticker Contest. BBYO will be distributing
bumper stickers encouraging teens to show their support for their
Jewish homeland by traveling on a Passport to Israel (P2I) trip
this summer. b-linked users are being asked to log in to b-linked
to submit their most creative slogan ideas; the winning slogan will
be produced on a bumper sticker and distributed to Jewish teens
around North America. The winner will receive a P2I t-shirt and
an Israeli CD of their choice!
Teens: Be sure to visit b-linked.org daily to check out the latest features, including
music downloads, polls and more!
Back to Article
BBYO TOUR PROVIDES TASTE OF COLLEGE LIFE AT UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS (Continued)
Among the key objectives of the trip was making the teens aware of Jewish
programming at UT, which is among the largest and most vibrant Hillel campuses in
the country, with more than 4,000 Jewish students. UT is also one of the premier
choices for Jewish teens across Texas, with several hundred BBYO high school alumni
now studying in Austin. A Friday evening reception brought together the high-schoolers
with friends from BBYO at the University. These personal relationships create a sense
of continuity between high school and college that helps to strengthen BBYO, Hillel,
and the broader Jewish community.
Jeff Levine, an alumnus of BBYO and UT working with the San Jacinto College District
in Houston, facilitated a "Tricks of the Trade" seminar to give teens a leg-up in
presenting themselves most favorably to college admissions officers. He discussed
essay-writing, résumé-building and the importance of leadership activities such as
BBYO.
Levine was joined by representatives from the University of Kansas and Indiana
University – both popular choices among Texas high school graduates. Sarah Thompson
Booher, Associate Director of Recruitment at Indiana University, praised BBYO for its
commitment to "teen leadership and involvement," and emphasized the importance of
programs such as the BBYO/Texas Hillel tour that encourage teens to be proactive and
educated in the realm of college admissions.
Student leaders representing the myriad of campus activities at UT met with the teens
to talk about organizations such as Texans for Israel, Jewish fraternities and sororities,
and Tzedek Hillel (social action and service programming). UT History and Sociology
senior Mimi Hall – an activist with Texans for Israel, AEPhi sorority – led a special
walking tour of the Forty Acres in Austin, including the Tower and several of the
University dorms.
"Our time in Austin was amazing," said high school senior Julie Judson of Dallas. "The
program was a great mix of social activities and admissions information, and all of us
came away very much looking forward to college life and Hillel."
Julie Fishman, BBYO's Director of College Initiatives based in Washington, was thrilled
with the success of this pilot project. "It makes sense for us to get involved in college
prep opportunities, since it's a major priority for our juniors and seniors. We hope to
replicate the Texas model in other communities and continue to develop our
partnership with Hillel."
Other college-related programs to be offered by BBYO include mentoring (identifying
college students to share information about their campuses with high-schoolers) and
community-based college fairs. "What's important is to make teens aware of Jewish life
after high school," said BBYO's Fishman. "Keeping them involved is vital to the Jewish
future."
Teens: For information on upcoming College Initiatives, please visit www.b-linked.org
and select the "College" category when searching for "Events."
Back to Article
Spanning over 40 regions and 18,000 participants internationally, BBYO, Inc. is a leading trans-denominational, teen-led organization working to
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provide meaningful Jewish experiences to Jewish teens around the world.
BBYO, Inc. · 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor · Washington, DC 20006 · bbyo.org · b-linked.org
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