ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

Back Together Our History Global Community BBYO IC

Dear friends,

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BACK TOGETHER AND BETTER THAN EVER

As we expanded our reach and welcomed thousands of new members around the world this year, BBYO continued to provide a critical support system, powerful platform for advocacy, and deep and lasting friendships and connection between teens in 60 countries and 725 communities worldwide. This past year saw growth not only in membership, but in global reach, program engagement, and a redoubling of efforts to engage, empower, and inspire more than 35,000 Jewish teens worldwide.

CELEBRATING OUR HISTORY, DEFINING OUR FUTURE

Across the Movement, Alephs and BBGs found creative ways this year to celebrate and elevate the tenets that have guided our Movement for nearly a century.

A PLACE FOR EVERY JEWISH TEEN

GENERAL Launched in September 2021 with generous funding from BBYO alumni Lewis and Sandy Schneider, the For Every Jewish Teen campaign expanded BBYO’s impact and reach on Jewish teens living in small, rural, and unique communities throughout the United States, ensuring that the opportunity to participate in Jewish life, regardless of geography, is afforded to all Jewish teens everywhere.

SMALL GROUP AT IC With more than 400 teens and 75 staff, this year saw the largest-ever Global Ambassadors Week, a convening of BBYO members from around the world taking place in Baltimore prior to BBYO International Convention. Teens representing Morocco, Switzerland, South Africa, Japan, Germany, and 35 other countries came together to strengthen connections, bond with their peers, and explore the IC host community.

GENERAL Teens across the Movement launched 40 chapters this year, including new communities in California, Cuba, China, Philadelphia, and Kenya—expanding BBYO’s reach to 725 communities and 60 countries

CELEBRATING OUR JEWISH VALUES

GENERAL In North Texas Oklahoma Region, Alephs and BBGs organized a Havdalah service for teens across the region. Following the service, teens created Hanukah cards for the residents of a local Jewish nursing home.

GENERAL Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, BBYO members facilitated the delivery of more than 125 Passover kits to families there and in the surrounding areas, ensuring they had the supplies and opportunity to observe the holiday even as their lives were disrupted.

GLOBAL SHABBAT In Argentina, as part of Global Shabbat, 110 BBYO teens came together for a meaningful Shabbat program, followed by a deep dive into climate change and environmentalism with educators from local organization Manos Verdes.

ACTIVE LEADERSHIP

GENERAL This spring, as part of Northern Region East: Baltimore Council’s convention, teens participated in regional “Leadership Labs” organized by older BBYO members, gaining the tools and training to strengthen their chapters and grow as leaders.

SHARING TRADITIONS

SUMMER This summer at BBYO camps and programs, XX teens made the choice to become B’nei Mitzvot, chanting from the Torah and preparing a reflection to share with their peers with the support of a caring and trained Jewish educator. Many of these teens did not have the opportunity to participate in this milestone during the pandemic or wanted to celebrate and take ownership of their Jewish journey with their camp community.

“BBYO is where I realized who I am and who I want to be. I realized there’s so much more to being Jewish than I thought. I chose to become a Bat Mitzvah this summer because I wanted to celebrate my Jewish journey at Kallah, the place that gave me a sense of self.” – Daniella K., BBYO Greater Jersey Hudson River Region

CREATING CONNECTIONS ACROSS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY

This year, Alephs and BBGs took charge in leading their own unique Jewish experiences at the local, national, and international levels, expanding the reach of our Movement and building connections with peers around the world.

Regional conventions brought BBYO teens together with their peers for powerful weekends centered on fun, learning, and a celebration of Shabbat—often featuring educators, guest speakers, and community leaders.

GENERAL At Connecticut Valley Region’s Kallah convention this spring, teens heard from Brooke Baevsky, an award-winning chef focused on Jewish food; Helen Levitt, daughter of a Holocaust survivor who shared her mother’s story; and Matthew Nouriel, an Iranian and Jewish activist dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights and combatting antisemitism.

GENERAL At the first-ever European Leadership Training Institute (ELTI) this year, 100 BBYO teens and 36 staff members from 22 countries gathered in Austria to celebrate their growth, share new ideas, and build relationships across BBYO communities in Europe.

“After being surrounded by teens from 22 countries, smiling, cheering, celebrating Shabbat, and celebrating being Jewish—I can confidently tell you there is no place better than BBYO to be a Jewish teen.” – Samantha Levinson, Western Europe Area Director, BBYO

BBYO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2022: THE POWER OF US

The first event of its size and scale in the Jewish community since the beginning of the pandemic, IC 2022 demonstrated the power and resiliency of our Movement while positively impacting the lives of thousands of teens worldwide. Excited simply to be together in person again, participants engaged in four days of world-class program experiences, service opportunities, and sessions with incredible speakers—celebrating the strength of our community alongside their peers from 40 countries and 667 communities across the globe.

IC For the first time, IC 2022 included delegations from South Africa, Sydney, Australia, Morocco, and Romania, reflecting the full diversity of the BBYO Movement—including delegations of over 50 teens each from Germany, Spain, and Argentina.

IC A highlight of the IC experience, LEADS Day empowered teens to explore critical social challenges ranging from environmentalism to mental health, food insecurity, and antisemitism—including more than 50 service and learning opportunities across the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area.

IC 2022
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From Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC), an introductory leadership development experience for 9th and 10th graders, to International Kallah, to travel to Israel and more than a dozen other countries, BBYO provided 1,965 teens a place this summer where they could find their voice, discover new tools to make an impact in their communities, and build lifelong friendships and leadership skills.

“Going to CLTC this summer and learning all about BBYO gave me skills I didn't even know I needed to run a chapter or other activities in my regular life. In addition to meeting amazing new friends all across the country, I learned so much about myself and how I can contribute to the lives of others.” – Josh B., Mid America Region: North Star Council

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For the fourth year, Israel Seminar, a two-day immersive dive into Israel at International Kallah, offered a space for teens to ask questions and hear authentic perspectives from an array of experts and voices. Speakers this year including Ami Eden, Executive Editor of 70 Faces Media; Carmiel Frutkoff, Founder of Pluralusalem; and Michael Solomonov, renowned chef and restaurateur.

10.21 7:00-8:00PM
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
10.21 7:00-8:00PM
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
10.21 7:00-8:00PM
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.