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UJCVP Shabbat Message: Glimpse into the Largest Gathering of Jewish Leaders

One of the greatest joys of Jewish communal life is watching a new generation mature into leadership roles. Here on the Virginia Peninsula, our local BBYO chapter engages Jewish teens and empowers them to be leaders.   

Three of our local teen leaders - David, Carson and Lainey - just returned from BBYO's International Convention (IC) in Dallas, where they joined with 5,000 other Jewish teens from 60 different countries. IC represents the largest gathering of young Jewish leaders in the world. This trailblazing event shapes the narrative on how teens combat antisemitism, embrace democracy, and fuel their enthusiasm for making a difference in their communities.  Many of the more than 60 programs at IC were organized and planned by teens on the IC steering committee, of which the Virginia Peninsula's David served.  

At the UJCVP, we are proud to support our BBYO chapter and even prouder to see these teens embrace leadership roles. To get a glimpse into the IC experience, I encourage you to read below about the experience in the words of David, Carson and Lainey.  

Shabbat Shalom, 

Eric Maurer
Executive Director
emaurer@ujcvp.org 

 

 

David, Carson and Lainey share their experience at BBYO International Convention

 

The magic of IC began as soon as delegates walked through the door, with friends from all across the globe made during zoom calls, summer programs, and past conventions reuniting.

After registration and some free time to explore the convention center and catch up with other teens, everyone gathered in the main stage area for opening ceremonies. During opening ceremonies, we celebrated the accomplishments of BBYO members - and our movement as a whole - from the past year, hyped up the weekend ahead, and heard from inspiring guest speakers, including former Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett; 2nd Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff; U.S. Special Envoy to Combat and Monitor Anti-Semitism, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt; youth activist, David Hogg; cast members from Broadway’s Hamilton; and Olympic gymnast, Gabby Douglas.  

The next day was dedicated to LEADS, BBYO’s global initiative to inspire teens to be a positive force in the Jewish community through service and philanthropy. Participants chose a LEAD program from a variety of options, ranging from Dispatched to Help, a joint program in which teens visited and learned from experts from the Dallas Fire Department, to For the Kids, in which teens attended a workshop led by nonprofits who provide assistance to children in need.  

After LEADS, a completely different atmosphere spread across the convention center as teens prepared for Shabbat. Shabbat is one of our favorite parts of any convention. After five years in the organization, we are still blown away by the magic of Shabbat at BBYO. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Shabbat is a perfect example of the beautiful pluralism that BBYO strives for. An integral aspect of our mission is to ensure that all Jewish teens are welcome and comfortable in our organization, regardless of their identity or practices. To accomplish this, BBYO offers Shabbat accommodations for every level of Jewish practice. Carson and Lainey attended a “camp-style” Havdalah service with a blend of Hebrew and English prayers, and English BBYO songs.

For teens seeking a more observant experience, if you walk further down the main lobby, you’ll see signs indicating that you’re entering the “Shomer Shabbat Space.” In this area, David attended a traditional service led by an orthodox rabbi with orthodox siddurim and a mechitza.  

Afterwards, Carson and Lainey attended a special Class of 2023 dinner, while David joined in on Aruchat Erev Shel Shabbat dinner with his international friends from Israel, Argentina, and Kazakhstan. During this dinner, David got to meet Ryan Turrel, an orthodox Jew studying at Yeshiva University and a player in the NBA G League. Ryan’s story of balancing his Judaism with his professional athletic career was moving and inspirational.

After dinner, it was time for yet another one of our favorite BBYO traditions: separates. Separates are designed to facilitate brotherhood and sisterhood bonding through AZA-only programs (for members of BBYO’s fraternity, the Aleph Zadik Aleph) and BBG-only programs (for members of BBYO’s sorority, the B’nai B'rith Girls).  

As the weekend continued, there were countless more opportunities for education and empowerment. One example that was particularly impactful was a talk with Shoshanna Nambi. Shoshanna grew up in Uganda, and is currently studying in New York to be the first female rabbi of her home country.

Additionally, we had the opportunity to explore Dallas outside of the convention center, such as a trip to the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum. On the last night of IC, we had one last hoorah in the form of a concert with prominent musical artists, including Nicky Youre and 24KGoldn.

It was an amazing experience overall. We met tons of people and we are so glad we went.  All three of us left International Convention with a renewed sense of passion and responsibility for the global Jewish community, and we couldn’t recommend the life-changing experiences BBYO offers enough for Jewish teens.

For more information feel free to visit bbyo.org/ic, or connect with David at (716) 348-7273. Thank you for reading!

David Dorfman, Carson Frank, and Lainey Epstein​

 

 

The Virginia Peninsula BBYO chapter is a program of the UJCVP and made possible through your generous support of the Annual Campaign.  Thank you for investing in the next generation of Jewish leaders.