From the roots we build: AZA, BBG AND BBYO CONNECT (cont’d)
“Before, we had to wait until we
were in high school to join.”
—Jonathan Behar, BBYO Connect Alumni, Mossad AZA, BBYO Westchester Region
BBYO Connect
Participation
Reinvigorated in 2011 as part of BBYO’s 5-year strategic plan, BBYO
Connect offers meaningful and fun activities for Jewish teens
in grades 6, 7 and 8, while serving as one of the roots of BBYO’s
continued growth.
BBYO Connect programs are designed specifically for middle school teens
and are now active in more than 40 communities across North America.
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In BBYO Lonestar Region, a Passover-themed Iron Chef program at a
local kosher kitchen engaged 40 teens in grades 6–8. By exploring the
preparation of kosher meals in relation to a popular television series, this
program integrated Jewish learning in a fun and meaningful way.
4
11,621
9,915
6,773
FY ‘11
FY ‘12
FY ‘13
“We’re working to ease the transition
from BBYO Connect to AZA and BBG.”
— Emily Gorby and Alex Finkelstein, BBYO’s 2012 – 2013 Vice Presidents of Membership
A key part of BBYO Connect is
the active, mutually beneficial
involvement of AZA and BBG
members.
Serving as role models and leaders,
these “big brothers and sisters”
reach out to their younger peers,
growing the ranks of BBYO Connect
and guiding participation. This year,
nearly 75 AZA and BBG leaders
from 25 regions attended the first
ever BBYO Connect Leadership
Engagement Summit to devise new
ways to increase their impact on
the program. AZA and BBG teens
in BBYO Michigan Region utilized
J-Serve, the International Day
of Jewish Youth Service, to plan
and implement projects for BBYO
Connect participants. Serving as site
captains, they designed opening and
closing programs that incorporated
the Judaic values of tzedakah and
gemilut chasidim.