Building Community, Leadership and Jewish Connection With BBYO

A new BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization) year is beginning in the Lehigh Valley, and we’re excited about what lies ahead. This year, we want BBYO to be a place where Jewish teens can find their people, build friendships, develop as leaders, connect with their Jewish identities, and become more involved in the community around them. Most importantly, we want our teens to have a voice in shaping what their BBYO experience looks like. Throughout the year, we plan to offer a variety of opportunities for teens to connect. Our goal is to have a member-focused event each month where teens can relax, have fun and strengthen friendships, as well as a community event that brings BBYO together with the larger Jewish community. We also want tikkun olam, repairing the world, to be an active part of our chapter experience. Each month, we hope to find a new way for our teens to give back. That could mean volunteering with a local organization, supporting a cause, collecting needed items, or finding another way to make a difference. Through these experiences, teens can see Jewish values like tzedakah (justice and charitable giving), gemilut chasadim (acts of loving-kindness), and kehillah (community) come to life.

Connecting With Our Community

One of our biggest goals for the year ahead is to strengthen BBYO’s connection to the Lehigh Valley. We hope to work alongside local synagogues and temples, Jewish organizations, community partners, and local businesses to create new opportunities for our teens. BBYO doesn’t have to exist within its own bubble. Our teens are part of a much larger community, and we want them to experience everything that community has to offer while also finding ways for BBYO to give something back.
Whether we’re volunteering, celebrating Jewish traditions, gathering for a fun night out, or partnering with another organization, we hope every experience gives our teens another opportunity to build meaningful connections.

Meet Our BBG Teen Board

At the heart of BBYO is teen leadership. Our BBG (B’nai B’rith Girls) board helps guide the chapter, plan experiences, welcome members, and make BBYO a space created by teens, for teens.

Lilah Ellis, N’siah (President) leads our BBG chapter and helps guide the board as they turn their ideas for the year into reality.

Brie Finberg, S’ganit (Vice President) works alongside Lilah to support the board and help bring chapter programs and events to life.

Sammi Schippel, Morah (Vice President of Membership) focuses on welcoming teens, strengthening membership, and helping members feel like they have a place within BBYO.

Caroline Block, Sh’licha (Vice President of Jewish Enrichment) helps bring Jewish values, traditions, identity, and meaningful Jewish experiences into chapter life.

Abby Scheiner, Mazkirah (Secretary) helps keep the board organized, connected, and communicating as the chapter moves through the year.

Tessa Weiss, Gizborit (Treasurer) is the newest member of our board and will help support the chapter through budgeting and financial planning as we bring our ideas to life.

AZA: We’re Looking for Our Next Leaders

BBYO is also home to AZA (Aleph Zadik Aleph), and we would love to see our local AZA chapter grow alongside BBG. Right now, that starts with finding teens who are ready to step forward.

You don’t need previous BBYO experience or years of leadership under your belt. We’re looking for Jewish teen boys who want to meet other Jewish teens, help shape what AZA looks like in the Lehigh Valley, plan events they would actually want to attend, and have a voice in building something of their own. Being part of rebuilding AZA offers something pretty special: the opportunity to help decide what comes next. If that sounds like you, or sounds like a teen you know, we would love to connect.

There’s a Place for You in BBYO

You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room. You don’t have to already know everyone. You don’t have to consider yourself a leader, and you certainly don’t need to have your Jewish identity all figured out. BBYO is a place to start. It’s a place to meet other Jewish teens, try something new, celebrate Judaism in ways that feel meaningful, serve the community, develop leadership skills, and create friendships and memories along the way. Interested in joining BBYO, learning more, getting involved with BBG or helping rebuild AZA? Visit us at lvjcc.org/BBYO to get started.