Beth Ahabah Happenings B efore COVID 19, Beth Ahabah’s youth groups were active. Monthly events were garnering increased participation, and BATTY, Beth Ahabah’s Teens and Temple Youth, was growing. The pandemic had every opportunity to slow momentum down, but the new challenge of staying socially distant brought innovation and access to the BATTY program that has expanded reach and brought in more active members than ever. When social distancing measures began in March, BATTY went virtual. Youth from over 50y households logged into weekly Zoom hangouts with each of our BATTY (Teen), BATTY Middle, and BATTY Jr. groups. The Zoom Hangout activity varied each week. Between cooking, art, science, games and movies, there was something for everyone, but most agree that the optional hour of unstructured conversation after the activity was the most meaningful. BATTY gave youth and teens the space to share and reflect on what they were feeling in real time, and the bonds between our kids strengthened. The friendships and connections built during the weekly hangout have set the tone for BATTY moving forward and pushed the limits of what we thought was possible. During the summer, BATTY launched their first Teen Board in years. Rising tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders applied to be part of the leadership team that would drive the culture and direction of the program. Based on the Reform Movement’s NFTY model, four board positions (President, Vice President of Communications and Membership, Social Action Chair and Religious and Cultural Chair) were filled by dedicated, active teens with over 49 years at Beth Ahabah collectively. The BATTY Teen Board has had huge goals for the Teen program. Having institutional knowledge and understanding of Beth Ahabah’s campus, the Board reimagined our outdoor spaces to accommodate socially distant in-person events. In September, BATTY hosted the Congregation’s first movie night on the parking deck roof. Over 25 teens brought their own chairs, snacks, and masks to our showing of the new live-action “Mulan” – just hours after its digital
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Synagogue Happenings
premiere. The parking deck was reinvented again in October and converted to a socially-distant outdoor studio where teens competed in BATTY’s first annual Pumpkin Carving contest. A nod to both Sukkot and Halloween, teens celebrated with music, great conversation, and artistic expression. Prizes were given for the most creative design, the fan favorite, and numerous other superlatives designed by the Board. Completely a teen-led program, the first place prize winner earned a bag full of pumpkin guts to freely throw at the BATTY Board President. As the weather gets colder, BATTY events will move to virtual platforms this winter, but the impact of seeing other youth in person at Beth Ahabah has been monumental. The BATTY Board is looking at innovative ways to continue to come together safely, rain or shine, and is excited to launch their Spring program this December. All Richmond-area teens are welcome at BATTY events. Visit our Community page at www.BethAhabah.org for more information. For more information on Beth Ahabah, call (804) 358-6757 or visit www.bethahabah.org BATTY teens compete in a Pumpkin Carving Contest on the parking deck in one event and for another, watch “Mulan” during a movie night on the parking deck. Beth Ahabah Photos
22 | the Reflector | December 2020 Kislev/Tevet 5781
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