Focus on Youth
BBYO
T
he leading Jewish pluralistic teen movement, BBYO, aspires to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences, and it has been shaking the Naples community for eight groundbreaking years. It has reached as many as 50 Naples Jewish teens, and each year, it works to welcome more Jewish teens to the brother- and sisterhood that is BBYO Naples. The eighth- to 12th-grade chapters are Negev AZA #2560 (boys) and Mishpacha BBG #2552 (girls), which are a part of North Florida Region (NFR) BBYO, engaging teens from Orlando, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Melbourne, Gainesville, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples. Each week, Negev and Mishpacha teens meet at the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples on Wednesdays for chapter programming and leadership training. Its Naples teens plan larger-scale events for the weekends, like day trips to Miami, private experiences at Revolution Cable Park, spa days, cycle or yoga studio takeovers, pickup basketball and football games, sorority themed events like bid day, and themed boys’ and girls’ sleepovers, to name a few.
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NFR hosts three conventions each year, in fall, winter and spring. BBYO also promotes events such as International Convention (IC), the largest gathering of Jewish teens in the U.S., and summer programs and travel experiences like Chapter Leadership Training Camp (CLTC) and International Leadership Seminar in Israel (ILSI). Last year, Naples teens participated in IC, CLTC, ILSI and the March of the Living, with the assistance of the incredible Jewish Federation of Greater Naples as well as Temple Shalom’s Men’s Club. BBYO is indebted to the generosity of community partners and their commitment to assist all Jewish teens, assuring no teen is ever turned away from an experience due to monetary reasons. BBYO Connect aims to engage sixth to eighth graders in a variety of experiences for social, Judaic and community service programs. It offers five to six events each year, focusing only on the sixth- to eighth-grade Jewish community. An example of an activity being planned is a community-wide latke cookoff, complete with guest judges, raffles for swag and gift cards for our winning team.
CONNECTIONS 2021
What makes Naples BBYO special, is that the entire Jewish community of Naples supports our movement. It receives support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, Temple Shalom, Beth Tikvah and Chabad of Naples, with the goal of welcoming the entire Jewish community, from grades six to 12, to the movement. BBYO is supported by many donors who make up the Naples Jewish community, equating to a very successful youth program. The organization is also supported by the Naples BBYO Board of Directors, made up of dedicated community leaders, parents, advisors and BBYO staff. BBYO’s network of Jewish teens, alumni, parents, volunteers and philanthropists serves as the Jewish community’s most valuable platform for delivering fun, meaningful and affordable experiences to the post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah audience. BBYO looks to offer leadership skills that will take teens through college and beyond and offer them the opportunity to explore their Jewish identity in a safe, supportive community. If you’re a teen, the question is, “What are you waiting for?” Come out and join the fun! Follow BBYO on Instagram: @mishpacha_bbg and @negevaza Like us on Facebook: @NaplesandFtMyersBBYO For more information on sixth to 12th grade Jewish programming in Naples, please contact Jess Zimmerman, Associate Regional Director of North Florida Region, at 239-263-4205 or jesszimmerman@bbyo.org.
A Guide to Jewish Living in Greater Naples
