Connections 2023

BBYO is the leading pluralistic teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. Participation in BBYO officially begins in eighth grade and lasts through graduation. Membership in BBYO encompasses a one-time fee and grants teens access to special events, exclusive programs, a peer group that spans the globe and a robust alumni network that can support their success well beyond high school and into adulthood. Southwest Florida also offers programming for sixth- and seventhgraders with no membership required.

All members of AZA and BBG belong to a chapter. Here in Naples, we offer two: Negev AZA #2560 (for boys) and Mishpacha BBG #2552 (for girls). In BBYO, teens take the reins and lead. Our teen chapter boards plan programs geared toward the interests of current and prospective members and train new members in the traditions of AZA and BBG. During the school year, Negev and Mishpacha meet weekly in the BBYO Lounge at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center. A new leadership board is elected every six months to give every teen the chance to shine.

AZA and BBG chapters in the same geographical area are organized into regions. Mishpacha and Negev are part of North Florida Region (NFR), which currently consists of teens from Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, Melbourne, Jacksonville and Gainesville. Twice a year, the region’s members meet with one another for the day to enjoy activities such as visiting an amusement park, partying on a yacht, driving go-karts and competing in laser tag. They also spend two weekends a year at regional conventions where they focus on Jewish enrichment and siblinghood through interactive programs planned by teen coordinators.

BBYO has over 70,000 members in 60 countries. These members are represented by the AZA and BBG International Board, a body of 12 elected teens supporting and training their counterparts. Every year in February, over 5,000 teens from across the globe gather for International Convention (IC). NFR is thrilled to be the host of IC in 2024. Because this IC coincides with the 100-year anniversary of BBYO, there will be even more excitement surrounding the event. If you’re an alumnus of BBYO, please let me know. You won’t want to miss this!

We’re fortunate to have a community of partners who assist us in bringing incredible experiences to our teens. With the generous support of individual donors, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, Temple Shalom, Naples Chabad, Beth Tikvah and Temple Shalom’s Men’s Club, Naples teens are limited only by their imaginations. From an afternoon at Top Golf to making blankets for children in need to raising money for the Jews of Ukraine, because of the community’s philanthropy, there’s nothing stopping our teens from achieving their goals.

Naples BBYO is thankful to them, as well as the Naples BBYO Board of Directors, for their continued championing of the organization. And a special shoutout to Marc Saperstein, who not only brought BBYO to Naples a little over a decade ago but gave us a home at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.

For more information about BBYO, please contact:

Tara Harris

Regional Director of North Florida 407-832-4443 • tharris@bbyo.org