One recurring theme, which long-time members have all agreed on, is the theme of friendship. In BBYO, friends are more than people whom your child will associate with on a daily basis--these are their fellow brothers and sisters.
The strong bonds are heartfelt, and they genuinely care for their brother Alephs, and sister BBGs. These friends cannot be forgotten since each teen leaves an impact on each others lives. School friends come and go, and you may hear of "drama" interfering with everyday life, but in BBYO, we are emotionally and mentally mature, and do not purposely spread malicious rumors about one another. Essentially, BBYO makes your son(s) or daughter(s) model citizens, all while enjoying each others presence.
Don't you want your child to have responsible, Jewish friends for life?
People who can see your teen for who they really are? Once your son(s) or daughter(s) go to one convention (a weekend long, bonding event every couple of months), they meet such nice, geniune people who you never knew existed! Your teen's new best friend may not live your town, since BBYO has no barriers. Why limit your child to people whom they may not connect to within your own town? Let your child enjoy their high school years with friends who engage in intellectual Jewish topics (during Brotherhood) and spread their love for Judaism. In BBYO, your child will learn what it really means to be a modern Jew--someone who cares for the welfare of others, wants to perform mitzvahs, and not shelter themself due to unfortunate anti-Semitism.
"I'm still unsure if my teen(s) will like BBYO. He/She tends to be shy..."
The beauty of BBYO, is that it gets every teen out of his or her proverbial shell, and lets them realize who they really are. Most, if not all Freshmen enter as teens who may seem timid--stressed out from the first year of high school, and then joining a youth group with all new faces. Imagine how overwhelming that is!
The older members and younger members of BBYO all interact nicely, since this goes back to the theme of brotherhood. In many cases, teens of different ages may be best friends! Juniors, Seniors, and even Sophomores help the new members acclimate to BBYO. Although the vast majority of new members are Freshmen, this does not mean that we do not receive new members in different grades. It's never to late to sign up for this life-changing experience.
"Can I contact someone before I sign up my teen(s) for BBYO?"
Absolutely. You can contact our chapter's Moreh and/or Mit Mom. Our chapter's email address is [email protected]. Feel free to drop us a line, and we'll return your email ASAP!
I would love to sign up my teen(s) for BBYO, but is there a lot of paperwork to fill out?
One of BBYO's main goals this year is to go "green" and help our environment. All forms which need to be filled out will be done online at www.b-linked.org. This is an online Jewish social networking site focused on Judaism. Your teen(s) must first create an account, and from there they may register for BBYO, as well as other events once they become a member.