It's Teen Time
by Emily Raij
BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization)
Contact: Jess Zimmerman, regional director, BBYO North Florida Region: jesszimmerman@bbyo.org; Melina Ramirez, BBYO Orlando city director: mramirez@bbyo.org
Online: BBYO.org/bbyo-near-you/regions/north-florida-region; North Florida Region BBYO on Facebook; and follow nfrbbyo (regional), waldflowersbbg (Waldflowers BBG girls’ chapter), or rebelsaza (Rebels AZA boys chapter) on Instagram
BBYO is a pluralistic Jewish youth movement, so it’s not typically affiliated with any specific synagogue or denomination. The group has a long history in Orlando, starting in the 1930s, and often uses alumni connections to spread the word. Teens in eighth through 12th grade can join and attend events, which include an annual international convention, two regional conventions per year (including one at Orlando’s Avanti Palms Resort on April 1-3), a couple of chapter overnights in the fall and spring, and the annual J-Serve day of service.
“We call them ‘wow programs,’ epic experiences teens really want,” says Jess Zimmerman, regional director of BBYO’s North Florida Region.
The teen-led group also plans a full year of monthly events. The Waldflowers BBG is the girls’ chapter, and Rebels AZA is the boys’ chapter. Each group has a board, elected democratically each fall and spring term, and they organize events together and separately. Melina Ramirez, BBYO’s Orlando city director, works with the teens to plan events that align with BBYO’s larger goals of active leadership, tradition, Jewish identity, and inclusivity. The J-Serve day of service is a popular annual event that takes months of planning by the leadership team and brings 50-60 teens together for projects like beach cleanups, packing food boxes, and homelessness education.
“The way that we do things is more Jewish teens, more Jewish experiences,” says Jess. “At the end of the day, we look to bring teens of all Jewish backgrounds, all Jewish practice, all Jewish denominations to be who they want to be. Our goal is to bring them together and give them the tools to create themselves.”
Prior to the pandemic, teens would meet weekly at The Roth Family JCC and also host one to two programs a month. Meetings went virtual in 2020, but in January of this year, outdoor programs with masks resumed. BBYO continues to follow CDC and state policies, has its own medical advisory committee, and checks in with parents to make sure everyone feels safe and comfortable. Indoor events require masks, and all events with 150 people or more require vaccinations.
A teen who is interested in getting involved with BBYO can reach out to Melina, and Jess suggests following the chapter’s Instagram accounts to see the group in action. Membership is a one-time fee and lasts a lifetime.
USY (United Synagogue Youth)
Contact: Jayme Epstein, Congregation Ohev Shalom youth director: youth@ohevshalom.org
Online: OhevShalom.org and follow COS_USY on Instagram
Although USY is the youth movement of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), local USY chapters, including those at Congregation Ohev Shalom and Temple Israel, are open to all area teens regardless of synagogue membership or affiliation. USY is specifically for grades nine through 12, with Gesher (formerly Kadima) serving tweens and teens in grades six to eight.
Jayme Epstein, Ohev’s youth director, runs its USY chapter with the goal of connecting Jewish teens to their Judaism and the larger community as well as helping them explore their Jewish identities through programming.
“We have a wide variety of programs that consist of different Jewish elements,” explains Jayme. Some programs focus on tikkun olam and giving back, others are social to connect to each other, and some highlight Israel or Israeli life and culture, such as a krav maga class. When the teens wanted a Halloween program, which doesn’t necessarily align with Jewish holiday celebrations, Jayme says they put a fun spin on that idea and focused instead on Jewish superstitions.
Programs are all led, written, and facilitated by teens.
“My job is really to make sure they’re safe and thinking through things teens don’t normally think through,” explains Jayme.
USY’s seven-member board is elected each spring for the following year and meets monthly with positions taking on different programs based on themes, such as Israeli affairs, social action/tikkun olam, and religious education.
“They all take on different programs that they lead for the whole group,” Jayme says. “That’s how we can get such a wide variety of programs.”
This year, the group is partnering with Project Opioid to spread awareness about using the overdose-rescue drug NARCAN, referring friends and family for help with addiction, and ultimately learning how to save a life. Teens can also attend a regional convention every spring, two subregional conventions annually, an international annual convention, and the Regional General Board Weekend each year for group leadership. Super Saturdays, generally once a semester, are also popular events and start with Shabbat services, move into leadership and team-building activities, and end with a Havdalah bonfire at night. Teens usually go to a theme park in January as a region, as well.
In terms of COVID protocols, teens need to wear masks and eat outdoors for synagogue events. Most offsite events have been taking place outdoors, too, such as trips to Topgolf and outdoor laser tag.
Interested teens can contact Jayme, who will put them in touch with a current USY board member to get the inside scoop.
GORFTY (Greater Orlando Reform Federation of Temple Youth)
Contact: Dani Sobel, director of youth and member engagement, Congregation of Reform Judaism (CRJ):
dsobel@crjorlando.org
Online: CRJOrlando.org/gorfty
GORFTY is a subgroup of NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth), the Reform Jewish Youth Movement, and brings Jewish ninth through 12th graders together through community building, leadership, and Jewish events. Jr. GORFTY at Congregation of Reform Judaism serves seventh and eighth graders, and the two groups often join together for activities. Teens do not need to be members of CRJ, although a CRJ membership includes automatic membership in GORFTY.
A board of seven teens is voted in by their peers and meets monthly on Zoom for now. The board includes a president and vice-presidents in charge of social action, inclusion, communication, programming, and membership.
“Our board really steps up and focuses on developing GORFTY into what they want it to be,” says Dani Sobel, CRJ’s director of youth and member engagement.
Although she started in her role during the pandemic less than a year ago, Dani has taken advantage of this time to focus on developing teens’ leadership skills.
Some popular monthly events have included an indoor obstacle course, SAK Comedy Lab’s improv show, and overnights at CRJ after an evening of Shabbat services, activities, and a movie. GORFTY teens even lead a Friday night creative service, in which they incorporate their own readings into the service as they share the bima with the rabbi and cantor. Recently, the group started a new speaker series every Monday night where congregants of different and often unique professions share details of their jobs and how they might relate to Judaism. As part of NFTY, GORFTY members also get to enjoy three weekend kallot, or retreats, nationally each year.
GORFTY has a strong focus on social action. Last October, the group joined with their Jr. GORFTY peers to make and donate fleece blankets to Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. In February of this year, the groups teamed up again for a Mitzvah Day at Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida for an afternoon of hands-on volunteering.
“The older kids can teach younger kids what social action looks like and how we can impact our community,” says Dani.
Events on campus follow CRJ’s COVID protocols, including wearing masks indoors, and all staff are fully vaccinated. GORFTY also tries to do as much as possible outdoors.
Dani welcomes teens to contact her and try out a GORFTY activity.
“My goal is just to make every event accessible and comfortable for every teen,” she says.
CTEEN (Chabad Teen Network)
Contact: Rabbi Amram Hoffer, Chabad of Greater Orlando youth director: amram@chabadorlando.org; Fraidy Dubov, Chabad of Greater Orlando program director: fraidykgn@gmail.com. CTeen programs are also at the North Orlando, South Orlando, and Altamonte Springs Chabad locations.
Online: ChabadOrlando.org/CTeen and CTeen Orlando on Facebook
CTeen provides a friendly setting for Jewish teens to meet and connect with one another. High schoolers from all backgrounds and levels of observance are welcome. Events range from social to volunteer-oriented to educational. Themed Shabbat dinners and holiday activities, such as a Graffiti the Sukkah Sukkot party and Hanukkah night with the Orlando Magic, are popular throughout the year. This year’s social events include an obstacle course, axe throwing, krav maga, movie night, and an escape room. In April, CTeen will be visiting the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida in honor of Yom HaShoah. Volunteer days have helped feed the homeless and benefit JFS (Jewish Family Services) and JNF (Jewish National Fund). In November, CTeen members participated in a pie bake-off with pies going to The Jewish Pavilion for Thanksgiving.
“Our goal is to bring together Jewish kids who may not know any other Jewish kids,” explains Fraidy Dubov, Chabad of Greater Orlando program director. “CTeen is that space where they can make Jewish friends.”
In addition to monthly events, CTeen members can also participate in quarterly regional events and the annual New York Shabbaton weekend with teens from all over the world. This past year, CTeen Jr. was created to reach tweens and younger teens in grades six through eight. Bar and Bat Mitzvah Clubs also target this age group through monthly social meetups. With all groups, kids can sign up and pay for individual events or for the whole year.
While Chabad’s program directors make the event schedule, teens help create flyers and spread the word. Teens that attend events consistently are encouraged to take on more of a leadership role.
“We always want to empower the teens to take as much responsibility and involvement as they want,” says Fraidy. “Moving forward, we would love for our teen leaders to have a bigger part, as well.”
CTeen tries to meet outdoors when possible, and masks are encouraged. Contact Fraidy or Rabbi Amram with questions or check out the calendar and register for events at ChabadOrlando.org/CTeen.
Israeli American Council (IAC) Eitanim
Contact: Idit Lotringer, IAC Orlando-Tampa regional manager: ilotringer@israeliamerican.org; Ziva Kurlansik, IAC Orlando-Tampa program manager: ZKurlansik@israeliamerican.org
Online: IsraeliAmerican.org/orlando/eitanim
IAC Eitanim uses innovation and project-based learning to connect Israeli and Jewish-American teens to Israel. The program presents teens in either middle or high school with real-life challenges they tackle using research and problem-solving skills. Along the way, teens are supported by entrepreneurs and industry experts who mentor them for the duration of their year-long project, culminating in a national competition. From planning and execution to presenting and speaking, teens learn important skills for college and the professional world.
“Eitanim is a very unique program for teens to connect to Israel through innovation,” says Ziva Kurlansik, IAC Orlando-Tampa program manager. “They have so many tools and skills they can use.”
Each group acts as a company with the same task, but they arrive at different solutions. Judges are brought in from all over the Orlando area, along with parents and community members, for a demo day. After all the groups present their solutions, the judges choose the best one to go on to the national competition. During a typical year, Eitanim teens meet every other week for two to three hours. There is also a summer Hackathon, where teens from across the country meet to brainstorm, research, and give their pitch presentations on demo day, all in one short week.
“We are keeping the culture, the love for Israel, the innovation, all the technology, but in a way where teens bring themselves to the program,” says Idit Lotringer, IAC Orlando-Tampa regional manager.
Although teens met on Zoom this past year, they still covered topics related to their lives and interests. Middle-schoolers focused on the environment and teen wellness while high-schoolers researched Israeli resilience, all connecting back to innovation. Eitanim is returning to in-person meetings at The Roth Family JCC this year and, as before, dinner is provided to keep everyone fueled up. The group follows CDC guidelines for masking.
One new option Eitanim would like to offer this year in order to garner even more participation is bringing in a facilitator to meet with teen groups at their synagogues. For the most current information, parents and teens can contact Idit or Ziva.
Shevet Agam- Friends of Israeli Scouts
Contact: Ronny Halperin-Shisgal and Aviya Gavra, co-heads of Shevet Agam, Orlando@IsraelScouts.org
Online: ShevetAgam.com
Shevet Agam is the Orlando-based member of Friends of Israel Scouts (Tzofim), which has branches in the U.S. and throughout the world.
“The main goal is to bring the love of Israel and all the values of Scouts,” says Ronny Halperin-Shisgal, one of the volunteer parent co-heads of the group along with Aviya Gavra.
Shevet Agam focuses on Scout values such as being a good citizen, doing mitzvot, and taking part in the community, all while encouraging young people to develop their Israeli and Jewish identities. Through multiple seminars, teens train to become shachbag, or counselors, in ninth grade and help lead younger campers in grades three through eight. On Sundays from August through May at The Roth Family JCC, teens meet on their own to discuss leadership topics and personal goals before the younger kids arrive for more play-based activities.
Aviya explains that both Hebrew and English are spoken at meetings, and most campers and counselors come from families with at least one Israeli parent. However, Shevet Agam is an inclusive group where kids can find a place to use the Hebrew they’ve learned either in school or at home.
In addition to gaining confidence with their Hebrew, participants learn Jewish values. Ronny explains that the teen counselors serve as role models whom the younger kids really admire.
“When they reach ninth grade, they become the leaders of the chapter,” says Aviya. “Parents are in the background supporting and making sure the whole ecosystem is working.”
Also featured in that ecosystem are the education coordinators, who are Central Florida college students who help guide the teen counselors. After graduating high school, many Shevet Agam counselors choose to take a gap year in Israel or serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
“They feel that sense of belonging,” says Ronny. “We heard a pretty incredible description from the kids, who told us, ‘That was the first time I knew who I am.’”
Shevet Agam was established in Orlando in 2017 and recently expanded to include first and second graders, who meet every other week. There are about 50 total members, with around 16 serving as teen leaders. Annual membership fees, grants, fundraising, and donations help the group continue to grow. Several events are open to the entire Jewish community including a month-long traveling camp in Israel and holiday celebrations for Purim, Hanukkah, and Israel Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut), in which Shevet Agam partners with the JCC. Teens also have the opportunity to meet counselors from other areas at national camps and through a Holocaust education trip to Poland.
In accordance with CDC guidelines, Shevet Agam members wear masks and meet outside as much as possible. Those interested in trying a meeting can reach out to Ronny or Aviya.