← Back to the Shofar

Connection

Friendship and relationships are core to our experience in AZA and BBG. Read stories about friendships spanning across borders, Jewish geography, alumni connections, and more.

Connection

October 7, 2024

Hug Your Friends & Family Tight

Becca Firestone

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Connection

October 7, 2024

It’s 7.10.2024 but still 7.10.2023—A Year Frozen in Time

Lea Mordkovich

Berlin, Germany

Connection

September 30, 2024

How Do You "BBYO"?

Hannah Setton

Vancouver, Canada

Connection

September 27, 2024

Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech: Standing Together

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

September 19, 2024

BBYO: The Compass of My Journey

Lea Mordkovich

Berlin, Germany

Connection

September 19, 2024

Parshat Ki Tavo: History, Gratitude, and Accountability

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

September 16, 2024

BBYO Changed My Life

Charlie Bern

Tampa, Florida, United States

Connection

September 13, 2024

BBYO: My Path to Purpose

Gavin Meyers

Deerfield, Illinois, United States

Connection

July 29, 2024

Watching From Afar

Brenna Halper

District of Columbia, United States

Connection

June 20, 2024

A Love Letter To My Second Home

Jenna Barr

Longmeadow, Massachusetts, United States

Connection

June 4, 2024

Chabad Rabbi Dedicated to His Community

Avery Fox

Ashton, Maryland, United States

Connection

June 3, 2024

Friendships My Jewish Sleepaway Camp Has Brought Me

Ashley Feder

Torrance, California, United States

Connection

May 30, 2024

Passover Traditions in BBYO Members’ Families

Sam Toledano

Oceanside, New York, United States

Connection

May 28, 2024

My Jewish Friends Are Just Better

Alyssa Rossen

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Connection

May 14, 2024

Keeping Pace: Celebrating and Remembering

TJ Katz

Greater Jersey Hudson River Region

Connection

May 14, 2024

Why Do I Feel Connected?

Lea Mordkovich

Berlin, Germany

Connection

May 13, 2024

Top 5 Reasons to Sign Up for CLTC

Zach Miller

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Connection

May 6, 2024

Yom HaShoah

Emma Gornstein

Ardsley, New York, USA

Connection

May 6, 2024

BBG’s Impact

Maddie Kates

West Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Connection

April 22, 2024

What Even Is BBG?

Emma Gornstein

Ardsley, New York, USA

Connection

April 18, 2024

Embracing Our Global Connections

Ashley Marcus

Austin, Texas, United States

Connection

April 17, 2024

How Two Weeks Abroad Changed My Jewish Identity

Leah Berger

Calabasas, California, United States

Connection

April 1, 2024

Maestro Of Many

Samuel Mishkin

Montevideo, Uruguay

Connection

March 22, 2024

Parshat Vayikra: Making Amends

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

March 21, 2024

How Perlman Summer Became My College Essay

Alyssa Rossen

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Connection

March 15, 2024

Parsha Pekudei: Building Together

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

March 13, 2024

The Power of Jewish Connection

Shayna Horwitz

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Connection

March 13, 2024

Jew Years Eve

Gabby Hasko

Wayzata, Minnesota, United States

Connection

March 12, 2024

My Experience at the National Holocaust Museum

Audrey Bowman

Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

Connection

March 7, 2024

5 Tips For Your First Regional Convention

Lilly Horowitz

Jericho, New York, United States

Connection

March 7, 2024

Dear Savannah

Ashley Feder

Torrance, California, United States

Connection

March 5, 2024

The Class of 2024’s Final Term: What I'm Looking Forward To

Leah Berger

Calabasas, California, United States

Connection

March 4, 2024

My CLTC Reunion

Becky Machlovitz

Boca Raton, Florida, United States

Connection

March 4, 2024

The Ginger Experience At IC: How Small Connections Can Have Big Impacts

Liv Kronenfeld

Newton, Massachusetts, United States

Connection

March 4, 2024

Reuniting with BBYO Passport Friends at IC

Shayna Horwitz

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Connection

March 1, 2024

Reuniting With My Best International Friend

Emily Schenkel

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Connection

February 27, 2024

2,210.8 Miles

Megan Bowen

Marietta, Georgia, United States

Connection

February 7, 2024

How To Keep Up With #AZABBGIC2024 From Home

Rex Popick & Caro Orbuch

International Mazkirim

Connection

February 6, 2024

A Light During Dark Times

Camelia Schwartz

Alameda, California, United States

Connection

February 2, 2024

Parshat Yitro: Change is a Constant

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

February 2, 2024

Familiar Faces Around the Globe: The Power of Long Distance Friendship

Danielle Kerstein

Englewood, Colorado, United States

Connection

January 30, 2024

Why Am I So Scared To Tell People I’m Jewish?

Hanna Lichtenthal

Boca Raton, Florida, United States

Connection

January 29, 2024

The History Of Founders' Day

Daniel Ovadia

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States

Connection

January 19, 2024

Parshat Bo: Let My People Go

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

January 18, 2024

Sports and Judaism: A Unique Mix

Sam O'Dowd

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Connection

January 17, 2024

How being a part of an LGBTQ+ BBYO chapter has changed my life and the others in the GTA

Elliot Kritzer

Vaughan, Ontario, Canada

Connection

January 10, 2024

Community: The Meaning of Sports

Jonathan Mintz

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Connection

December 20, 2023

Parashat Vayigash: United as One

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

December 18, 2023

Smiling Around The World

Danielle Kirschner

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Connection

December 15, 2023

Parshat Miketz: At the End

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

December 15, 2023

What is Family?

Rebecca Perlman

Glen Head, New York, United States

Connection

December 14, 2023

Dream Team Found

Gal Rubel

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Connection

December 14, 2023

The Power of Hanukkah

Sophie Schwarz

Los Angeles, California, United States

Connection

December 14, 2023

Lighting Up Together: The Power of Togetherness in Hanukkah

Joaquin Salomon

Montevideo, Uruguay

Connection

December 8, 2023

The Power of BBG

Lindsay Altman

Long Island, New York, United States

Connection

December 1, 2023

Parshat Vayishlach: Lesson on Forgiveness

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

November 30, 2023

Enough is Enough

Emma Gornstein

Ardsley, New York, USA

Connection

November 29, 2023

Send This To Your Non-Jewish Friends

Lara Weinstein

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Connection

November 21, 2023

What do Jews Do On Christmas?

Charlie Bern

Tampa, Florida, United States

Connection

November 17, 2023

Current Antisemitism In The World: A Jewish Teen's Perspective

Camelia Schwartz

Alameda, California, United States

Connection

November 16, 2023

Parshat Toldot: The Meaning of Siblinghood

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

November 16, 2023

A Fundamental Truth

Samuel Mishkin

Montevideo, Uruguay

Connection

November 14, 2023

BBYO Burnouts: How To Relight The Spark

Hanna Lichtenthal

Boca Raton, Florida, United States

Connection

November 13, 2023

South Africa Takes the Victory

Rachel Kaplan

Johannesburg, South Africa

Connection

November 10, 2023

Sweeties, Beaus, and Moteks: A Brief Exploration

Ali Jacob

Houston, Texas, United States

Connection

November 10, 2023

Parshat Chayei Sarah: Perseverance in the Face of Grief

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

November 8, 2023

Same Place, Different People, Different Time, Same Brotherhood

Isaac Barker

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Connection

November 7, 2023

A Constant in My Life: Weekly Chapter Meetings

Sophie Schwarz

Los Angeles, California, United States

Connection

November 7, 2023

Changing Last Names: A Jewish Tradition

Sam O'Dowd

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Connection

November 6, 2023

How to Tell the Difference Between a Real Friend and a Fake Friend

Diana Noteva

Sofia, Bulgaria

Connection

November 3, 2023

How-To Guide for Maintaining Long Distance Friendships

Rachel Hasko

Wayzata, Minnesota, United States

Connection

November 3, 2023

COVID-19: The Beginning of My BBYO Career

Jared Haynes

Trumbull, Connecticut, United States

Connection

November 3, 2023

The Innocence of Judaism

Chloe Beal

Rye Brook, New York, United States

Connection

October 19, 2023

Parshat Noach: The Importance of Unity in Times of Trouble

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

October 16, 2023

The War in Israel While Traveling

Courtney Saxe

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Connection

October 13, 2023

Parshat Bereishit: Let There Be Light

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

October 12, 2023

Healing as a Community

Diana Noteva

Sofia, Bulgaria

Connection

October 12, 2023

What's Happening Right Now in Israel, and How is it Affecting all Jews Around the World?

Camelia Schwartz

Alameda, California, United States

Connection

September 21, 2023

Parashat Ha'azinu: Violence as a Form of Protection

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

September 1, 2023

Parshat Ki Tavo: Gratitude Within Our Community

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

August 31, 2023

How BBYO Leadership Has Impacted Me

Justin Ferstein

Buffalo Grove, Illinois, United States

Connection

August 30, 2023

Getting Involved Beyond the Board Experience

Ali Jacob

Houston, Texas, United States

Connection

August 24, 2023

Parsha Ki Teitzei: Defining Femininity and Masculinity in Judaism

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

July 31, 2023

What Judaism Means to Me

Rebecca Perlman

Glen Head, New York, United States

Connection

July 26, 2023

Understanding Magic

Gal Rubel

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Connection

July 11, 2023

Wishing You Were Somewhere Else

Brenna Halper

District of Columbia, United States

Connection

July 10, 2023

Antisemitism on College Campuses

Kylee Garfield

Redondo Beach, California, United States

Connection

June 21, 2023

What is “Ambassadors”

Eliya Hajjaj

Be'er Sheva, Israel

Connection

June 6, 2023

What is “Home” to the Jewish People?

Reid Kaplan

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Connection

May 24, 2023

The Power of CLTC

Sophie Tiger

Springfield, NJ, United States

Connection

May 23, 2023

Lasting Memories: A Goodbye to the Class of 2023

David Sternfeld

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Connection

May 19, 2023

Parsha Bamidbar: Leadership in the Community

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

May 18, 2023

Why BBYO Has No Barriers

Gal Rubel

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Connection

May 18, 2023

The Red of BBG and the Blue of AZA

Emma Gornstein

Ardsley, New York, USA

Connection

May 12, 2023

Parsha Behar-Bechukotai: Protection

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

May 5, 2023

Parsha Emor: Respect for Nature and Animals

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

May 5, 2023

Parsha Emor: Values of a Pure Leader

BBYO Weekly Parsha

AZA & BBG

Connection

April 18, 2023

The Power of BBYO Connections

Reese Fishelman

Watchung, New Jersey, United States

Connection

April 18, 2023

MIT: How a BBYO Tradition Impacted my Life

Sophie Schwarz

Los Angeles, California, United States

Connection

April 4, 2023

The Importance and Impact of Elections

Ronit Hizgiaev

Eastampton, New Jersey, United States