The Leven Global Leadership Academy (LGLA) prepares an elite cohort of Jewish teens from around the world with marketable leadership skills and experiences that are transferable throughout their lives. Designed as an online cohort, it’s based on the three pillars that define a leader—Understanding Leadership Strengths, Relationship Building, and Scaling Impact. These are intended to create a strong force of Alephs and B’nai B’rith Girls who are our future leaders, committed to a strong Jewish community and a better world.
As a member of the LGLA, you will take part in monthly cohort calls, engage with prominent entrepreneurs and leadership experts, be mentored by past cohort members, and complete projects designed to further develop your leadership skills. You will also develop and deliver a TED Talk at International Convention. You will exit the program with further developed leadership strengths along with skills in relationship building and leading a movement to leave a larger impact.
LGLA generally looks to engage high school sophomores (grade 10, ages 15–16) who have great leadership potential but may not necessarily hold formal leadership positions. LGLA intends to provide an alternative leadership experience beyond the experiential training offered by board positions. This application is now closed.
Lauren
Frankal
United Kingdom and Ireland
Cohort Mentor
Victor
Vernick
Liberty
Cohort Mentor
Gonzalo
Zilberman
Argentina
Cohort Mentor
Marnie
Bloom
Red River
Cohort Member
Bianca
Cherry
Pacific Western
Cohort Member
Opal
Cohen
Northern Region East: Northern Virginia
Cohort Member
Yael
Cuperman
Colombia
Cohort Member
Nicolás
Elman
Argentina
Cohort Member
Sarah
Galindo
Colombia
Cohort Member
Alix
Gilkarov
Austria
Cohort Member
Edmond
Khalifah
Mexico
Cohort Member
Rachel
Mattison
Northern Region East: DC
Cohort Member
Madison
Miederhoff
Mid-America: St. Louis
Cohort Member
Oliver
Mizrahi
Denmark
Cohort Member
Daniela
Naschelski
Chile
Cohort Member
Moises
Nousairi
Mexico
Cohort Member
Mia
Peretz
South Africa
Cohort Member
Dalia
Pupkin
Chile
Cohort Member
Michael
Reifman
Greater Jersey Hudson River
Cohort Member
Josh
Rutman
Lonestar
Cohort Member
Aiden
Sack
South Africa
Cohort Member
Bryan
Schecter
Liberty
Cohort Member
Maya
Schlanger
North Texas Oklahoma
Cohort Member
Elana
Sunshine
North Texas Oklahoma
Cohort Member
Lucia
Teicher
Argentina
Cohort Member
Zohar
Tsemeret
Mountain
Cohort Member
Zuzanna
Wiewióra
Poland
Cohort Member
Learn lifelong leadership skills from top leaders across industries and begin building your professional network.
Global Chair of Limmud and Founder of LivLuv
Co-Author, Yes She Can and fmr. Obama Administration Policy Advisor
Founder and CEO of WhoseYourLandlord
Chief Executive Officer, BBYO
Entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Bandura Games
Associate Program Director, TED-Ed
Associate Vice President of Jewish Enrichment, BBYO
Sr. Manager, External and Government Affairs at PepsiCo; fmr. Obama Administration Policy Advisor
Journalist and Founder of EveryEpic
Vice Chairman, BBYO Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer, Shalom Austin
“I think that my communication and adaptability has improved so much more. GLA has allowed me to gain so much confidence and this has allowed me to expand my network as well as giving me the opportunity to do this on a global scale.” —Lauren Frankal, United Kingdom & Ireland, 2019-2020
“I have learned to see the bigger impact of what I do. Before GLA, I had only focused on what I could do for myself and not how my leadership affects others. Now, I have a greater understanding of what I can do to help others in my community.” —Gabriella Cohen, Northern Region East: Baltimore, 2019-2020
“If there is one thing I want to bring back to my community from GLA is that being a leader is not necessarily about learning new skills, but it is mostly about taking the skills you already have and sharpening them.” —Evan Forman, Lake Ontario Region, 2018-2019
Explore the key dates for the Leven Global Leadership Academy cohort for 2020-2021.
Leven Global Leadership Academy application launches.
Leven Global Leadership Academy application closes.
Call 1: LGLA Orientation + Cohort Bonding
Call 2: Leadership Session A | Understanding Strengths
Call 3: Leadership Session B | Relationship Building
Call 4: Leadership Session C | Scaling Impact
Call 5: TED Masterclass A | Surfacing and Developing Ideas
Call 6: TED Masterclass B | Developing Ideas into Talks
Call 7: TED Masterclass C | Delivering Talks
Present TED Talks at International Convention
Call 8: Feedback and Celebration
The Leven Global Leadership Academy is celebrating its third year as a highly regarded BBYO program. Learn more about the experience by exploring some common questions listed below.
You should plan to commit between one and two hours a week to the Leven Global Leadership Academy. These hours include monthly cohort calls that you will take part in as well as projects you will work on to further foster your leadership skills.
LGLA is generally targeted toward high school sophomores (grade 10, ages 15–16) who are looking to build their skills and experience outside BBYO’s traditional democratic leadership model. We especially encourage applicants who do not hold any formal board position.
As a member of the LGLA you will participate in monthly cohort calls with all other LGLA teens. Calls generally fall into Leadership Sessions (you’ll have three of these) or TED Masterclass Sessions (you’ll also have three of these).
Leadership Sessions are 90-minute calls that workshop one leadership pillar with notable leaders and coaches, helping you refine your skills. A typical call agenda might look like this:
Icebreaker/Introductions
Workshop 1: Jewish Educator
Intro to the Leadership Pillar
Workshop 2: Leadership Pillar Speaker
Cohort Reflection
Upcoming Individual Projects
TED Masterclass Sessions are 45-minute calls where you’ll collaboratively develop the TED Talk that you’ll deliver at BBYO International Convention through feedback and coaching with your cohort.
Create your own leadership journey as you choose from a menu of projects that further develop leadership skills explored on the cohort call. These projects are intended to set you up for success in other leadership endeavors and to leave an impact on your community. Think: getting coffee with an alum, writing an article for the Shofar, and meeting with an executive in a field of interest.
Click here for a peek at past LGLA projects.