October was fantastic! Starting with the high holidays, October not only brought a new year but also great energy. After Rosh Hashanah, I headed to Philly just in time for Liberty Region’s kickoff! I loved getting active, playing games, enjoying grilled cheese sandwiches, and, most importantly, meeting so many of you. I also attended an October 7th commemoration in Allentown, where I met a lot of community representatives and joined my fellow BBYO teens. I even visited a fantastic chapter meeting with great snacks! (And attempted some Salesforce training—unsuccessfully.) October 9th was truly a night to remember. The energy around the movement was high, and selling out IC in 13 minutes felt momentous. Knowing we have a full waitlist and so many teens excited to join us in Denver in February is so thrilling. Liberty was so fun and made for a great week!

As I spent time with my family in New York over Yom Kippur, I had the great chance to visit the Manhattan Region’s Regional Board at their board meeting. Over some delicious GF pizza, we discussed everything from post-kickoff vibes to Regional Convention, AT/MIT, and Global Shabbat. It seems like great things are coming for MHR, and I really enjoyed the evening together.

I didn’t have too long of a ride to my next destination as I headed to Long Island to visit Nassau Suffolk Region. NSR was in the midst of finalizing everything for their big NSR Club Kick-Off Party. Together with the Chapter N’siot Network, I had dinner and learned about their chapters, goals for the year, and what they value most about NSR! I was even able to go back to NYC for a few hours and have a great reunion and an even greater day in the big city! (Shoutout NYC-Day-Gang). Finally, Club NSR was not just a party; it also included fun booths and a real BBYO thrift store.

I left the East Coast to visit a very, very exciting place. After a few hours in the air, I reunited with Dan (@AZAGodol) in Denver! Together, we were able to meet the RMR teens at their regional meeting. Being able to hop in and out of so many different chapter meetings at the same time was wonderful. I loved hearing about why they were excited to host IC and felt super energized after cheering “the wizard” alongside RMR. The next day, we headed to the IC hotel and got a glimpse of what the International Convention will be like—and let me tell you, it will be tasty! Together with the RMR Presidents, Sari and Sam, and Alex (7th International Giz), we attended the food tasting. We had so much fun ranking our favorite desserts, meals, and drinks. In the evening, I finished off my RMR visit with a wonderful BBG board dinner, where I learned more about what’s coming up and supported them in planning their regional convention.

And there I was, at the Denver airport, after two months of traveling through the U.S., from west to east and back to Denver, boarding my first flight back to Europe! But I wasn’t going home yet. After two meals, two naps, one movie, and a nine-hour flight, I landed in Frankfurt and boarded a train to Switzerland. I spent the weekend with Hagoshrim in Zurich, getting to see their programming, attending a wonderful alumni Shabbat, and even meeting with communities from Basel and Bern to plan their Winter Machane! I had the best time and truly want to thank the Zurich teens for showing me around their wonderful city and teaching me a bit of their twist on our shared language.

After this great first European stop, I made my way to the next: Vienna. Not only was Vienna filled with wonderful fall weather and beautiful architecture, but even more so with such a fun group of BBYO teens. From walking around the city and competing in a bowling match to screaming at the top of our lungs on the Prater, I had the best time and so many good laughs.

As I returned home for the first time in my official journey, I feel so incredibly lucky for the experiences I’ve had so far, everyone I’ve met, and all the special memories I’ve made. If you’ve read up until here, know that you are so highly appreciated—send me a 🏃🏻‍♀️emoji on any platform!