Since June 1st, when our terms as your 37th International Sh’lichim officially began, it has been an honor to watch our Order continue to grow, strengthen, and thrive.

Our term began at the May Board Retreat in Washington, D.C., where we set goals for the year, learned how to work collaboratively with one another and our counterparts, and deepened our understanding of BBYO as a global movement. At retreat, we built a strong foundation that set us up for success for the rest of the year.

We then began the year, leading August Execs for the 101st Executive Body in Fairfax, Virginia. During this time, we equipped regional presidents with the tools needed to lead their regions through sessions focused on strengthening our movement, regions, and chapters. We facilitated programming centered on 101/81’s priorities, officially installed the International Board, and planned and led Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah. With the support of members of the Executive Body, we also led three Saturday morning services and a Torah service. 

Following August Execs, we carried that momentum into the International Leadership Network (ILN), where we received a record-breaking number of applicants across all coordinator roles, committees, and cohorts. After selecting coordinators for Global Shabbat, Explore Israel, and Stand UP, we began the year strong by meeting with each coordinator team to ensure they understood their roles and felt supported within the International Order.

At the same time, we began our first round of 1:1s with our counterpart network to build relationships, understand their goals and priorities, and review expectations for the year ahead. We also launched Trivia Tuesdays with weekly parashah trivia, an initiative we hope to bring back in the new year. September marked the start of #Sh’lichimSundays, a new initiative designed to spotlight our counterparts while sharing resources across the movement. Following a successful IC Launch Night, we hosted our first network calls to discuss the High Holidays, Stand UP, and preparations surrounding October 7th.

In the days leading up to October 7th, we launched two social media initiatives: No Man Is an Island and 10 Days of Kindness. With a combined total of over 500,000 views, No Man Is an Island called upon each International Board member to share photos and bios of hostages still in captivity, emphasizing Jewish unity. 10 Days of Kindness focused on the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and encouraged meaningful daily actions within one’s community, receiving an average of 472 views per day. To further support our counterparts, we updated a “Guide to October 7th Programming” resource to ensure their programs were impactful and successful. On October 7th, we hosted a virtual BBYO On Demand program with the theme Remembrance Through Rebuilding. With over 70 members in attendance, teens shared their experiences from their communities on October 7th, recited prayers for the safety and security of the people of Israel, and participated in a reflective discussion led by Noam Dahary, BBYO’s director of Israel Engagement. This program provided a powerful opportunity to commemorate October 7th together as an International Order.

October remained a busy month for the Sh’lichim network as we continued 1:1s, navigated the High Holidays, and supported regional programming. Every region hosted High Holiday programs at either the chapter or regional level, ensuring members were educated and engaged throughout the season.

Additionally, October marked a major focus on strengthening our ILNs. We officially began planning for Global Shabbat and selected the theme “Am Echad, Lev Echad: One People, One Heart,” emphasizing unity across our global movement. We launched Sh’lichim Hub Huddles, groups of regions organized by shared similarities, led by our Global Shabbat, Stand UP, and Explore Israel coordinators. This began 2:1s between Global Shabbat and Stand UP coordinators, regional Sh’lichim, and presidents to provide direct support for these movement-wide initiatives. Explore Israel will begin its 2:1s in mid-January. During this time, the Rise UP cohort began its first learning sessions with the ADL as part of a revamped partnership, and we met with our Elevating Pluralism Leads to plan their committee’s work for the year.

November began with Summer Push Week, where we promoted all BBYO summer programs and recruited for CLTC, ILTC, Kallah, and ILSI. By the end of Early Bird registration, Kallah reached a record-breaking 128 registrants, a 73% increase from the previous year. Global Shabbat planning continued with weekly coordinator calls, the creation of sample program resources, theme promotion, and the launch of the Global Shabbat Cookbook.

Round two of 1:1s began across both of our networks, allowing us to support counterparts with convention programming and Global Shabbat while reflecting on the first two months of the term. In November, we also began planning for Kallah 2026 by selecting a theme, finalizing the schedule, and developing new program ideas. Elevating Pluralism hosted its first committee session, and following the conclusion of Rise UP learning sessions, we worked with the ADL to finalize the cohort’s project, which was shared with members in early December.

December marked crunch time for Global Shabbat. Coordinators completed their Hub Huddle calls while we checked in individually with each counterpart to ensure they felt prepared and supported. The Global Shabbat Cookbook, featuring recipes from regions around the world, was finalized and promoted during Global Shabbat Hype Week in collaboration with the Mazkirim. On December 12th-13th, Global Shabbat was celebrated across the International Order, with regions hosting meaningful programs at both the chapter and regional levels. Instagram takeovers from counterparts around the globe showcased how Shabbat is celebrated across time zones. Global Shabbat was a tremendous success, and we are deeply grateful to our counterparts and coordinators—especially Noa, Mia, Nico, and David—for making it possible.

Earlier in December, we also had the opportunity to represent BBYO at the AZM Biennial Conference, where we connected with teen leaders from other Zionist youth organizations, built relationships with professionals in the Jewish world, and gained valuable tools for engaging in conversations about Israel. We are excited to remain involved with AZYC throughout the rest of the year.

We closed out the semester at the December Board Retreat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where we reflected on the past six months, set goals for initiatives such as J-Serve, and established priorities for the semester ahead.

Looking ahead to next semester, we are incredibly excited to ensure that all Sh’lichim are equipped with the tools and resources they need to create meaningful and impactful Israel programming. We plan to collaborate closely with our Explore Israel Coordinators to develop new sample programs, expand available resources, and provide ongoing support for counterparts during Israel National Days. Through this work, we hope to foster engaging and meaningful conversations about Israel that allow members to explore and deepen their personal connection to our homeland. We are also eager to launch a new initiative, #WhatDoesZionismMeanToMe, empowering members to share their unique relationships with Israel and their interpretations of Zionism through social media.

Additionally, we are looking ahead to J-Serve 2026, where we aim to place a strong emphasis on hands-on community service that directly addresses the needs of each region’s local communities. We will continue working closely with Stand UP Coordinators to support regions through hub huddles, while also creating new, accessible resources designed to help regions grow and thrive with both Stand UP and J-Serve. Stay tuned for exciting new ways to serve this J-Serve!

Finally, one of our top priorities moving forward is ensuring the success of Kallah 2026. While planning has officially begun, we are excited to fully dedicate ourselves post-IC to creating the best Kallah yet. With brand-new, never-before-seen programs, an entirely new field trip, and innovative separates, we are committed to delivering an unforgettable experience. In the upcoming semester, we will focus heavily on both recruitment and planning to bring this vision to life.

Serving as your 37th International Sh’lichim has been an incredibly rewarding experience so far, and we are excited to continue this work through IC, J-Serve, Israel National Days, and beyond in the next semester.