Two weeks ago, ARJE CEO Stacy Rigler and several members of ARJE had a first-hand chance to watch, learn or lead at BBYO International Convention. Perhaps the largest gathering of Reform Movement teens anywhere, being surrounded by over 3,500 Jewish teens from diverse religious backgrounds, international communities, passions and curiosity was nothing short of amazing.
Read what four ARJE members took away from the experience.
Ben Mazur, RJE , BBYO Educator
Staffing the BBYO Internation Convention as an independent contractor was a fascinating and eye-opening experience.
I had the pleasure of serving on both the education and music teams and loved how the two departments were intentionally woven together. I mentored multiple groups of teen service leaders, coached a teen rock band, and jammed with teens, adults, and even tots (“BabyYO” is really something to see). I am very impressed with BBYO’s Jewish Enrichment Team, which has led a significant shift in how the organization approaches ritual, cultural, and educational encounters. Teens are excited for “JLab” experiences and are engaging with their Jewish identities in creative and meaningful ways.
One reflection I have that I want to share with other ARJE members is that I hope that Reform educators and clergy can see pluralistic spaces like BBYO not as competition for the attention and engagement of our youth, but as partners in the same sacred work. Each event is another opportunity for learning, growth, and connection, and a chance for any Jewish teen to find the right space for themselves.
I also hope to see the Reform movement’s presence grow at BBYO in the future, meeting so many of our own teens where they already are.
Jay Rapoport, RJE, BBYO Songleader/Educator
I am the Director of URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy in West Chester, PA, and a few months ago I responded to a post in the ARJE Facebook group about the opportunity to apply for the Songleader/Educator team at BBYO IC in Philly. With thousands of teens (and Jewish professionals) gathering from all over the world a half hour away from our camp, it already felt like an important place to be, and this seemed like a great opportunity to work directly with creative teens.
My role involved supporting teen Shabbat service leaders, teen bands, and musical programming throughout the conference.
Like many ARJE members, I was curious to learn more about what BBYO is doing well that has engaged so many Reform teens. I loved seeing how proud and excited our URJ campers were when they walked by the URJ SWAG table, and was impressed that BBYO has more copies of Mishkan T’filah than a typical large Reform synagogue. I enjoyed the opportunity to see the cast of Hamilton perform (with a teen!) on opening night, and seeing so many expressions of Jewish joy - which has been referred to as the antidote to antisemitism - throughout the event.
As co-Rosh Kef (head of fun & culture) for URJ Biennial 2026 with our member Ellie Tepper Schulman, it was also wonderful to explore the space for our next large Reform movement gathering happening this December 10-13. Overall, it was an exciting and educational experience, and I am grateful that I got to be part of our strong URJ team presence!
Ellie Tepper Schulman, RJE Philadelphia Area Educator
I am an associate director at URJ Camp Harlam, a former NFTY Regional Director for the NFTY Mid-Atlantic region, and reside in the Philadelphia suburbs, so having BBYO in my backyard felt like a great opportunity to see what it was all about.
I went with a few hats on: as a representative of the URJ/HUC at a booth, a volunteer during Global Ambassador Week (I hosted three German girls from Berlin for a few days prior to the IC), and as a curious individual. I walked away from my two days at IC craving more of the Jewish Joy that I saw throughout my time in Philadelphia. The participants at IC were outstanding. I had so much fun watching them connect, engage, and have fun through a Jewish lens.
The highlight of the experience was spending about 30 minutes prior to the camp-themed Shabbat on Friday evening with our Harlam Liberty Region delegation. For the entire time, I could not get a word in, as they regaled me with stories of the people they had met and fun moments in the short time they had been there. When we entered the service space, the joy continued to fill the room!
What I want our members to know is that BBYO is a place where our kids can be joyfully Jewish in a safe space with our joyful Jews. We have the opportunity as educators to help them build a foundation that they get to carry out into this pluralistic space, where they can explore all types of Judaism at once. This type of exploration, with a strong foundation, will help them understand what makes them unique as a Reform Jew!
Jennifer James, Philadelphia Area Director of Youth Learning and Engagement
As a congregational educator whose work focuses on teen engagement, I have watched my students become increasingly engaged in BBYO over the past several years. They are seeking Jewish connection beyond the synagogue, with the many Jewish teens at their schools and across the city who are not otherwise involved in Jewish life, and they have found it in their BBYO chapter.
It has been gratifying to witness how our Reform Jewish teens have brought their learning and values to the BBYO spaces, and how welcoming BBYO has been of their sharing. For example, they gave their chapter a Jewish name that reflects how they want it to feel, which they learned at Rodeph Shalom — they call it Mishpocha! — and they chose to make their chapter egalitarian.
Because many of the chapter board members are also my students, we partner together to host BBYO events at our synagogue, which enables the congregation not only to support our teens in additional ways but also to reach teens across the city who otherwise would never step foot inside a synagogue, and teens who otherwise would never experience Reform Judaism and community. The Jewish joy that these BBYO teens share is tremendous, and their ownership of their Jewish identities is inspiring.
Attending BBYO International Convention along with Reform Jewish leaders has cemented for me the value of our partnership with BBYO and increased my confidence in the direction we are taking with that partnership. Perhaps the best moment was when Rabbi Maderer and I surprised our teens during their regional gathering at the start of the convention: most of them did not know we would be there, and the genuine glee they expressed at seeing us in the BBYO space made it clear that supporting them in BBYO is the right thing.
I returned from BBYO International with renewed excitement about working with BBYO to support our teens and all Jewish teens in Philadelphia!