BBYO - Wikipedia

Jewish teen organisation

BBYO
Founded	May 3, 1924; 101 years ago (1924-05-03)Omaha, Nebraska, US
Type	Jewish
Affiliation	Independent B'nai B'rith International
Status	Active
Emphasis	Jewish youth
Scope	International
Pillars	Inclusivity, Jewish Identity, Active Leadership, and Tradition
Colors	Red and   Blue
Chapters	700+
Members	70,000 high school active350,000 lifetime
Nickname	Alephs, BBGs
Headquarters	529 14th Street NW, Suite 705Washington, District of Columbia 20045 United States
Website	www.bbyo.org

BBYO is a Jewish teen movement, organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization is intended to build the identity of Jewish teens and offer leadership development programs.[1]

On June 19, 2001, the movement split from B'nai B'rith International, which had been its parent organization, to become incorporated as B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Inc.[2]

BBYO is organized into local fraternity- and sorority-like chapters. Male chapters are known as Aleph Zadik Aleph and their members are known as Alephs and female chapters as B'nai B'rith Girls, and their members are known as BBGs. AZA and BBG were independent organizations (beginning in 1924 and 1944 respectively) before becoming brother and sister organizations under B'nai B'rith. In some communities, there are co-ed BBYO chapters that borrow traditions from both organizations.

History

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Early days of BBYO

[edit] Further information: Aleph Zadik Aleph

AZA's original advisor, Nathan Mnookin, soon left Omaha for his hometown of Kansas City, where he started a similar group with the same name. The Omaha group selected a new advisor, Sam Beber, who soon laid out his plans for an international youth movement based on the local AZA model. On May 3, 1924,[3] the Aleph Tzadik Aleph for Young Men, now an international Jewish fraternity, was formed according to Kubo's plan, with the Omaha and Kansas City chapters receiving the first two charters. Four chapters were in attendance at the first convention in June 1924, and ten at the second convention the following summer.

By 1925, AZA had expanded east with dozens of chapters across the country. At Beber's urging, B'nai B'rith took up the issue of officially adopting AZA as its junior auxiliary at their national convention in 1925. Supported by Henry Monsky, who himself was vying for the B'nai B'rith presidency, the convention adopted a committee report affirming its approval of the organization under B'nai B'rith's jurisdiction. Immediately following the convention, the B'nai B'rith Executive Committee met and officially adopted AZA, which then became known as the Aleph Zadik Aleph of B'nai B'rith.

BBYO's beginnings

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In 1944, after a few past failed attempts to begin a Jewish youth group for young women, B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) became officially recognized and adopted by B'nai B'rith. Anita Perlman is credited with the development of BBG as Sam Beber is credited with the AZA. For the first time, AZA and BBG were united under a single organization, officially cementing their relationship and brother and sister organizations. Combined, the two youth movements were called the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, and BBYO was born.

From past to present with BBYO

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After more than 75 years of general prosperity, B'nai B'rith began a massive restructuring at the turn of the 21st century in response to the changing face of North American Jewry. As a result, what was then the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization split from B'nai B'rith and, on June 19, 2001, it was incorporated as B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Inc., a separate nonprofit organization.[2] The new organization received substantial funding from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and it was chaired by Lynn Schusterman.

On February 15–19, 2024 BBYO held its Intentional Convention in Orlando, Florida. This convention marked its 100th year as a youth organization for the AZA (Boys) and 80th year for BBG's (girls). The organization is active in more than seventy regions in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and North America.[1] As of 2024, BBYO has more than 700 chapters in fifty counties, with 70,000 members and over 350,000 alumni.[1][4]

Symbols

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BBYO's core values or pillars are Inclusivity, Jewish Identity, Active Leadership, and Tradition.[4] The color red is associated with its sorority B’nai B’rith Girls, while blue is associated with its boy's fraternity Aleph Zadik Aleph.[5] Red symbolizes the member's passion for the organization.[5] Blue represents loyalty, trust, and wisdom.[5]

Organizational model

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BBYO is organized into local fraternity- and sorority-like chapters. Male chapters are known as AZA chapters and their members are called Alephs. Female chapters are known as BBG chapters, their members are called BBGs. AZA and BBG were independent organizations (beginning in 1924 and 1944 respectively) before becoming brother and sister organizations under B'nai B'rith. In some communities, there are co-ed BBYO chapters that borrow traditions from both organizations.

See also

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• List of Jewish fraternities and sororities

References

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1. ^ a b c "BBYO, Inc. | Charleston Jewish Federation". www.jewishcharleston.org. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
2. ^ a b "B'NAI B'RITH YOUTH ORGANIZATION INC. - Initial File Number: 212043[permanent dead link]". Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Government of the District of Columbia. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
3. ^ "About Us: Narrative History", BBYO.org
4. ^ a b "Mission & History". BBYO. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
5. ^ a b c Gornstein, Emma (May 18, 2023). "The Red of BBG and the Blue of AZA". BBYO. Retrieved 2024-12-28.

External links

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• BBYO Parties on Spirit of Philadelphia
• BBYO Expands Impact, Membership

v t e Jewish youth organisations
Youth organisations	Am Yisrael Foundation BBYO Aleph Zadik Aleph B'nai B'rith Girls Betar Bnei Akiva Federation of Zionist Youth Habonim Dror HaMahanot HaOlim HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed HaNoar HaTzioni Canadian Young Judaea Hashomer Hatzair Hineni JLGB Moriya NCSY Netzer Olami NFTY USY Kadima Young Judaea
Student unions	Australasian Union of Jewish Students European Union of Jewish Students Swiss Union of Jewish Students Union des étudiants juifs de France Union of Jewish Students of the UK & Ireland World Union of Jewish Students
Student services organisations	Chabad on Campus Hillel International

v t e Jews and Judaism in the United States
Major communal organizations	B'nai B'rith Jewish Community Centers Jewish Federations of North America
Major advocacy organizations(not exclusively Israel-focused)	American Jewish Committee American Jewish Congress Anti-Defamation League Conference of Presidents Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (LDB) Religious Action Center Jewish Community Relations Councils (JCRCs) Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish environmental groups Jewish Future Pledge Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) Jewish Women's Archive National Jewish Democratic Council Republican Jewish Coalition Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism White House Jewish Liaison Jewish Labor Committee Jewish Democratic Council of America
Major humanitarianorganizations	American Jewish World Service Joint Distribution Committee Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society United Israel Appeal
Major Israel-focusedorganizations	American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Birthright Israel Hadassah Israeli-American Council J Street Jewish Voice for Peace IfNotNow Masa Israel Journey Middle East Media Research Institute Nefesh B'Nefesh New Israel Fund New Jewish Narrative Tzofim Friendship Caravan Zionist Organization of America
Major domestic and neighborhood assistance organizations	Chaverim Hatzalah Secure Community Network Shomrim Tomchei Shabbos
Major religious movementorganizations(and associated rabbinical membership and policy body; seminary)	Agudath Israel of America (Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah; etc.) Agudas Chasidei Chabad (Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch; Tomchei Tmimim-U.S., RCA, etc.) Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association; RRC) Young Israel Orthodox Union (Rabbinical Council of America; RIETS-YU, etc.) Society for Humanistic Judaism United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (Rabbinical Assembly; JTSA / AJU-Ziegler) Union for Reform Judaism (Central Conference of American Rabbis; HUC)
List of synagogues(by movements)	by US states Former Conservative Humanistic Orthodox and Modern Orthodox Reconstructionist Reform Unaffiliated
Youth organizations	Jewish summer camp B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) (AZA / BBG) Bnei Akiva NCSY North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) Tzivos Hashem United Synagogue Youth (USY) / Kadima Young Judaea
Education	College Jewish studies programs Hebrew school Jewish day school See template for schools Schechter Torah Umesorah Yeshiva / Mesivta
Major university groups	Organizations Chabad on Campus Hillel Masorti on Campus World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) Fraternitiesand sororities Alpha Epsilon Pi Alpha Epsilon Phi Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi Sigma Alpha Mu Sigma Delta Tau Tau Delta Phi Tau Epsilon Phi Zeta Beta Tau
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Dating	JDate JSwipe Lox Club Matzo Ball SawYouAtSinai
Major communal activities	Siyum HaShas Super Sunday phone-a-thon
Category

v t e B'nai B'rith
Regional divisions	B'nai B'rith International Canada Cuba Europe Israel Latin America B'nai B'rith Poland [pl]
Youth divisions	BBYO UK and Ireland BBYO Aleph Zadik Aleph Beber Camp Perlman Camp Camp B'nai Brith (Montreal) Camp B'nai Brith (Ottawa)
Organizations formed by B'nai B'rith	Anti-Defamation League Anti-Defamation Commission (Australia) Courage to Care (Australia) B'nai B'rith Foundation Polyclinic (Shanghai) Jewish Orphan Asylum Jewish Women International Hillel International
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