A few weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity and honor of being one of the four teen coordinators of ELTI 2024. Coming back from an unforgettable weekend with teens from 23 countries sparked many thoughts and emotions, and I want to share some of them with our global movement.

For context, from the 14th to the 17th of November, teens from communities across Europe came together for the 4th European Leadership Training Institute (ELTI), this time hosted in France. And what an incredible weekend it was! Those three days were full of joy, discovery, and connection, with everyone participating in teen-led leadership sessions (divided into three blocks: Hosting and Invitation, Planning and Facilitation, Judaism), Shabbat activities, AZA&BBG Separates, insightful programs, the WOW Party and even a walk to the beautiful French countryside. Also, this year, we visited Basel, Switzerland, for a simulation of the First Zionist Congress in the same city that hosted the original Congress in 1897, igniting the flame that created The State of Israel in 1948.

Being a coordinator at such an event felt like an important step in my journey in BBYO, having been to many international events, including all previous ELTIs. For me, creating an experience that will remain in people’s hearts and being able to teach them valuable skills is one of the most important things I can do as a teen leader. Reflecting on that weekend, I can’t help but think of all the smiles, emotions, discussions, and even the French food (which was hit or miss, in my opinion). 

What’s especially beautiful is that 23 countries across different regions - Germany, Spain, Nordics, Baltics, Balkans, you name it - were able to connect, learn from each other and strengthen the ties that bind European communities together. In my opinion, that’s the most wonderful thing about BBYO - being able to make friends with people from such diverse countries, finding out our common thoughts, having tons of fun, and discovering the uniqueness of each chapter’s ways. 

Most of the chapters in Europe are less than 20 years old, some of them only in their first or second year, and seeing that they’re already part of one big family makes me incredibly happy and excited for the future. I know that each chapter in Europe has creative and thoughtful leaders who will push the boundaries of what their communities are currently doing, shaping the future of our amazing movement.

Additionally, I want to highlight the opportunities that ELTI creates for so many European teens. Apart from learning at sessions, many teens signed up for the steering team, helping create unforgettable moments throughout the weekend. Of course, my experience as an ELTI coordinator taught me many new things about how international events are organized and hosted. It must also be mentioned that for many, joining the steering team at such conventions is their introduction to leading programs, which is why it's super important to view steering opportunities as opportunities to learn important skills through practice. That's why I hope that more and more teens will use these opportunities to create and learn, whether at ELTI or any other event.

So now, to conclude my article, I invite you to discover more about the diverse chapters across our movement. No matter what continent you are on, look up the social media of BBYO chapters in different regions - you might be surprised to find out just how many countries have chapters - and see what each community is doing. See the types of programs they do, be inspired, and continue strengthening the most important part of our movement - our local chapters. Thank you!