10. Regional Elections ‘23 - Who would’ve thought an election would be one of my favorite memories? Especially one I didn’t even run in. This holds a special place in my heart as one of my first regional events. I walked in, scared to talk to anyone, yet everyone greeted me warmly and made me feel so welcome. Even those who weren’t on regional board came up and introduced themselves, and I met some of my best friends in the region, which I am eternally grateful for.

9. Winter Warm Up ‘24 - Last winter, we had a Western-themed Winter Warmup, and it was so fun to see everyone dressed up with their hats and boots, coming together to celebrate our love for this organization! The theming and activities were all Western and it was fun to be silly with everyone while experiencing something truly special.

8. Global Shabbat - Every year, Global Shabbat is so meaningful to me. Throughout the entire order, everyone joins together with their chapters with one specific goal—celebrating Shabbat and being connected. Each year, I have attended and it means more and more every year, knowing both all my international friends and people I haven’t even met are celebrating too.

7. Chapter Elections ‘23 - This is a special one for it was my first time running in an election, and I was lucky enough to win my position! This moment led to a year full of friendship, leadership, and experiences that I never thought I would have at such a young age. Being a sophomore, I was the youngest on our board but I felt at home with such a big part in leading my chapter.

6. Halloween ‘21 - My first ever meeting was a Halloween-themed event, I was scared to wear a costume because I didn’t know if I would be the only one, but I walked in and immediately multiple people rushed over to introduce themselves. This is the key moment in my BBYO journey that cemented my love for this organization. Seeing how kind and welcoming everyone was brought this shy eighth grader out of her shell and into the person I am today.

5. Kickoff ‘24 - Having not seen the majority of my regional friends since IC, this reunion was special and made me feel so valued in my BBYO community—something everyone deserves to feel. Running to hug my friends while dancing to the amazing live music by our very talented members made me remember how much BBYO means to me.

4. Spring Con ‘23 - As a freshman, I didn’t want to attend regional events because I was scared I wouldn’t know anyone and that it would be difficult to make friends. Yet, my first convention proved the opposite. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and a big smile on their face, reinforcing the fact that BBYO is the place for me, and is a key moment that makes me continue to show up.

3. Fall Con - There’s no year on this one; for both Fall Cons I have earned a special place in my BBYO memories. Fall ‘23 was my first time steering anything, and I realized how much I love being a leader and getting to play a part in creating something so special for everyone to enjoy. Fall ‘24 was truly an amazing display of passion and love from everyone involved, the spirit competition was fierce yet friendly and the memories were unforgettable.

‍2. IC ‘24 - My first international event, and I couldn’t be happier that I decided to go. From Shabbat with hundreds of new people, to the concert, to Universal, I would never trade this experience for the world. There is something so unique about IC, where everywhere you turn there is a friendly face of someone who could end up being your new best friend. You never know exactly what to expect, yet every moment ends up being better than you could've imagined. 

1. CLTC 3 ‘24 - Where do I even begin with this one? It wasn’t one specific moment, yet the whole 12 days of this wonderful camp with the most caring and kind people you could think of. From the first moment I stepped foot on camp, to the second I pulled out of the driveway to leave, every second was one I look back on and smile. 

Take a minute to reflect on your favorite BBYO experiences, and next time your at an event, don’t forget to live in the moment. It goes by so quick, and you want to cherish each experience, knowing that you will never have something as meaningful as this organization and the people who make it happen.