BBYO: FAQs

BBYO was launched with the creation of the Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) in 1923 by a group of boys from Omaha, Nebraska in an attempt to create a fraternity that not only accepted Jews but was also based on Jewish values. In 1924, AZA was declared an international organization with the help of advisor Sam Beber. The official establishment of the B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG) did not occur until 1944, years after the first permanent chapter was established in San Francisco, CA in 1927. B’nai B’rith adopted both youth movements in the mid 1940s and the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) quickly spread around the world. It didn’t take long for BBYO to be recognized as the premier Jewish youth movement of the global Jewish community.

In 2002, BBYO was restructured as an independent international organization. After 80+ years of support, B’nai B’rith International (BBI) ended its financial support of BBYO. BBI’s divestment from BBYO comes at a time of significant growth in its efforts to reach more Jewish teens with more meaningful Jewish experiences. Over the past five years, BBYO has doubled the number of teens involved in Jewish life throughout North America, from 13,000 to nearly 26,000.  Now, more than ever, BBYO relies on the support of local communities to support this growth, despite the cut in funds from B’nai B’rith.

BBYO is structured to involve teens both locally and internationally through its chapters, regions/councils, and international opportunities. More than 450 chapters distributed across 42 regions/councils in North America make up what is called International BBYO, headquartered in Washington, DC. BBYO also has counterparts across the globe in Israel, UK, Australia, Bulgaria, etc.

BBYO prides itself on being a teen-led, adult-supervised program, but most importantly, it is a chapter-based, democratic organization. Individual members are the most important part of the chapter.  Members will get as much out of their BBYO involvement as they are willing to invest in it.

BBYO is a high school youth organization. Teens can join BBYO during the second semester of their 8th grade year. In Atlanta, teens are introduced to BBYO at the end of their 8th grade year and choose a chapter at the end of 8th grade or beginning of 9th grade.

We ask that your son or daughter try out a chapter within their area for a few months. If after the few months your son or daughter is not enjoying their experience, he/she can switch to another chapter.

Atlanta Council serves as the governing body for the 11 Atlanta chapters. Two full-time staff oversee the chapters, volunteer advisors, the council board, and all council functions. Twelve teens are elected by the members to serve on the Atlanta Council board.  These teens train and work with chapter leaders and members, as well as determine the direction of Atlanta Council.

The positions for AZA Council Board are:

• Godol – President
• S’gan – Vice President
• Moreh – Vice President of Membership
• Shaliach – Vice President of Judaism, Social Action, and Community Service
• Mazkir – Secretary
• Gizbor – Treasurer

The positions for BBG Council Board are:

• N’siah – President
• S’ganit – Vice President
• Morah – Vice President of Membership
• Shlicha – Vice President of Judaism, Social Action, and Community Service
• Mazkirah – Secretary
• Gizborit – Treasurer

The chapter is made up of an executive board of individuals who are democratically-elected by their peers to conduct the business of the chapter. These boards are elected by the rest of the chapter for one term, which lasts six months to a year. Each chapter has a volunteer advisor(s) who supports, suggests, and supervises their chapters, works with chapter boards, and acts as a friend (with authority) to our youth.

The positions for AZA Chapter Board are:

• Godol – President
• S’gan – Vice President
• Moreh – Vice President of Membership
• Shaliach – Vice President of Judaism, Social Action, and Community Service
• Mazkir – Secretary
• Gizbor – Treasurer
• Sopher – Newspaper/Newsletter Editor (not all chapters have a Sopher)

The positions for BBG Council Board are:

• N’siah – President
• S’ganit – Vice President
• Morah – Vice President of Membership
• Shlicha – Vice President of Judaism, Social Action, and Community Service
• Mazkirah – Secretary
• Gizborit – Treasurer
• Sophranit - Newspaper/Newsletter Editor (not all chapters have a Sophranit)

Chapters organize regularly scheduled events to provide opportunities for local Jewish teens to gather socially and to enrich their Jewish experience. Additionally, by participating in the process of programming – from brainstorming to budgeting, marketing to evaluation – BBYO teens learn and utilize important skills that will help them for years to come. To ensure that programming is diverse, each AZA and BBG chapter programs around the organization’s historic focus areas; these are known as folds.

We have national standards to adhere to AZA and BBG By-Laws and Constitutions of International BBYO and Atlanta Council. Locally we also have program guidelines for individual chapter programs, as well as council events, which are determined by Council Board each programming term.    

Programming focal points known as folds provide a structure to strengthen chapter programming. AZA has the following five folds: athletic, community service/social action, education, Judaic, and social.  BBG has the following six folds: community service, creativity, Jewish heritage, sisterhood, recreation, and social action.

Business and formal decision-making is not permitted on Shabbat.

Dances and similar social activities may not occur on Shabbat.

Travel is not permitted on Shabbat unless it is to attend a Shabbat experiential program or authorized by the BBYO office. When necessary, alternate travel will be provided for those who require it.

BBYO groups may hold community service programs on Shabbat with authorization from the BBYO office.

Fundraising activities are not permitted on Shabbat.

BBYO requires a chapter meeting or program on Sunday to start after 12:00 pm. If your teen is attending a sleepover, send a written notice to the advisor or call/email prior to the event to arrange early pick-up for your teen on Sunday morning.

Depending on the offense, the chapter advisor may simply talk to the teen and work it out at the program. The advisor will notify us as to what happened and how it was handled.

If it is a severe offense, such as hazing or something involving illegal substances, advisors are trained to call staff and ask how to handle the situation. Staff will talk the advisor through the situation and following the incident, staff will determine the appropriate punishment and talk to both the parent and teen.

If your teen will tell the advisor he/she needs a kosher restaurant, then every effort will be made to accommodate your teen. You may prefer to have your teen meet the chapter for the program after the restaurant, or have your teen order a dairy or a vegetarian meal.

Therefore, if a teen shows up at any BBYO event visibly intoxicated, smelling of alcohol, or with any alcohol or drugs in their possession, you will be called to take your teen home. Your teen will face a mandatory suspension from all BBYO activities. Their reinstatement may occur only at the discretion of the BBYO Director after a joint meeting with the teen and parents.

Local Council and Chapter programs must end by 11 pm. If a program is a sleepover and a participant is not sleeping over then he or she must leave the program by 11 pm. BBYO chapter members attending their BBYO chapter program must stay from start to finish.

If participants are going to be more than 1/2 hour late a parent must call the advisor and let them know. If parent doesn't notify the chapter advisor, the participants will not be allowed admittance to the program without parent permission. BBYO programs have specific end times. Parents should be aware of when programs end since BBYO assumes no responsibility for participants after the program ends.

• Before agreeing to host and be a parent supervisor for the chapter event, speak with the chapter advisor and/or local BBYO professional to make sure it is an official BBYO event and to find out if the advisor will be present for the event. Know the start and end times of the event.
• It is recommended that at least two adults supervise all events. If no advisor can attend the chapter program, you must be present for the duration of the event as a parent supervisor.  
• If the advisor is present, please make sure your presence is known. Please make sure you and the advisor speak with the chapter at the beginning of the program about the policies and any rules for your house. You will also need to occasionally check in during the event. For example, if the event is in the basement, stop in a minimum of a couple of times throughout the night.  
• If an advisor is not present, then your presence must be more akin to program supervisor, until the program has ended. (Being a program supervisor means facilitating the program for the evening and being present in the same room as the event for as much of the time as possible).
• If food is being served, it must be kosher. If kosher food is not available, it must be dairy or vegetarian.
• This is your house. BBYO rules and your rules apply. If the activity is to be limited to a specific part of the house and/or if you do not want food and drinks in a certain part of the house, tell the advisor or the teen leader.
• Additional Program Guidelines per BBYO:
• Participants should stay inside the house unless a supervised and organized activity is going on outside.
• The advisor or parent supervisor must remain on site and available during the designated hours of the program.
• You will have a list of emergency number for all participants and emergency services.  These will be provided by the chapter advisor or local professional (Laura Fendrick).  
• BBYO is an alcohol, drug and tobacco free organization.  Please refrain from using such products during the program.
• If an advisor is not able to be present:
• The same guidelines as above still apply, but you should make your presence known more frequently.
• If there are any issues that need to be dealt with immediately, please contact the BBYO staff member who is on call that weekend.  Please contact us even if you are unsure of a policy or how to handle a situation.
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• Teens may not leave a program to get supplies or food (this includes your teen). All teens must stay on-site for the entire duration of the program once they have arrived.
• The only people who should be at a chapter program are the chapter members and guests. Guests include the beau, sweetheart, and Atlanta Council Board. These guests will follow the same rules and BBYO policies as the other program participants.  An advisor or supervisor should be aware of the guest or guests visiting the program and should be introduced by the N’siah or Godol upon their arrival.
• AZA chapters choose a girl to be their sweetheart and BBG chapters choose a boy to be their beau. It is an honorary position. They must follow the same rules and BBYO policies as the other program participants. An advisor or supervisor should be aware of the beau or sweetheart visiting the program and should be introduced by the N’siah or Godol upon their arrival.
• Regardless of the time, if a policy is violated by any teen, that teen is to be sent home immediately. Please contact the professional staff, Laura Fendrick, as soon as the violation takes place. When teens are dismissed from a program, a parent must be contacted and must pick them up (even if the teen drove themselves).  
• If policy is broken and the teen or teens involved do not come forward, the event should end immediately and all parents should be notified to pick their teen up from the program (even if the teen drove themselves the parent must pick the teen up).  Immediately contact the professional staff, Laura Fendrick, as soon as the violation takes place.

• Kickoff
• 5 conventions
• Community Service events
• 2 Dances
• Family Shabbat
• Winter Basketball League
• 8th Grade Party

Typically Atlanta Council BBYO has two BBYO dances.

Atlanta Council Dance is BBYO’s formal dance in December where the Council King and Queen are elected. Many teens attend the dance without a date and have a great time with good music and great friends. Over 250 teens come this event and any Jewish 9-12th grader is welcome to attend.

Beau Sweetheart Dance is BBYO’s casual themed dance in February where the chapters elect their Beau or Sweetheart.  Any Jewish 9-12th grader is welcome to attend.

• You must be a registered member of BBYO to attend conventions.
• All convention participants must attend every scheduled event on time.
• No participant may leave the activities at any time without permission from the staff (volunteer or professional).  
• There will be a curfew after all scheduled events.  Everyone must be in his or her respective rooms by curfew.
• There will be no use, possession, or distribution of alcohol or illegal substances at any time during the convention; this includes drug paraphernalia and incense.
• NO ONE is allowed to leave convention without the pre-approval of the BBYO Director after he/she has talked to the parent.
• NO ONE is allowed to have visitors without the pre-approval of the BBYO Director.
• No visitors are allowed to join the convention at anytime during the convention without the pre-approval of the BBYO Director.
• NO boys in girls’ rooms, NO girls in boys’ rooms.  If the convention is at a hotel, teens must remain on BBYO assigned floors.
• Destruction of property, theft, or vandalism will result in suspension from BBYO.  Full payment of property damage will be charged to the individuals found to be responsible.
• Conventions are often at different venues, so staff will walk the venue and determine where teens can go and which areas are off-limits.
• Teens are asked to respect staff and each other.

Any infraction of the rules may result in immediate dismissal from the weekend at the expense of the member and his/her parents. There will be no refund if a participant is sent home. Parents will be notified.

• Shabbat attire for Friday night (Boys: collared shirts with pants. Girls: casual dress or skirt).
• Casual clothing for Saturday and Sunday during the day (t-shirt, sweatshirts, jeans, and shorts are appropriate)
• Saturday night: there will be a dance and the teens often like to dress up but it is not required
• Toiletries
• If we are at a camp, appropriate shoes and rain gear is suggested
• Bedding and pillows are required for all camp conventions.

Yes. These supervisors are called advisors, and they are all required to pass a background check. They are trained by the local BBYO professionals on how to work with their chapter officers and members. They are also required to know the BBYO policies and adhere to them.

Typically the hours fluctuate because professional staff often have late meetings with the teens. The best time to contact staff is between the hours of 10:00 am-6:00 pm.

• Encourage regular attendance at chapter meetings, functions, and regional conventions.
• Help provide transportation when and where necessary. We do request your assistance in making sure your teen has transportation.
• Open your home for a BBYO program. If you do so, please be aware of the following guidelines:
• All BBYO policies must be adhered to.
• An advisor/responsible adult is required to attend and be visible at every program.  
• The unforeseen can happen. If a disturbance or damage occurs, please report all pertinent information to the Regional Office.
• For an overnight: the Consent to Host a Chapter Overnight Form will be sent via email for you to read and understand your responsibilities as a host of an overnight program. Your teen’s advisor will provide you with the form once you have agreed to host the chapter overnight.  
• Volunteer to help at programs when advisors ask for assistance. Every parent is needed to assist at different times, and advisors will only ask when help is needed.
• Share your personal resources. Many times, a parent can be an excellent speaker, discussion leader, etc. or you may know of others who would be appropriate for chapter/council/regional programs.
• Talk to your teen about BBYO; help them follow through with any responsibilities they may undertake. Speak to your chapter advisor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Send in necessary forms on time.