BBYO at 100 and beyond
BBYO began in 1925. Last month, 100 years later, I volunteered at a BBYO regional event in Milpitas
Three hundred Jewish teens convened for delicious food, arcade games and hanging out. Being a recent empty nester, I miss being a BBYO mom, and what I observed that weekend made my nest feel full. With Jewish stars dangling around their necks, these adorable young people looked for their regional friends and gave them those running hugs, like only happy teens can do.
One of them was my former student, and I was lucky enough to get one of those hugs. She then went to grab others who knew me as if to say, “Did you know Ms. Beres was Jewish?”
At one point in the evening, a woman who was not a part of the event approached us and asked if she could take one of the 100 year pins we were giving out. “I think my friend’s kids were in this group and I want to give it to them,” she said. She had Googled the organization to learn more about Jewish youth. She was thrilled to discover that BBYO exists all over the world.
When I was asked to staff the event, it did not occur to me that the reason for a heavy adult presence was to keep members safe from any antisemitic incidents that might occur. Yet here I was talking to a non-Jewish woman who was inspired by what she saw and wanted to learn more. The night ended with Havdalah, where all those teens put their arms around each other and chanted the prayers we’ve been chanting for thousands of years.
BBYO has been in my family for four generations, and with my children being alumni I’m grateful that it is alive and well and will hopefully be around for my grandchildren.
Danielle Beres | San Carlos
Israel’s messaging should be positive
Israel has finally recognized that the information war is just as important as any other warfront in its ongoing struggle for existence. It’s now launching a massive social media campaign to combat the countless slanders leveled against it daily (“Inside Israel’s ‘Esther Project’: DOJ filings reveal paid U.S. campaign,” Oct. 1).
But exposing falsehoods isn’t enough. The campaign will only be effective if it presents a powerful, positive image of Israel, based on the core Jewish values that have defined and sustained us for millennia.
What would such messaging look like? It would start by acknowledging the supremacy of God and his covenant with our ancestors, which is still in effect today. It would affirm that the Land of Israel was promised to the Jews by the Almighty, that surrendering any part of it when not physically coerced would be a direct betrayal of that covenant, and that Israel will never agree to divide the land or allow a separate foreign state on it. It would emphasize that the laws of God are above the laws of man, including international law, and that no amount of ill-informed international condemnation will cause us to deviate from our righteous path. And it would declare that, while Israel is willing and able to bring many great blessings to the world, those who seek to do us harm can expect greater harm in return, while those who seek good for us can expect goodly rewards.
If and when Israel fully internalizes these messages, propounds them with confidence and backs them with resolute action, it will be well on its way to winning not only the information war, but all its wars.
Martin Wasserman | Palo Alto