The Jim Joseph Foundation of San Francisco announced this week that it will grant $1.9 million over three years to fund three new Jewish enrichment positions for BBYO, the pluralstic Jewish youth movement. The investment aims to enable BBYO to “deepen the Jewish experiential learning offered to its teen-led community and prepare Jewish teens for a lifetime of Jewish involvement,” according to a press release.
“Research has proven that Israel trips, summer specialty camps and youth groups have a powerful impact on teens, and BBYO is a leader in all three of these areas,” said Al Levitt, chair of the Jim Joseph Foundation board of directors. “Providing BBYO the opportunity to expand on its program excellence through an infusion of talented Jewish educators is a win for the entire Jewish community.”
BBYO reaches an estimated 31,000 North American teens annually. As part of its new five-year strategic plan, BBYO is creating positions for directors of Jewish enrichment. They will be dispersed in key geographic hubs and be networked together as a team of educational entrepreneurs, working with BBYO teen leaders, volunteer adult advisers and program professionals.
“This is an exciting moment for BBYO’s teen leaders,” said Oz Fishman of Sunnyvale, teen president of AZA (BBYO’s leadership program for males). The partnering of Jim Joseph Foundation and BBYO will provide “more resources than ever before to engage our peers through the kind of programming that opens their minds to the meaning that can be found in a life enriched by our Jewish teachings and traditions,” Fishman said.